Random Letters: 5-27-21

Labels or Definitions

Definitions are important.

Semite: of relating to, or constituting a sub family of the Afro-Asiatic language family that includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and Amharic. (Merriam Webster)

Who is a Semite? Who is an Anti-Semite?

Is a Polish-Yiddish speaking individual a Semite? 

Is a Palestinian (Christian or Muslim) a Semite?

If I support Palestinian’s can I be referred to as supporting Semites?

Mark A. Nelson, San Pedro

Responses to California’s Comeback Plan and American Families Plan in Advocating for Students On High Cost of Textbooks

RE: “California Roars Back: Gov. Newsom Presents $100 Billion California Comeback Plan”

Textbook affordability is a large problem in higher education, and I know someone who could not afford to buy a textbook for a class and as a result, almost failed the class altogether. The professor assigned homework through the textbook’s website so my friend lost easy points in the class because of her inability to pay for the $150 textbook in the first week of classes. Textbook prices have become outrageously expensive and have hindered the accessibility of higher education for far too long. 

As a UCLA student and an intern on the CALPIRG Students Affordable Textbook campaign, I care about textbook affordability because students should not have to choose between paying rent and paying for their textbooks. Luckily, there is a realistic solution to this problem. Open textbooks are peer-reviewed and edited and are provided to students free of charge. The UCs are top universities that pride themselves on accessibility and diversity but have not implemented a free textbook program. 

Therefore I urge the UC schools to consider implementing this system to allow all of their students to have the same opportunities to pass their classes. I fully believe that open textbooks can help students, expand educational opportunities, and lead higher education into the open resource world.

Madison Muggeo, University of California, Los Angeles

Earlier this year, President Biden recognized that students everywhere are struggling to fund their education with his American Families’ Plan. Not only has the pandemic placed many families in an unfortunate economic position, but many students have had to defer from attending college due to the rising tuition costs. To read that he has now presented a comeback plan that will speed up this support is amazing! It is wonderful that the leader of our country plans to support college students and low income families and I have a direct program he can endorse to make this happen!

As an intern and the Visibility Coordinator for the Affordable Textbooks campaign with CALPIRG Students, I am here to encourage the implementation of a UC-wide open textbook program. The article shared that Biden’s plan will be “cutting the cost of student housing and working to reduce the cost of textbooks.” Tuition is an obvious financial burden on students, but purchasing class materials has hindered students just as much for decades. Textbook prices have become outrageously expensive! Students have been struggling to balance textbooks prices and paying for their wellbeing, and it is time to denormalize that. Since the UCs are a major factor of California’s education reputation, I believe this program is the perfect pathway into aiding students nationwide with open resources. The UCs, as world-class educational institutions, could lead higher education as a whole into the open resource world.

Overall, textbook affordability is an element of college affordability that has a simple solution. UC students would directly benefit from this financial relief and other schools could be inspired to take that initiative for their students. Open textbooks can help students and expand educational opportunities.

Aryeal Lands, University of California, Los Angeles