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	<title>The Daily Californian &#187; money</title>
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		<title>For richer or for poorer</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/11/for-richer-for-poorer/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/11/for-richer-for-poorer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:37:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Meg Elison</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[College]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[divorce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FAFSA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[financial aid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marriage]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rich]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tradition!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tuition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wedding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=224348</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>They came to me in the middle of the night. They were young and beautiful and dressed up like they were about to go out. I had about an hour’s warning, and their knock on the door was light so as to wake no one who wasn’t already up. When <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/11/for-richer-for-poorer/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/11/for-richer-for-poorer/">For richer or for poorer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="382" height="373" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/06/meg.ellison.web_.png" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="meg.elison.web" /></div></div><p dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-52a8fa50-6fba-841f-0292-ee9e0687a7f7">They came to me in the middle of the night. They were young and beautiful and dressed up like they were about to go out. I had about an hour’s warning, and their knock on the door was light so as to wake no one who wasn’t already up. When they got to my doorstep, I was ready. I knew it would be hasty and impromptu, but there’s no reason even a simple wedding can’t be beautiful.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We shared grapes and wine, and I told them that what begins as new and perfect fruit can end up a rich, fermented, much-changed substance that the vine might not recognize. They tasted both and said their vows, and we signed the paperwork. With a little help from their friends, they were married.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In the state of California, any recognized member of the church clergy can marry individuals to one another if the couple has a license. Over the years, I’ve married a handful of couples in the woods and in my living room. I’ve seen the state and the nation struggle over the definition of marriage, and I’ve seen it take many forms. I’ve heard the academic and feminist arguments that marriage was, for many centuries, a primarily economic arrangement to secure the merging and inheritance of property. Much about marriage has changed, but for the very rich and the very poor, the economic part remains the same.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The rich have assets to protect. They draw up contracts and agreements to ensure no one is seduced into a holy and blissful union by a heartless and calculating gold digger.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The poor have other arrangements to make. We are more likely to cohabitate to save money, whether it is appropriate for the relationship or not. In my life, I have known men and women who choose to stay with partners who are abusive or merely unsuited because breaking up means giving up a place to call home.</p>
<p dir="ltr">My friends who were married that night in my living room loved one another and probably would have chosen to marry at some point. The reason they came to me with so little notice, however, was not a pregnancy or a shotgun or even a romantic whim. It was the deadline for FAFSA submissions for the following academic year. Too young to be considered independent from their parents, they were desperate for enough financial aid to transfer to a four-year university. They were the children of vanishing middle class. On paper, their folks could afford to contribute to their tuition, but real life is complicated with gambling addictions and jobs that don’t offer health care.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It wasn’t young love. It wasn’t an impetuous gesture or an adherence to belief. It was a financial decision. Like many decisions forced upon us by poverty, it was a decision that puts the future in jeopardy — no money down, crippling credit terms down the road. The FAFSA considers married students independent and places a student in a wholly separate category for aid. Choosing to marry now to qualify for aid may result in a possibly messy and potentially expensive divorce later, but in the moment, we do what we must. In the meantime, we give one another the gift of an education otherwise out of reach.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Tuition has outpaced the cost of living, outpaced inflation and shows no sign of slowing. People all over are taking drastic measures to afford school, and at the University of California, we are no different. A recent discussion on the cost of housing led some of my classmates to speculate on the appearance of quad dorms with four bunks to a room and the feasibility of (not kidding) camping on the Glade and writing a blog called The Great Outdorms. The idea of getting married for mercenary causes may rankle the romantic soul, but in the scheme of desperation, it seems almost a tame solution.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In my tradition, couples being wed grasp hands and are gently tied together to symbolize their bond. When this couple was tied, I told them to remember that it’s only one hand they’ve given and that the other remains free. True of their marriage, this also became a symbol of their shared commitment to helping one another get through school, support one another’s dreams and be good partners; they were not entirely bound, but they were also not entirely free.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Marriage was never pure. It is sometimes undertaken in the spirit of perfect altruism and true love, but my friends’ practical decision was perfectly in line with the long and fraught history of this evolving institution. They might have given up, waited a few years or taken on crushing loans to move forward with their education. A license to marry costs $97 and takes effect the moment both people say “I do.” They’re responsible to one another and for one another, and they take that seriously. This year, they’ll both graduate from a UC school with their respective bachelor’s degrees.</p>
