MVCC receives $8.2 million for campus improvements

[Disgusted-Daily]

www.wktv.com/news/local/17855704.html

What about Utica College? Did we really need a major expansion of the college athletic facilities? Shouldn't safety be our first concern in both Colleges?

"$5.5 million of the capital funding from the 2008-2009 New York State Budget will go toward construction of an Athletic Events Center while $2.7 million will allow the campus to improve pedestrian safety by installing better curbing, sidewalks, guardrails, and lighting."

Athletics over safety and Academics? Way to go Joseph Griffo and Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, just a couple more great achievements added to your resume.

I'm all for sports, but this seems a little extreme considering the events that took place at UC and other schools around the world.

[Ralph]

Agreed.......I was always under the impression that colleges were a place of higher learning, not an extension of high school sports.

[dgriffin]

Colleges are empires a-building. The community colleges especially annoy me. Local taxpayers foot half the bill and the administrations spend like drunken sailors. I had to take a few courses for a certification in a particular field a couple of years ago and was amazed at how few students there are in classes these days. There are lots of kids, but there are so many choices (a marketing technique) that echoes can be heard in many classrooms. How does the college afford this? Adjunct "professors." Often, not very well qualified individuals are paid not much more than minimum wages while the CC administrators enjoy some of the highest salaries in the county.

[Clipper]

Correct me if I am wrong, ( Iam sure someone will, haha), but isn't Utica College a private institution, and part of Syracuse University? Is MVCC not already eons ahead of Utica College in sports facilities and playing fields?

I think that a "public" college should have a referendum placed on a ballot to decide such expansions, just like a local school district. It would be hard to do that with a state university, but for a "county" college, as is the case of a "community college" by definition, it should be required.

While Utica College has an active and great athletic program, doesn't one think that a private school with a board of directors in charge of the money, seems to excercise a little more responsible spending than our "public" schools. "Public"schools are funded through the legislature's efforts and funded for unneccessary projects that should wait until the economy is on much more stable footing.

I would imagine thatUtica College also gets plenty of money from public sources, but they seem to excercise more prudent control over irresponsible spending.

[dgriffin]

Clipper, good point.