Save UT’s Informal Classes!
In a bizarre attempt to save money, the University of Texas at Austin has decided to shut down the (money-making) informal classes program. As noted in the Austin American-Statesman‘s blog (Austin360), part of the plan also involves closing the on-campus Cactus Café, a local music hotspot, “where Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith and others spawned their careers.” Why either of these programs have been singled out for the chopping block in a university with budgeting problems is certainly suspect, as detailed by the Austin Chronicle and Texas Observer, but most importantly, we at Black Heart Magazine have to ask: why on earth would a university cut educational programs like those offered through informal classes?
Something’s rotten in the state of Texas, wethinks. So our editor, Laura Roberts, sent this email to the Chancellor of UT, Francisco Cigarroa, as well as the state of Texas’ Representative Elliott Naishtat, Senator Kirk Watson, Senator Jeff Wentworth, and Senator Steve Ogden to protest the abolition of the informal classes program:
Dear Chancellor Cigarroa, Representative Naishtat, Senator Watson, Senator Wentworth, and Senator Ogden:
I recently took my first UT Informal Class today with Ms. Bobbie Christensen, to learn how to write, publish and market my own books, and would like to say that I greatly enjoyed this course, and would love to take more of them–but since UT has decided to axe Informal Classes from the university’s budget, I may never get the opportunity. This is appalling to me, as both an Austin-area resident and a life-long proponent of further education.
As a new Texas resident, I had learned about UT’s Informal Classes from a customer at the University Co-op, and was surprised to find such a wealth of inexpensive career-related courses offered through the university. I immediately flipped through to the writing section, and found a day-long series offered by Ms. Christensen, which I was interested in taking. My husband flipped through and was excited by the informal lectures on physics, as well as the workshop series on radio broadcasting. We both began marking classes that we wanted to take, happy to have found an inexpensive way to further our careers as well as broaden our horizons with topics of new interest.
Shortly thereafter, we read in the papers about UT’s decision to cancel the Informal Classes program (along with their proposal to close the historic Cactus Café in a misguided attempt to balance the university’s budget), and were appalled. How could a public, state-run university–a business committed to education–cancel courses of ANY kind? Does this not directly oppose their mandate to educate Texans?
Having attended my first (and, apparently, last) Informal Classes today, I am even more appalled by the imminent demise of this excellent program. In a mere hour and 45 minutes, my course’s teacher was able to convey more information than I ever received in 4 years of writing classes at Concordia University, with both humor and intelligence. Ms. Christensen, if she is any example of the overall quality of Informal Classes teachers, was thoroughly excellent and gave invaluable insights into the field of publishing, and I would not hesitate to recommend her courses to any of my fellow writers. In fact, after leaving the class, I was excited to take more. Alas, I cannot, thanks to the short-sightedness of the University of Texas’ board of regents, who believe that cutting back on courses that educate the general public on a wide variety of topics is the way to fix an out-of-whack budget.
I am very upset by the decision to end Informal Classes, as I am sure they are worth saving and can only present a money-making opportunity for the university if they are continued, whether course fees must be raised or some other solution must be found to keep them in business. So I write to you today to share my experience, as just one of the 10,000 Austin residents who attend these classes each year, in the hopes that you will change your minds and reinstate the Informal Classes program immediately.
Thanks very much for your time, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this matter.
Sincerely,
Laura Roberts
–
Laura Roberts Creative Services
http://buttontapper.com
and
Editor, Black Heart Magazine
http://blackheartmagazine.com
We were also heartened by the many lively comments on Yelp regarding this monumental error in judgement, which you should check out if so inclined.
Want to get involved? If you care enough to help save Austin’s Cactus Café and UT’s informal classes program, please consider joining the “Save the Cactus Café” Facebook group, the “Save Texas Union Informal Classes” Facebook group, writing UT’s powers that be and/or your Texas Representatives and Senators, or check Save the Cactus Café.org for more details.
