The U Pass

[thebobman]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the U-Pass program subsidized by the school and the government? I'm pretty sure its not just paid for exclusively by students...

*shrugs*

The U-Pass is just another student fee to pay for a service that's available to all students, but not used by all students. Your tuition and student fees also pay for councilors, course advisers, on-site security & first-aid not to mention the construction and maintenance for non-academic facilities and sports fields. I hardly think cheap public transit for all students would be the highest ticket item your school is charging you for that you don't use.

Just be thankful the U-Pass isn't being funded by revenues from the school's pay-for-parking lots.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by rawb

1) you aren't a student so your outrage is silly

I'm not outraged, I'm simply looking at the other side.

Originally Posted by rawb

2) occasionally people realize the world doesn't revolve around them and even though they are in the minority they contribute for the greater good (i pay into EI i will probably never use, my taxes bail out provinces i will never visit and lease safe injection sites i will never shoot drugs in, i pay strata fees so they can fix the greenspace my apt doesn't overlook and pay the concierge i rarely use a salary, etc etc etc)

I'm well aware of all the things we all pay for.

Originally Posted by rawb

3) if you were a poor student and concerned about money by far the most economical way for you to get to campus would be by the U-Pass, unless you lived close enough to bike or walk or had some other circumstance that would allow you to apply for a credit that would negate the cost of the U-Pass

I think Rhia has proved that this is not always the case. There is an exception to every rule.

[diva]

Originally Posted by rawb

1) you aren't a student so your outrage is silly
2) occasionally people realize the world doesn't revolve around them and even though they are in the minority they contribute for the greater good (i pay into EI i will probably never use, my taxes bail out provinces i will never visit and lease safe injection sites i will never shoot drugs in, i pay strata fees so they can fix the greenspace my apt doesn't overlook and pay the concierge i rarely use a salary, etc etc etc)
3) if you were a poor student and concerned about money by far the most economical way for you to get to campus would be by the U-Pass, unless you lived close enough to bike or walk or had some other circumstance that would allow you to apply for a credit that would negate the cost of the U-Pass

I remember a long long time ago when rawb was outraged about the UPass being introduced at UBC (or maybe it was SFU). The message board he was arguing on escapes me at the moment...

I do remember that he didn't seem to think it was fair that his sister, who drove, had to pay for it. I also remember making pretty much the same points that I've just quoted.

I'm glad he changed his mind. <3

[rawb]

Originally Posted by Erin

I'm not outraged, I'm simply looking at the other side.

Way to stick up for those poor car owners and their right to use their inefficient and expensive mode of transportation.

Originally Posted by Erin

I'm well aware of all the things we all pay for.

I doubt this, because if you care enough about a U-Pass being charged to a group of people you aren't even a part of you'd go absolutely ballistic at what the money that's taken off your check and added to your purchases goes to.

I think Rhia has proved that this is not always the case. There is an exception to every rule.

And you're saying this makes it a bad idea?

So what's the point? Scrap the U-Pass because of a few isolated cases when it benefits tens of thousands of students, as well as anyone who breathes air in the lower mainland?

Great idea! Lets take it a step further since we are the individual in front of the group. So all the people who opt out of the U-Pass can now opt in to the FU-Pass where they do not need to pay for the U-Pass (WHICH IS SO UNFAIR) and also lose out on the ability to use anybody else's money towards their education. Enjoy your ever zanier tuition and high interest, immediate payment loans!

[rawb]

Originally Posted by diva

I remember a long long time ago when rawb was outraged about the UPass being introduced at UBC (or maybe it was SFU). The message board he was arguing on escapes me at the moment...

I do remember that he didn't seem to think it was fair that his sister, who drove, had to pay for it. I also remember making pretty much the same points that I've just quoted.

I'm glad he changed his mind. <3

SHITTY XMAS PRESENTS MADE ME DO IT

[Erin]

Originally Posted by rawb

Way to stick up for those poor car owners and their right to use their inefficient and expensive mode of transportation.

That may be your opinion, but I think my car is def worth the money I spend on it.

Originally Posted by rawb

I doubt this, because if you care enough about a U-Pass being charged to a group of people you aren't even a part of you'd go absolutely ballistic at what the money that's taken off your check and added to your purchases goes to.

Care enough? Why? Cause I'm stating the other side on a msg board? Because I can see why Rhia is upset? I can see her point? Come on now...

Originally Posted by rawb

And you're saying this makes it a bad idea?

So what's the point? Scrap the U-Pass because of a few isolated cases when it benefits tens of thousands of students, as well as anyone who breathes air in the lower mainland?

Great idea! Lets take it a step further since we are the individual in front of the group. So all the people who opt out of the U-Pass can now opt in to the FU-Pass where they do not need to pay for the U-Pass (WHICH IS SO UNFAIR) and also lose out on the ability to use anybody else's money towards their education. Enjoy your ever zanier tuition and high interest, immediate payment loans!

lol... All I'm saying is that if someone won't use it - why make them pay for it?

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Erin

lol... All I'm saying is that if someone won't use it - why make them pay for it?

I agree, I pay taxes that go towards paving roads I don't even use, totally unfair. Then I have to pay taxes that go to supplementing tuition fees for Universities, I don't go to UBC, why should I have to pay that shit!?!?

But what's worse is I have to pay taxes that go to supporting women's clinics and shelters, wtf? I'm not a woman, I'm not going to use that ever.

