Pride (or lack thereof)
Apr 9, 2007 19:07:13 GMT -6
Post by Big D on Apr 9, 2007 19:07:13 GMT -6
Here's a piece that appeared in today's Chicago Flame...
www.chicagoflame.com/news/2007/04/09/Opinions/Where.Is.That.Flames.Pride-2829782.shtml
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Where is that Flames pride?
Feature Opinion
Daniel Jerez
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Opinions
During spring, many students are shedding their winter coats opting to sport sweatshirts and hoodies. You expect to see UIC students donning school merchandise, but I can't help but wonder why I see countless numbers wearing sweatshirts from other universities.
Students wearing Illini is understandable, because they are our sister school, but wearing Michigan, DePaul or UCLA colors is a little ridiculous. Why are students not showing off their Flames pride? Is there anything UIC can do to fix this problem?
Moses Lopez, a student wearing a Michigan hoodie, commented on why he was not wearing a UIC hoodie.
"I got this when I went to Michigan. It only cost me $20; it's like $40 here. If they weren't that expensive I'd buy one and wear it," said Lopez, a fourth year engineering major.
Students that have been at UIC for a while understand that the school can get expensive. Consider the cost of food in the Atrium or the cafeteria compared to the cost of food in the Inner Circle.
Also, those who have bought school supplies from the bookstore know that a trip to Target would save them a noticeable amount of money.
We, as a student body, accept the fact that the bookstore will charge a little more for merchandise because all university bookstores charge a little extra for merchandise. Check out the websites for DePaul and Loyola, you will notice that compared to UIC, for similar products, they are all at about the same price range.
Why is it that a large portion of UIC students still do not wear UIC merchandise if they cost about the same?
The difference is that students can buy those products at other retailers at a more competitive cost. The cost of the Michigan hoodie from the bookstore was $34.98, only a few dollars less than UIC at $39.99. Lopez did not buy his hoodie at the bookstore. He said he bought it at a shop near his dorm, where it only cost $20.
UIC merchandise can only be purchased at the bookstores on the East and West campus, leaving students with few places to buy Flames merchandise.
Another reason for the lack of pride is the growing sentiment by students feeling nickel-and-dimed by UIC. Without increased funding for the university, the cost of tuition has increased a few times in the past few years.
While UIC lets students see Flames sporting events for free, they do not offer a worthwhile discount for concert events at the Pavilion.
If UIC made a conscious effort to help students with the cost of living, more students would show pride and wear UIC merchandise.
There is a problem when it seems that the only students who wear UIC merchandise are the athletes. As a student, it feels as if the budget is more important than the students.
You would think it would be in the best interest of the University to lower the costs so that more students would spend their money in the bookstore or on concerts at the Pavilion.
As it stands, I can get far less expensive food in the Inner Circle or off campus, I can buy merchandise from other schools for less money and I can see a concert at another venue cheaper than at the Pavilion.
It's these little things that make us proud to say that we are UIC students.
Until the University can reverse the negative sentiments, I have a feeling that I will continue to see students representing other universities. That is a shame on many levels.
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Personally, I'll never understand it. Why spend $40 on my school's sweatshirt when I could instead spend $20 on a school that means absolutely nothing to me? That makes so much sense. And, I also don't agree with the author that it should be ok for UIC students to wear Illini gear. Is it also ok to wear Bradley gear and Loyola gear? What's the difference? If anything, it should be worse to wear Illini stuff.
With that said, the merchandise is ridiculously overpriced at the bookstore...no wonder people don't wear UIC gear.
www.chicagoflame.com/news/2007/04/09/Opinions/Where.Is.That.Flames.Pride-2829782.shtml
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Where is that Flames pride?
Feature Opinion
Daniel Jerez
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Opinions
During spring, many students are shedding their winter coats opting to sport sweatshirts and hoodies. You expect to see UIC students donning school merchandise, but I can't help but wonder why I see countless numbers wearing sweatshirts from other universities.
Students wearing Illini is understandable, because they are our sister school, but wearing Michigan, DePaul or UCLA colors is a little ridiculous. Why are students not showing off their Flames pride? Is there anything UIC can do to fix this problem?
Moses Lopez, a student wearing a Michigan hoodie, commented on why he was not wearing a UIC hoodie.
"I got this when I went to Michigan. It only cost me $20; it's like $40 here. If they weren't that expensive I'd buy one and wear it," said Lopez, a fourth year engineering major.
Students that have been at UIC for a while understand that the school can get expensive. Consider the cost of food in the Atrium or the cafeteria compared to the cost of food in the Inner Circle.
Also, those who have bought school supplies from the bookstore know that a trip to Target would save them a noticeable amount of money.
We, as a student body, accept the fact that the bookstore will charge a little more for merchandise because all university bookstores charge a little extra for merchandise. Check out the websites for DePaul and Loyola, you will notice that compared to UIC, for similar products, they are all at about the same price range.
Why is it that a large portion of UIC students still do not wear UIC merchandise if they cost about the same?
The difference is that students can buy those products at other retailers at a more competitive cost. The cost of the Michigan hoodie from the bookstore was $34.98, only a few dollars less than UIC at $39.99. Lopez did not buy his hoodie at the bookstore. He said he bought it at a shop near his dorm, where it only cost $20.
UIC merchandise can only be purchased at the bookstores on the East and West campus, leaving students with few places to buy Flames merchandise.
Another reason for the lack of pride is the growing sentiment by students feeling nickel-and-dimed by UIC. Without increased funding for the university, the cost of tuition has increased a few times in the past few years.
While UIC lets students see Flames sporting events for free, they do not offer a worthwhile discount for concert events at the Pavilion.
If UIC made a conscious effort to help students with the cost of living, more students would show pride and wear UIC merchandise.
There is a problem when it seems that the only students who wear UIC merchandise are the athletes. As a student, it feels as if the budget is more important than the students.
You would think it would be in the best interest of the University to lower the costs so that more students would spend their money in the bookstore or on concerts at the Pavilion.
As it stands, I can get far less expensive food in the Inner Circle or off campus, I can buy merchandise from other schools for less money and I can see a concert at another venue cheaper than at the Pavilion.
It's these little things that make us proud to say that we are UIC students.
Until the University can reverse the negative sentiments, I have a feeling that I will continue to see students representing other universities. That is a shame on many levels.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Personally, I'll never understand it. Why spend $40 on my school's sweatshirt when I could instead spend $20 on a school that means absolutely nothing to me? That makes so much sense. And, I also don't agree with the author that it should be ok for UIC students to wear Illini gear. Is it also ok to wear Bradley gear and Loyola gear? What's the difference? If anything, it should be worse to wear Illini stuff.
With that said, the merchandise is ridiculously overpriced at the bookstore...no wonder people don't wear UIC gear.