At the University of Arizona, the Oppressors Are ‘Marginalized’ Students

Imagine how much tuition would have to increase at the University of Arizona if student-protesters—who are demanding, among other things, $500,000 for diversity initiatives—got what they wanted. 

U. of A’s self-proclaimed Marginalized Students, much like the Assembly for Power and Liberation at Western Washington University, think the university needs a fundamental restructuring: one that places social justice activism and education on a higher pedestal than just about anything else. As I argue in a recent column for The Daily Beast, these demands would not only transform the campus into a profoundly hostile place for free expression, but they would also exacerbate administrative bloat and drive up costs for all students—marginalized or not: 

It’s difficult to overstate how burdensome such demands would be for students and professors, since no one can predict exactly what words, concepts, images, videos, or other forms of expression will bother a random person. Nor is it appropriate to ask teachers to do so. The learning process involves grappling with uncomfortable truths: If students are unable to speak frankly—and potentially problematically—with each other, they aren’t really participating in an educational university experience.  

Of course, they would have a hard enough time simply paying tuition, if the activists got their way. A $500,000 allotment for diversity initiatives is just the tip of the iceberg: Demands to hire more left-leaning faculty, create residence communities geared toward specific group identity, and employ more counselors would also impact U of A’s bottom line.  

Read the full thing here. I conclude by noting that further marginalization of the so-called Marginalized Students might be in the best interests of everyone whose sole preference is for a more affordable U. of A.