<p dir="ltr">I now pronounce you educated to the minimum degree necessary to get a decent job.</p>
<p id='tagline'><em>Meg Elison writes the Monday column on financial issues affecting UC Berkeley students.Contact Meg Elison at <a href="mailto:melison+dailycal.org">melison@dailycal.org</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/11/for-richer-for-poorer/">For richer or for poorer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The pros and cons of summer classes</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-summer-classes/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-summer-classes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Aug 2013 17:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mackenzie Bedford</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sandbox]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[school]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[summer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[summer school]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=223379</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Remember the days when summer signified three months of wonderful nothingness? School was over until August or September, and the warm days stretched on endlessly in front of us, promising way too much relaxation and a whole lot of free time. Alas, by the time we get to college, summers <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-summer-classes/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-summer-classes/">The pros and cons of summer classes</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="500" height="333" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/07/3535145392_1961ec2c3e.jpg" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="3535145392_1961ec2c3e" /></div></div><p>Remember the days when summer signified three months of wonderful nothingness? School was over until August or September, and the warm days stretched on endlessly in front of us, promising way too much relaxation and a whole lot of free time. Alas, by the time we get to college, summers just aren&#8217;t the same. The three months become filled with internships, volunteer work, paying jobs and anything else that could be substantially useful to our resumes. So this begs the question: Why add a summer class to that lineup and remove any of the lingering signs of summer? In case you&#8217;re weighing your options for next summer (or are just wondering), we&#8217;ve come up with some pros and cons:</p>
<p><strong>Pro: The class sizes are usually smaller.</strong>While the classes at Berkeley are usually pretty large — typically ranging from about 100 to 600 people, the summer classes are made to accommodate fewer people. Most classes have less than 100 people, and only the basic classes, such as Chem 1A, still fall within a few hundred. The smaller group of students can allow for more engaging discussions that involve the whole class and don&#8217;t just consist of a professor orating from the front of a lecture hall. It also means that it is significantly easier to get to know the professor and establish an academic relationship with them.</p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>Con: It can take away that summer feeling. </strong>Adding a summer class to your repertoire can stifle even the smallest glint of summertime. Having to attend class in our months off — even if it&#8217;s just two or three days a week for a few hours — can make the school year seem never-ending and take away our one time to let our brains take a breather. Summer days don&#8217;t seem so carefree when you&#8217;re aware that you&#8217;ll have to cut activity time short so that you can get to English by 2 p.m.</p>
<p><strong>Pro: It&#8217;s a productive use of your time. </strong>Just taking one class can serve to lighten the next semester&#8217;s course load or remove some of the concerns about graduating on time. It&#8217;s commonly used to help complete the requirements of a supplemental minor. It can be especially useful when the prospects of an internship or job are slim and you don&#8217;t want to go home to loaf around for three months. Taking a class can be added to a resume just like work experience can.</p>
<p><strong>Con: It can be pretty pricey. </strong>Just because it&#8217;s summer doesn&#8217;t mean that tuition is any less ridiculous. Just taking one class runs typically upwards of $1,000 — not including the cost of living and eating in Berkeley for the summer.</p>
<p><strong>Pro: It can allow for some intellectual exploration. </strong>While during the regular school year, most of us are entirely focused on remaining on our intended paths, the summer allows for some freedom in class choice. It seems our duty as students of a fantastic university to branch outside of our comfort zones and explore the multitude of classes offered to us — and the summer is the perfect time to seize that opportunity.</p>
<p>Whether you&#8217;re looking at a class out of necessity or just out of interest to fill one of your summers spent here, the classes can be quite rewarding. It can be used as a time for growth as an intellectual and for the creation useful academic relationships. And it doesn&#8217;t necessarily have to be a death sentence for your fun in the sun, if you can manage your time correctly.</p>
<p><em>Image Source: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kcolwell/3535145392/">Ken Colwell</a> under Creative Commons</em>
