The Journal-Sentinal is running a cutsie story about the division between 'coasties' and Wisconsites at Madison. The real theme of the story is class and privelege. 31% of spots at Madison go to out of state kids who can afford the $20,000/year tuition.
This is just another symptom of Wisconsin abdicating its duty to educate Wisconsities. It is fine to have out of state students, but the problem is really one of financing. Madison has to have a large percentage of high-tuition paying students just to keep afloat in this day and age. Wouldn't it be nice if those spots went to deserving Wisconsites, regardless of their ability to pay??
JS Online: The great 'Coastie' divide
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4 comments:
I know some UW-Madison students who use the term "coastie" like it's a racial slur - you can just hear the hatred in their voices. Funny how these students attending college in such a liberal city have such a stupid prejudice.
Thanks for your comment. This just emphasizes the class issues implicit in the divide. It is not simply out of state kids, but RICH out of staters who are coming to Wisconsin and, in many ways, flaunting their wealth.
I go to Madison, and you do hear Coasties (and rich Wisconsinites) droning on about their parents' money and jobs and their own investment portfolios all the time.
These kids pay $150 for fleece vests. Of course normal kids from Wisconsin are gonna feel culturally isolated from these kids.
This story clearly hits a nerve. It is part of the broad story about the decreasing access to quality higher education in Wisconsin.
Unfortunately, one has to imagine that this is a trend that will only continue to get worse!
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