My OperaNew Rules
Monday, September 26, 2011 4:57:08 PM
I can deal with new rules as well as anyone, but really, changing ALL the rules in one day, in one fell swoop, is ridiculous.
To explain:
Switching from a student-centric culture to a money-centric culture in one day will never work... well, not without a lot of screaming and crying and pulling out one's hair. On my part. That is not to mention how the student's will react to our now Pay-Up-Or-Get-Out policy of bill collection.
I am still trying to wrap my head these changes.
And still practicing my new speil.
Me: OK. This is a copy of your new payment schedule for your tuition.
UNSUSPECTING-STUDENT: Payment schedule? I thought I didn't have to make loan payments until after I graduate.
Me: This is part of your tuition, not your student loans. The payments come right off the top so you have to borrow less money.
US: What if I don't want to make payments.
Me: You don't have a choice.
US: But, why not? I never had to make payments before.
Me: No one did, but you do now.
US: Now, let's just assume that the payment is optional.
Me: We can't do that. The payment is not optional.
US: But, let's say it was, would I still have to make the payments?
Me: The payments are not optional. They are mandatory.
US: But, if they were optional, would I still have to make the payments?
Me: You are NOT going to get me to say the payments are option, hypothetically, or otherwise. I say, hypothetically, the payments are optional and then you take that ball and run with it and start telling everyone that I said the payments are optional when I did not say that, at all, so I will not say that, Mr. You-are-not-nearly-as-clever-as-you-think-you-are --I thought to myself.
Me: (Aloud, I said) The payments are not optional. The payments are mandatory, just as I have indicated more than once in the past few minutes.
US: But, I can't pay that much.
Me: How much can you pay?
US: Nothing.
Me: That is not an option, either. You have to make a payment. It is in investment in your future. It is an investment in your education. What is your edcuation worth to you?
US: About thirty years of student loan payments AFTER I get out of school.
There was no answer for that.
To explain:
Switching from a student-centric culture to a money-centric culture in one day will never work... well, not without a lot of screaming and crying and pulling out one's hair. On my part. That is not to mention how the student's will react to our now Pay-Up-Or-Get-Out policy of bill collection.
I am still trying to wrap my head these changes.
And still practicing my new speil.
Me: OK. This is a copy of your new payment schedule for your tuition.
UNSUSPECTING-STUDENT: Payment schedule? I thought I didn't have to make loan payments until after I graduate.
Me: This is part of your tuition, not your student loans. The payments come right off the top so you have to borrow less money.
US: What if I don't want to make payments.
Me: You don't have a choice.
US: But, why not? I never had to make payments before.
Me: No one did, but you do now.
US: Now, let's just assume that the payment is optional.
Me: We can't do that. The payment is not optional.
US: But, let's say it was, would I still have to make the payments?
Me: The payments are not optional. They are mandatory.
US: But, if they were optional, would I still have to make the payments?
Me: You are NOT going to get me to say the payments are option, hypothetically, or otherwise. I say, hypothetically, the payments are optional and then you take that ball and run with it and start telling everyone that I said the payments are optional when I did not say that, at all, so I will not say that, Mr. You-are-not-nearly-as-clever-as-you-think-you-are --I thought to myself.
Me: (Aloud, I said) The payments are not optional. The payments are mandatory, just as I have indicated more than once in the past few minutes.
US: But, I can't pay that much.
Me: How much can you pay?
US: Nothing.
Me: That is not an option, either. You have to make a payment. It is in investment in your future. It is an investment in your education. What is your edcuation worth to you?
US: About thirty years of student loan payments AFTER I get out of school.
There was no answer for that.
