Editorial

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Editorials | Send mail to The Voice Students unable to attend retreat should not pay Multnomah's mandatory all-school retreat fee needs to go. The $100-plus fee is wrapped into the student Stugo fee, which has been increased from $50 to $150 since the retreat fee was tacked on. Many students won't attend this retreat and should not have to pay this fee. According to the student services department, the retreat helps build unity within the Multnomah community, which benefits everyone. Therefore, all students must pay for the sake of community built at the retreat. A number of students are upset about paying for a weekend event they won't attend. Many students, especially off-campus and married students, cannot afford to go or can't get off work. Others aren't interested or don't have time to attend. The retreat may be a wonderful event that builds unity and offers a restful weekend, but to charge the entire student body for a retreat that not all will attend is unfair. The way it is funded is causing a lot of hurt feelings among those who can't attend, defeating the unifying intent. Although Wild Horse Canyon offers an incredible deal--four days and three nights for a mere $107--many students still cannot afford to attend. Students making minimum wage would have to work 15 hours to pay for the retreat and then another 15 hours to make up for lost work time. If students are taking out loans to pay for tuition, the interest accrued on that $107 will amount to a lot of money. A weekend of leisure is not a legitimate use of scholarship and grant money, either--it is not a part of education; it is a vacation. Multnomah is forcing students who won't attend the retreat to sacrifice so that others can enjoy themselves. One hundred dollars may not seem like a lot of money to some, but to others it could mean the difference between paying the month's heating bill or buying school supplies. Students who are uninterested in attending should not have to pay for it if they don't want to be at the retreat. Students have a right to this money. Multnomah might be surprised how many students decide to make the sacrifice and pay for the retreat anyway. But to force unwilling students to pay up is disrespectful. To give them the option might make all the difference and cause them to give willingly. Or the students can keep their much-needed money. The school should reimburse students this money if they ask for it. Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Editorials | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2003 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.