Last night, I was working in the journalism building, got hungryand decided to head over to the Tiger Den.
I only had a few dollars in my wallet, but I figured I couldfind something filling for that much.
After four years at this school, you'd think I'd know thatnothing worth anything costs just a few dollars here -- especiallynot the cuisine du jour of pizza, Subway or three-day-old saladingredients from le Tiger Den.
I accepted that I would have to spend more than I wanted to ondinner, and I walked over to the ATM machine now in the Tiger Dendining room.
Why it took the school who knows how many years to finally getan ATM machine in the Den, I don't know, but I was happy it wasthere -- until I looked at my online bank statement the nextday.
I think as a society, we've come to accept the fact that there'sgoing to be a monetary charge for everything we do now, so I didn'treally mind paying $2 to withdraw $20 from a bank that's not mine,especially since the ATM machine notified me that I'd be doingso.
What I do mind, though, is the cheap administration of The U ofM attaching an extra $1.50 to that fee to keep for themselves. Ialso mind them not telling me that they're doing it. I didn't knowI'd have to pay The U of M to use the ATM machine until after I'ddone it and the money had left my account.
So I tipped The U of M almost 10 percent to have the honor ofusing a facility for which my tuition is paying? Are you kiddingme?
This school signed a contract with First Tennessee to become theonly banking facility on campus, creating a monopoly on students'funds, and I'm sure The U of M is getting some sort of monetarycompensation under this contract.
But that's not enough. Our alma mater feels the need to rob usat every turn -- enter the ATM "service charge."
I pay tuition at this school. I buy overpriced schoolmerchandise. I frequent the incredibly overpriced UniversityBookstore, and I eat on campus fairly often.
With all the money I'm giving The University (and I'm sure thereare others paying even more), why does the administration need totake my $1.50, as well?
This is supposed to be a place of higher education, wherestudents come to learn and are able to do so comfortably. Instead,it's a place where anything and everything is done to turn aprofit.
Some people may say that The University compensates for overcharging on some items by giving students things like free gymmemberships at the rec center and admission to sporting events.
No, The University is not giving us those things. We are givingourselves those things by paying tuition and by paying taxes.
The old cliche of the broke college student is so true. Westruggle to keep up with our classes, work a part- or full-time joband maintain some sort of family/social life all on a very fixedbudget. Is it too much to ask for The University to respect thatand not try to take advantage of people stuck on campus allday?
I'm sure you all are probably thinking that I must be a reallybroke college student to complain so much over $1.50, and I am, butthat's not the point. I just don't like being ripped off, and whenI pay $3.50 to withdraw $20 to spend on campus, I'm getting rippedoff.
