Editor:I am writing in response to Mike Strossner’s letter (“We shouldn’t pay for tomorrow’s students,” Feb. 26) concerning the two fee increases for study abroad programs and fine arts events. I definitely empathize with him that, as poor college students, we don’t have a lot of extra money to spend, but on the other hand, going to college is exploring the land of opportunity. Everyone should have the option to study abroad and attend arts events (which is a requirement for most undergraduate fine arts courses). My advice to anyone who feels similarly to Strossner regarding these fee increases is to look at it this way: How much does a trip to Caf Rio cost? Definitely somewhere around $6. How much does a latte from Starbucks cost? Around $3. So that adds up to $9, the total increase in fees for someone who might not have been financially able to study abroad and for all of us to enjoy as many arts events as we would like for free! Granted, not everyone is a regular at Caf Rio or Starbucks, but whatever you choose to spend those $9 on, think about whether it is going to hurt you to not have whatever it is for one week. Consider how much is really being asked of you ($9) and how much of a difference it will make in someone’s life.

Erica AndersenSophomore, Biology