<p id='tagline'><em>Contact Mackenzie Bedford at mbedford@dailycal.org.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/08/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-summer-classes/">The pros and cons of summer classes</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Can&#8217;t buy me love</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/14/cant-buy-me-love/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/14/cant-buy-me-love/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 14 Jul 2013 21:46:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Meg Elison</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[art]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[books]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[broke in berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cheap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dates]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Drink!]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gallery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[games]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Harry Potter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[museum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[staycation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tabletop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Godfather]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=221638</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>When I first met the guy I was going to marry, he told me he had a book called “Dating for Under a Dollar.” I didn’t believe him until he showed me. His parents had raised him in a lifestyle he cheerfully called “frugal” rather than “cheap.” Most of the <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/14/cant-buy-me-love/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/14/cant-buy-me-love/">Can&#8217;t buy me love</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="382" height="373" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/06/meg.ellison.web_.png" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="meg.elison.web" /></div></div><p>When I first met the guy I was going to marry, he told me he had a book called “Dating for Under a Dollar.” I didn’t believe him until he showed me. His parents had raised him in a lifestyle he cheerfully called “frugal” rather than “cheap.” Most of the ideas in the book were things we would never do — for example, camping in the TV display area of an electronics store for the free movies. We kept the spirit of the book alive, if not the letter. Some of our very best dates have cost us little or nothing to go on, and we never run out of good ideas.</p>
<p>His favorites have been literary dates. Once, we went to the public library and picked out our favorite books for a set of ages. We picked books for kindergartners, for 10-year-olds, for 16 and for high school graduation. We pulled our three current favorites. We talked for a long time about what we loved and why, compared how much we had read out of each other’s stacks and basically decided what books we would give as gifts for years to come. One year, for his birthday, we spent the whole day in a huge and friendly used bookstore where the owner didn’t mind if we hung out and read books. At the end of the day, we picked one book apiece and walked to a place where we could get a slice and a Coke. Total cost of both those book dates: less than $10.</p>
<p>My favorite dates have been a little more varied. Most galleries and a large number of museums are free. Viewing art of all kinds for free is one of the incredible benefits of a society that values expression. We’ve seen music, poetry, paintings, sculpture, performance art and dance performances at no cost. We’ve walked into galleries where owners treat everyone like a potential buyer, put glasses of wine in our hands, tell us about artists and processes of production and ask for our views. I keep tabs on the calendars of nearby community colleges and universities, watching for spoken word events, author readings and performances. The ones that aren’t free are usually cheap. We’ve always been able to go out and find culture without giving away all our cash.</p>
<p>Stay-at-home dates and staycations have also become more popular. It’s always cheaper to cook at home than to go out, and it’s something you can do together. Trying out a new recipe from the Internet or attempting to recreate a childhood favorite always starts conversations. When I introduced my husband to my mom, we had a stay-at-home date with an Italian theme. We cooked pasta and made salad together and watched “The Godfather,” which he had never seen. We’ve had other themed parties centered around movies, including whipping up competitive batches of butterbeer during a Harry Potter marathon and a rum-tasting arranged to accompany the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films.</p>
<p>It goes without saying that drinking at home is cheaper than going out. If you’ve ever seen those obscene bar tabs posted on the Internet, you know there are people out there who drink their tuition in a single night. Learning how to mix cocktails and figuring out what you like is a process best undertaken among people you trust in an environment you can control. Plus, bartenders may laugh at how much grenadine you want in your drinks — your significant other will think it’s cute. Drinking at bars and clubs only seems more fun because of the crowds and music and low lights. Hit the switches, invite some friends over and turn it up.<br />
Game night is the old standby. People have been doing it since Monopoly was new, but it doesn’t have to be dull. Look up alternate versions of games you have, or make up your own rules for a more interesting time. Ever try strip Jenga? There are fantastic game stores within walking distance of campus. Need something new? There are great game reviews on YouTube, including shows like TableTop. If board games aren’t your style, download cheap or free games on your cellphone and try to beat each other at Fruit Ninja or Candy Crush. Then you can help each other through rehab for your terrible addiction.</p>
<p>Lots of people think that you can’t have fun dates without a lot of money. Some even hold back on asking people out because they can’t impress them with cash to burn. Dates aren’t about money, and relationships won&#8217;t be stable if you base them on what you’re willing to buy. Even if you’re broke in Berkeley, a fun night depends more on your creativity and sense of fun than what you can pay for. If you’re as lucky as I have been, cheap dates can pay off — with interest.