It's totally unfair that our government insists on making us pay taxes on a service we will never use.

[Erin]

Originally Posted by NinjaBoy

I agree, I pay taxes that go towards paving roads I don't even use, totally unfair. Then I have to pay taxes that go to supplementing tuition fees for Universities, I don't go to UBC, why should I have to pay that shit!?!?

But what's worse is I have to pay taxes that go to supporting women's clinics and shelters, wtf? I'm not a woman, I'm not going to use that ever.

It's totally unfair that our government insists on making us pay taxes on a service we will never use.

Are you guys incapable of seeing 2 sides to an argument? Sometimes it feels like I'm banging my head against a wall.

[rawb]

Originally Posted by Erin

That may be your opinion, but I think my car is def worth the money I spend on it.

What you think about your car has nothing to do with the discussion.

Originally Posted by Erin

lol... All I'm saying is that if someone won't use it - why make them pay for it?

Again, because it is in the interest of the greater good. If anyone could opt out of any fee or tax that they believed didn't directly help them then we wouldn't have highways for you to drive your car on or maternity leave or affordable post secondary education (where people can go to whine about the U-Pass).

I never went to post secondary, why make me subsidize it? (It benefits the greater good)
I never go on EI, why make me contribute towards it? (It benefits the greater good)
I am rarely sick, why can't i just get paid for my sick days? (It benefits the greater good)
etc
etc
etc

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Erin

Are you guys incapable of seeing 2 sides to an argument? Sometimes it feels like I'm banging my head against a wall.

Your argument is because you aren't going to utilize the service, you shouldn't have to pay for this.

I understand that, and can sympathize. When I was in school I had tuition fees added for use of the gym.

I used the gym closer to my house though because it was easier for me to walk to.

But it's a slippery slope to take that argument. Like I stated, there are many service I don't use, that I have to pay for. I live and work downtown, do you think I'm concerned about bridges and roads being built in Coquitlam? But being part of a Democracy means that when something is voted on, even if the individual disagrees with it, funding is still partly their burden.

It's the cornerstone of government and Modern society. People don't get to pick and choose what individual projects are funded or not.

Yes you might not use the U-pass, but it does require everyone to pay for it to work. My brother had this happen to him as well. He lived in Delta, and had to go to SFU. He owned a car and could afford to drive quite easily. However he chose to utilize his U-pass to try and reduce his carbon footprint (as well as save money at the cost of convenince).

UBC year after year has voted in landslide decisions to keep the U-pass. So it must benefit the vast majority of the student population.

[rawb]

Originally Posted by Erin

Are you guys incapable of seeing 2 sides to an argument? Sometimes it feels like I'm banging my head against a wall.

I just have a hard time believing someone who's grown up in the western hemispheres government-run services utopia suddenly has a problem with forcing people to pay just over a hundred bucks extra a semester to get a bus pass to go to their heavily subsidized education on their heavily subsidized student loan.

it's like a teenager telling their dad its unfair that they have to clean their room. there comes a time where the dad has to say 'if you have such a problem with the house that you contribute very little to and take so much from, feel free to move out'

[Erin]

I think this was over a few pages ago...

Originally Posted by Erin

If 92% voted for it, then wouldn't that still be a HUGE number of students using the service? I would imagine the fare would still be quite low.

And why is it optional for some schools, but not optional for Cap College students? That doesn't seem right.

Originally Posted by Erin

I also think it's an awesome program for students that need it, but why are the 8% of people that voted against it because they don't use it made to pay? Why can't they make it an option? $135 isn't to big of a difference to $125/month.

Originally Posted by Erin

That's my point.

[rawb]

^Nah girl those points are still short sighted and paints people as victims who are already receiving thousands upon thousands of dollars of funding from people who have no interest in helping them personally with an education.

if you're going to take a gigantic handout and then bitch about having to pay a small fee to subsidize something that benefits everyone, then I don't get your objection.

[NinjaBoy]

So you are saying that the price should slightly increase for those using the service so those not using don't have to pay?

I agree, which is why I think I should be able to decrease my taxes, and UBC students should pay more for their tuition.

[Courtney]

^ are you kidding
please tell me you are

university ROBS people

[Courtney]

I pay for things I don't need all the time via taxes
It's the way our system works...so you may not benefit from this now but maybe you will benefit from health care funding later.....it's a little give and take

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Courtney

^ are you kidding
please tell me you are

university ROBS people

Do you have any idea how much University would cost without a steady flow of tax money? It seems expensive, but it's actually a good deal.

[Courtney]

A good deal in whose eyes....

Considering I will have 30 grand debt when i'm out of school I call bullshit

[Courtney]

not to mention the average is 40 grand debt

[Erin]

Here we go again...

[Courtney]

I just think it is funny that ninjaboy,carrie and erin DON'T GO TO SCHOOL.

[NinjaBoy]

Originally Posted by Courtney

I just think it is funny that ninjaboy,carrie and erin DON'T GO TO SCHOOL.

Uh, I graduated 18 months ago...

And had to take student loans to pay tuition.

I'm pretty sure Carrie went to school to...

[Courtney]

zoot alore

[Erin]

I didn't. :)

[Courtney]

I just think it's funny how selfish people are
Think of how many people you are helping

cost benefit analysis

In the end more people benefit so you should sacrifice a bit so that this can happen