Student government rallies for education budget
Budget reconciliation is a special process that Congress uses to swiftly approve tax cuts and administer changes to the funding of entitlement programs. In April of this year, Congress suggested to several committees that it was necessary for them to cut $34.7 billion over five years from entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Social Security and student loan programs.
The suggested cut from students loan programs amounts to around $9 billion. That cut would not only drastically affect the way in which students consolidate their loans, but it would for many students eliminate even the thought of pursuing a higher education.
Access to higher education is of the utmost importance in an economy that rewards merit and experience; without the opportunity of school, many citizens would not have a means to gaining the success that is so valued in our society. Join USSA (United States Students Association) and the ASUO in our fight against budget reconciliation.
Kyla Coy
ASUO Vice President
 
A call for open scientific debate on intelligent design
I went to the University Convocation on Sunday to hear Sylvester James Gates Jr. speak about string theory. It was a disappointing presentation. There were two things that were disappointing: 1) Gates didn’t spend more time speaking about his area of expertise, and 2) Gates spent too much time speaking about something he apparently has not researched.
Gates implied that the percentage of scientists who believe in intelligent design is about the same as the percentage of ordinary people, of the general public, who believe in the flat earth. This is not accurate. Nature, a scientific journal, reported in 1998 that there are a number of scientists that believe in intelligent design. Additionally, Nature reported that between 35 and 40 percent of scientists believe in a God that communicates to people.
I do, however, agree with Gates’ opinion that it is certainly time for the scientific community to openly debate the intelligent design theory.
Brian Michaels
Science teacher, Springfield
 
Correction
In the Sept. 26 Emerald article “Einstein’s famed theories discussed at Convocation,” the Emerald should have defined Einstein’s theory of special relativity as dealing with what happens to time and space as one approaches the speed of light.
The Emerald regrets the error.