<p id='tagline'><em>Meg Elison writes the Monday column on financial issues affecting UC Berkeley students.Contact Meg Elison at <a href="mailto:melison+dailycal.org">melison@dailycal.org</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/14/cant-buy-me-love/">Can&#8217;t buy me love</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>BARTpocalypse</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/08/bartpocalypse/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/08/bartpocalypse/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Jul 2013 07:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Senior Editorial Board</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Editorials]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BART]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[commuters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[deadline]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[negotiations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[strike]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transportation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=221000</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The fact that the two sides of the BART battle have not come to an agreement over new employee contracts following a four-day worker strike — two days of which were spent not talking — is evident of a lack of urgency. BART service resumed Friday afternoon following the strike <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/08/bartpocalypse/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/08/bartpocalypse/">BARTpocalypse</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The fact that the two sides of the BART battle have not come to an agreement over new employee contracts following a four-day worker strike — two days of which were spent not talking — is evident of a lack of urgency.</p>
<p>BART service resumed Friday afternoon following the strike that stemmed from disagreements over contract negotiations for higher salaries, better safety regulations and the amount of worker contribution to pensions and medical benefits. Negotiations will continue over the next 30 days while the existing contract provisions remain in place.</p>
<p>While both sides have raised fair questions about employee contracts, it should not have taken until after a negotiation deadline and stoppage of service for a decision to be found. The fact that talks stopped on Sunday, June 30 — the original negotiating deadline — and did not resume until Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m. is emblematic of this problem and sadly reminiscent of partisan conflict in Congress. </p>
<p>Bay Area citizens are heavily dependent on BART for transportation around the region to almost a paralyzing degree. BART spokesman Rick Rice estimated that 400,000 commuters ride BART each day, and the Bay Area Council Economic Institute estimated the Bay Area economy lost almost $73 million each day in productivity as a result of the strike.There is no guarantee that there won’t be another strike following the 30-day extension period. </p>
<p>AC Transit and other Bay Area transportation services should be commended for stepping up their game during the BART strike. AC Transit increased the frequency and number of its transbay commuter buses and regular bus lines, such as the F line, which Berkeley residents use to travel to San Francisco.<br />
Extending the negotiation deadline to Aug. 4 puts increased pressure on both sides to come to an agreement by this date. The public has already come to resent both BART’s workers and its administration and will continue to do so if a decision cannot be reached soon. As a type of public service, BART administration and employees owe it to travelers to stop jeopardizing the economy and daily routine of a major metropolitan area. </p>
<p>Both sides are reportedly apologetic. But we don’t need apologies — we need action. </p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/07/08/bartpocalypse/">BARTpocalypse</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>The cost of transit</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/06/20/broke-in-berkeley-the-cost-of-transit/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/06/20/broke-in-berkeley-the-cost-of-transit/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Jun 2013 18:36:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Meg Elison</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BART]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[broke in berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Downtown]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[East Bay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fremont]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oakland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Time]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Train]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transfer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[transit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[worth]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=218761</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>&#8220;So how long does it take you to get to school?” I get asked this more often than what my major is or what my plans are after graduation. When I tell people I live an hour away, they usually guess that I drive and park somewhere near campus. I <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/06/20/broke-in-berkeley-the-cost-of-transit/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/06/20/broke-in-berkeley-the-cost-of-transit/">The cost of transit</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="382" height="373" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/06/meg.ellison.web_.png" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="meg.elison.web" /></div></div><p>&#8220;So how long does it take you to get to school?”</p>
<p>I get asked this more often than what my major is or what my plans are after graduation. When I tell people I live an hour away, they usually guess that I drive and park somewhere near campus. I don’t drive. I take BART and the bus every day, in differing proportion to each other, based on how much money I have.</p>
