Rationale for hiring spouse draws ire

Editor:

I receive UBC Reports through the Courier and read it to keep abreast of events and news at UBC. Educational issues and particularly those involving post-secondary education and training are of special interest to me.

Now I must earnestly petition you and the senior administration of UBC to publicly address the facts surrounding the hiring of the spouse of the new president. After rigorously publishing all of the ethical requirements of the staff and students in UBC Reports it would seem incumbent upon you to deal with this matter.

The Vancouver Sun reported that the rationale given for this action was that "it is common practice." When will you understand that this arrogant, elitist attitude is what makes the public so cynical and angry about the cost of higher education? Please don't repeat all those old clichés we have heard so often, "it is only a very small part of the total costs, the public just doesn't understand how these things work" and that perennial favourite "the media are blowing this all out of proportion."

William F. Bush
Vancouver

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