Math Folks Get Math

There was a piece in a today's Montreal Gazette that argued that computer and engineering students in the province (a) have much less support for student strikes that seek to prevent increases in tuition.  Which just goes to show my assertions that folks who oppose tuition increases suck at Math and perhaps don't understand their self-interest.

The Arts/Humanities students argue that they are more interested in keeping tuition down since their long-term salaries are less likely to compensate for higher tuition.  Perhaps.  Perhaps the computer/commerce/engineering folks understand that the current and future costs of higher education in Quebec are an incredible deal compared to elsewhere in North America. 

The irony of this is that the passion for striking becomes reversed at the next level--the science graduate students tend to be more interested in striking because science research and teaching assistants are worked much harder (abused?), compared to those in the arts and social sciences. 

Anyhow, I prefer to think that the division between Arts and higher tech folks is not just one gets paid less in the future.  Instead, one gets the math of investing in higher education to maintain the value of the degree.  The others want the next generation to keep having a nearly free lunch, even if it means that the value of the degree sinks due to a lack of funds.

The good news for me is that McGill students tend not to strike over tuition even if they participate in rallies and protests.  Plus they are on break this week, so it is unlikely that they will get their act together to strike soon.  And not before too long, finals will be around the corner.