<p>I live an hour away from campus for a few reasons. The first is that rent is cheaper outside of Berkeley, and Fremont is even cheaper than Oakland. The second is that I live in a communal household whose members commute to San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Corte Madera, Newark and Berkeley. Simple math: Traveling from Fremont BART to Downtown Berkeley and back every day costs $8.70. With class every day of the school week, that’s $43.50 per week — or $174 per month. This is cheaper than the combined costs of gas, parking, insurance and vehicle maintenance, but let me be frank and tell you that there are times that I just ain’t got it.</p>
<p>Enter the life-saving Class Pass. Most Cal students use the card to get around town, to catch a quick ride to class and to make those trips out to Target and Ikea a little cheaper overall. For some of us, however, the Class Pass makes the difference between getting to school and missing out. There have been quite a few days so far when I’ve traveled 60 miles for $0, paying only in lost time.</p>
<p>Riding BART is a mixed bag. Sometimes it feels luxurious and urbane. Everyone is quiet — headphones in and books on their laps. Every morning, I see people praying or meditating. In the afternoon, I see people nodding off or taking off uncomfortable shoes to switch to sneakers at night. Sometimes it’s chaotic, with drunk Raiders fans or gaggles of kids on field trips. Sometimes there are ranting crazies or people vomiting, and the ride hardly seems worth what I’ve paid for it.</p>
<p>Long bus rides are entirely different. The bus lines that snake down the East Bay pass through a dozen school districts in six cities and towns. Teenagers are on and off at every corner. The homeless pile on quietly, tucking their carts and bags away, meekly seeking passage or a place to sleep for a while. The glass and aluminum bus rattles and beeps and thumps over roads in poor condition, and we lurch and careen across country roads as we crawl through downtowns and in and out of BART. It was hard at first to train myself to read, to concentrate, to block it all out and to focus on something to not only pass the time but to make use of it. After a year of commuting, the bus could catch fire before I put down my book. I can sleep through three towns with my bag wrapped around my knees to protect my laptop. This road is mine; we know each other.</p>
<p>Last semester, I was having a conversation with a new friend. He and I came from very different places, and the more we talked, the more apparent our differences became. He asked the constant question: How do I manage to live so far away, and how do I commute? I told him that I normally took BART but that I was flat broke that particular week and had to ride the bus to and from school.</p>
<p>“Wow,” he said. “How long does that take?”</p>
<p>“Three hours each way,” I told him, breaking off eye contact. “But I get all my reading done for class, and there’s not much there to distract me. It’s not so bad.”</p>
<p>He laughed a little and made a small, futile gesture. “There’s no way I would do that. It’s not worth it.”</p>
<p>I didn’t know how to respond at the time. All of my experience flooded into me: dropping out of high school when it wasn’t worth it and working retail, year after year, on my feet and without a voice. I thought about the sacrifices I made to go back to school and the years in community college spent working full-time and hardly sleeping at all, fueled by the promise of transfer. I thought about the hours I’ve spent waiting for buses and trains to come, counting the hours and minutes before I’ll be late to class; I thought about the winter mornings when I leave the house before dawn and get home after sundown and the summer days on buses with no air conditioning and tiny, scummy windows.</p>
<p>I wish I had told him then, and I hope that he reads this now. This is my story. This is how I get to school every day. This is not a complaint, because attending this school is worth it. If I had to walk, if I had to camp out in People’s Park, if I had to ride the bus for twice as long, it would be worth it.</p>
<p id='tagline'><em>Meg Elison writes the Monday column on financial issues affecting UC Berkeley students.Contact Meg Elison at <a href="mailto:melison@dailycal.org">melison@dailycal.org</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/06/20/broke-in-berkeley-the-cost-of-transit/">The cost of transit</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Off the beat: Confessions of a humanities major</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/05/06/off-the-beat-confessions-of-a-humanities-major/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2013/05/06/off-the-beat-confessions-of-a-humanities-major/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 16:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Matthew Kirschenbaum</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[French]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[humanities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mathematics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matthew Kirschenbaum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[off the beat]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oxford dictionary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rhetoric]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sciences]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UC Berkeley]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=214383</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>When I first told my family that I would be double majoring in rhetoric and French, I faced confused and baffled responses. My parents expected me to follow my childhood passion for mathematics while in college, but sometimes, things just don’t work out. Throughout my academic career, I have been <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/05/06/off-the-beat-confessions-of-a-humanities-major/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/05/06/off-the-beat-confessions-of-a-humanities-major/">Off the beat: Confessions of a humanities major</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption vertical' style='width: 250px'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="250" height="302" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/02/matthewmug.jpg" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="matthewmug" /></div></div><p>When I first told my family that I would be double majoring in rhetoric and French, I faced confused and baffled responses. My parents expected me to follow my childhood passion for mathematics while in college, but sometimes, things just don’t work out. Throughout my academic career, I have been constantly told to consider my future as if humanities majors like me slip off the face of Earth after graduation. So what exactly is a humanities major, and why do they exist if there is such a constant fear of failure?</p>
<p>Many majors are put into classification schemes that limit the options of academic interest. There is often a dichotomy between the average humanities major and the average science major. Yes, clear distinctions tend to help with categorization, but defining majors by either being in the humanities or sciences is fallacious.</p>
<p>The Oxford English Dictionary defines “humanity,” in reference to the academic field, to be “the branch of learning concerned with human culture.” But shouldn’t this definition apply to all majors, then? In chemistry and physics, aren’t we simply studying the effects of humanity and how to better our species and interact with other species? I think that the distinction between humanities and sciences is a bit misleading because it assumes the field of science does not deal with humanity, when in reality science and certain fields of study are all about humanity.</p>
<p>The deciding factor in the debate of whether or not to major in humanities is money. People are generally steered away from majoring in the nonsciences with the justification being that humanities majors do not make as much money as science majors do. But is money really the true matter at hand? I think that worrying about a future salary while still in college is stressful, not to mention extremely petty. Money talk simply fuels the capitalist society in which we live. Before prematurely taking money into account, I find it valuable to reexamine why one pursues an academic career.</p>
<p>Do we go to school to get a better salary or to gain insight as to how we fit into society? Although the former is true, the latter exemplifies the bottom line: Society has normalized higher education. In high school, it feels like the next logical step to reaching adulthood is to enroll in a college of some sort. If we are expected to attain higher education, then we should have the freedom and support to explore different academic fields and focus on whichever pertains to us most. And I also think that it is healthy to leave the postcollege worrying until postcollege, regardless of finances and jobs.</p>
<p>In comparison to a science major, the average humanities major is faced with high unemployment rates and lower average wages. Although this is definitely something to take into account, having motivation will play a stronger role in changing such statistics. Our generation is typically pressured to go into supposedly successful fields such as medicine, law and scientific research — perhaps this will change in five to 10 years, because there might be an abundance of doctors and lawyers vying for the same jobs. Be motivated, and have a passion for what you study and enjoy doing, for young passion and eagerness will help you in the future.</p>
<p>So do all humanities majors go on to become professors in their fields? Definitely not. But many undergraduates in the nonsciences tend to enjoy their field so much that they seek a doctorate in the subject. People have admitted to me their fear of an overpopulation of people with doctorates in the humanities and not enough demand for them. While graduate school is a viable option for students in the humanities, don’t feel limited to a postsecondary education. But if you do find yourself seeking to continue onto a graduate program, the investment can be justified if you have an immense passion for the subject. If you want to go to graduate school for the humanities, do so if the fiery passion is there.</p>
<p>Am I worried about my future? Yes, but who isn’t? Before worrying about post-college, worry about college. I am trying to make the most of my time here at UC Berkeley and enjoy the humanities path. By exploring my academic interests in interdisciplinary fields, I have had the opportunity to further my knowledge of how society functions, and that is something I find invaluable to all “humanities” majors.</p>
<p>We, as college students, have the privilege to explore and choose our futures. Don’t feel obligated to classify yourself in the humanities or sciences binary. Challenge normative and capitalist ideals of the future — your future.
<p id='tagline'><em>Contact Matthew Kirschenbaum at <a href="mailto:mkirschenbaum@dailycal.org">mkirschenbaum@dailycal.org</a> or follow him on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/mpkirschenbaum">@mpkirschenbaum</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2013/05/06/off-the-beat-confessions-of-a-humanities-major/">Off the beat: Confessions of a humanities major</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Show me the money</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/11/02/show-me-the-money/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/11/02/show-me-the-money/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Nov 2012 07:20:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Noah Ickowitz</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Columns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ASUC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carry Forward Fund]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deficit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[referendum]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[senate]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=189429</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Student groups and the ASUC itself will deteriorate without more funding. While the ASUC does sometimes misuse its money and fall short on revenue generation, the majority of its deficit is simply not the fault of its elected officials. The ASUC needs a referendum to increase the revenue it brings <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/11/02/show-me-the-money/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/11/02/show-me-the-money/">Show me the money</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption vertical' style='width: 250px'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="250" height="302" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2012/09/noah.web_.png" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="noah.web" /></div></div><p>Student groups and the ASUC itself will deteriorate without more funding. While the ASUC does sometimes misuse its money and fall short on revenue generation, the majority of its deficit is simply not the fault of its elected officials. The ASUC needs a referendum to increase the revenue it brings in from student fees. With greater funding comes greater responsibility, which means more checks would have to be implemented to promote improved financial accountability in the ASUC.</p>
<p>At last week’s senate meeting, ASUC Attorney General Hinh Tran pointed to the dangers of depleting the Carry Forward Fund — the senate’s cash reserves — and the likely deficit of more than $50,000 that would accumulate by the end of the year. With around $400,000 left in the fund and close to no revenue in sight due to Lower Sproul renovations, his classification of the ASUC’s situation as dire is accurate. Within years, the ASUC could see its Carry Forward funds completely evaporate.</p>
<p>Although the ASUC already receives an estimated $1.6 million in annual student fees, that money does not go far enough with 36,000 students. Full-time advisers, costly renovations and monetary allocations for hundreds of student groups on campus depend on the same source. Revenue coming from this modest student fee does not adequately take into account the needs of students and the effects of inflation.</p>
<p>With such a disproportionately small amount of money for the number of active student groups on campus, students end up paying out of pocket to fund substantial events that deserve more ASUC support. From a fiscal perspective, honoraria — payments for professional services — have been slashed this year due to financial problems, and for good reason. Honoraria are only irresponsible expenses when we have as little money as we do. Paying notable individuals to speak on our campus would enhance knowledge and understanding of different communities. If they just had the means, groups could afford to empower their members with words from eloquent role models.</p>
<p>Using funds allocated to last year’s executive vice president office, ASUC Executive Vice President Justin Sayarath recently purchased a machine worth thousands of dollars that would print posters at a cheaper rate. In terms of convenience, student groups will now be able to print posters on campus. Monetarily, each copy will be significantly cheaper compared to those purchased from neighborhood copy stores that take immense profit margins. Student groups can market more effectively and use their savings to do other things. But though the machine may reduce the ASUC’s and student groups’ long-term costs, in our current financial state, this purchase may not have been the best decision.</p>
<p>Having more funds would allow relevant items like this to be purchased without remorse. Items similar to poster machines would aid student groups and build a more sustainable economic long-term model for our campus groups. With more funding, theater troupes could use the props they deserve, while dance groups could hold larger events that would blow the minds of spectators from Cal and beyond.</p>
<p>All governments make mistakes, and it’s impressive that our student government has enough power to even make its own errors. Some university student governments’ most important role involves printing gameday T-shirts. This proposed referendum would have to be coupled with safeguards to ASUC spending in order to prevent financial misgivings. ASUC senators should create more bylaws aimed at improving the senate’s transitional memory before asking students for this fee.</p>
<p>At the beginning of most school years, the senate over-allocates funds and at times makes rash and costly decisions.  Last year’s senate class erred by allowing a deficit to build early in the semester. This mistake will repeat year after year if left unchecked. Students should only give more money to an ASUC that fills this void of institutional forgetfulness.</p>
<p>An oversight committee would also be vital to ensure that the money is spent according to the wishes of students. It’s easy for elected officials to lose sight of student interests on the ground. This oversight committee would help keep elected officials focused on allocating student fees based on student needs.</p>
<p>Our financial dilemma is not solely the fault of our ASUC senators. It is also the result of a shortage in the ASUC bank account. Senators do not make a dime. Our legislative branch takes progress, change and personal growth as rewards for their efforts. Executives do receive a stipend, but those who support minimum wage laws would cringe at the mere cents they make an hour. This referendum would not be a ploy to give free yachts and private Akon concerts to our elected officials. It would be for the student groups that flier on Sproul and make our Cal community vibrant. It would be used for the future of Cal. It would be for you.
<p id='tagline'><em>Contact Noah Ickowitz at <a href="mailto:nickowitz@dailycal.org">nickowitz@dailycal.org</a> and follow him on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/noahickowitz">@noahickowitz</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/11/02/show-me-the-money/">Show me the money</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Berkeley FILM Foundation awards $150,000 in grants</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/08/08/berkeley-film-foundation-awards-150000-in-grants/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/08/08/berkeley-film-foundation-awards-150000-in-grants/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 Aug 2012 16:00:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Julia Clark-Riddell</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[City]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[abby ginzberg]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[barbara hillman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Berkeley Film Foundation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[california college of the arts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[documentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[East Bay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[emily bender]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[half full]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[inequality for all]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jacob kornbluth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[la bamba 2]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rob fatal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[saul zaentz]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UC Berkeley]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=176895</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The Berkeley FILM Foundation awarded a combined $150,000 in grants on July 26 to 23 local filmmakers, including five students and one UC Berkeley alumna. 
 <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/08/08/berkeley-film-foundation-awards-150000-in-grants/" class="read-more">Read More&#8230;</a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/08/08/berkeley-film-foundation-awards-150000-in-grants/">Berkeley FILM Foundation awards $150,000 in grants</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Berkeley FILM Foundation awarded a combined $150,000 in grants on July 26 to 23 local filmmakers, including five students and one UC Berkeley alumna.</p>
<p>The grants — funded by the city of Berkeley, Wareham Development and the Saul Zaentz Company along with fundraised donations — aim to assist the filmmakers in any stage of their films’ production and to provide the films with the credibility and recognition necessary to succeed.</p>
<p>“We’re trying not only to sustain and help out documentary filmmakers, but also to assist new filmmakers and create an interest in documentary filmmaking anyway we can,” said Barbara Hillman, film commissioner and treasurer of the foundation.</p>
<p>Hillman also said the application pool increased from a little more than 35 last year to 62 this year, as the foundation did more outreach and expanded the geographical restrictions to include the entire East Bay corridor including Richmond, El Cerrito and Emeryville. Hillman said the foundation would like to see more applicants from the campus in the future.</p>
<p>This year, one of the student winners was Emily Bender, a recent graduate from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, who was awarded a grant for her film “Half Full” about the struggle of a woman with a rare genetic disorder causing her to eat everything in her sight.</p>
<p>Last year, the foundation added a section of grants exclusively for students, as they wanted to create a system where the students could be fairly evaluated against each other, as opposed to being compared to more experienced, professional filmmakers, said Abby Ginzberg, president of the foundation’s board of directors.</p>
<p>One of the student grant recipients, Rob Fatal — a graduate student at the California College of the Arts whose film titled “La Bamba 2: Hell is a Drag” is self-described as a “drag, avant-garde, unauthorized parody/sequel” to the 1987 film “La Bamba” — said in an email that grants intended just for students are critical, as students walk the line between the amateur and the professional.</p>
<p>“Students speak to experiences and with diverse voices that are sometimes stifled in the professional world and not yet developed in the amateur world,” Fatal said in an email, adding that he feels “so overwhelmingly honored to have been given this gift in return for my self expression.”</p>
<p>Although not a student, the winner of the largest Saul Zaentz grant of $20,000 was Jacob Kornbluth for his economic documentary, “Inequality for All,” which has strong ties to the campus as well as the city of Berkeley. Kornbluth, who lives and works in Berkeley, worked on his film with UC Berkeley professor of public policy Robert Reich and shot the film largely in the Berkeley area and on campus.</p>
<p>Kornbluth said the film advocates for the sort of progressive social change to which Berkeley is historically linked.</p>
<p>For Kornbluth, while the grant money will go towards crucial functional, editing and shooting costs, simply receiving the prestigious Saul Zaentz Award holds significance.</p>
<p>“It’s an honor to be given a grant that’s associated with (Saul Zaentz) and the community I live and work in,” Kornbluth said. “To show you have institutional support is incredibly helpful for raising the profile of the project. It sort of lets everybody know its a credible project and helps us immeasurably in raising other money.”</p>
<p>On Oct. 18, the foundation will hold a fundraising gala to honor the grant-winners, talk about past foundation awards and acknowledge the sponsors that have supported the foundation.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/08/08/berkeley-film-foundation-awards-150000-in-grants/">Berkeley FILM Foundation awards $150,000 in grants</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Inexpensive student programs</title>
		<link>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/01/25/inexpensive-student-programs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.dailycal.org/2012/01/25/inexpensive-student-programs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:06:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Hilary Hess</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Editorial Cartoons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost saving]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[costs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tuition]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.dailycal.org/?p=147282</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/01/25/inexpensive-student-programs/">Inexpensive student programs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class='entry-thumb wp-caption horizontal'><div class='photo-credit-wrap'><img width="620" height="375" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2012/01/hilly_cartoon-620x375.png" class="attachment-large wp-post-image" alt="Hilly Cartoon" /><div class='photo-credit'>Hilly Hess/Staff</div></div></div><p>The post <a href="http://www.dailycal.org/2012/01/25/inexpensive-student-programs/">Inexpensive student programs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.dailycal.org">The Daily Californian</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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