On Fri, 12 Nov 1999, Mary Christina Manning wrote:

> I'M OFFENDED!  OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN A GOOD LOOK AT ALL COLLEGE
> STUDENTS, BECAUSE YOUR STEREOTYP SURE DOESN'T FIT ME.

Chris, I apologize and I meant no offense.  Nor did I mean any of my
message to be about you.

In any case, there are millions of college students in this country, and I
have known and worked with and taught quite a few over the last 25 years.
I didn't say that the generalizations fit every single one of the millions
of college students, but I believe they are valid for the subset who
attend the schools where I have lived and studied and worked for most of
the past 30-plus years: Michigan State University and the University of
Michigan.

These considerations are very relevant in Ann Arbor and East Lansing
because of the explosion in the number of cars owned and operated by
university students, including the thousands of students who live in
historic districts in both communities.  I served on the East Lansing
Planning Commission, the East Lansing Historic District Study Committee,
the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, and the Ann Arbor Historic
District Commission, and had to deal with these realities.

> I HAVE PAID FOR EVERY SINGLE CENT OF MY EDUCATION, LIVING EXPENSES, AND
> TRANSPORTATION EVER SINCE I TURNED 18.

Then you are, exactly as I said, *exceptional*.  How many of your fellow
students could say the same thing?

> MY HOUSE IN OHIO IS NOT AIR-CONDITIONED, HAS NO DISHWASHER, HAS NO
> CLOTHES WASHER OR DRYER, HAS ONLY 1 TELEPHONE, NO CABLE, AND NO
> INTERNET ACCESS.

Again, that kind of background is less and less typical of college
students these days, at least the ones who come to MSU and UM at age 18
right out of high school (older students are more varied).  Affluent
suburban backgrounds are the norm.  I haven't taken a systematic survey,
but I would be very surprised if 10% of the U.S.-origin undergrads at U-M
could describe thir family home the way you did.

> COMPARED TO THAT, THESE 10'x15' DORM ROOMS ARE A LUXURY, EVEN THOUGH
> THE RESIDENT HALL I STAY IN HAS NO AIRCONDITONING AND NO CABLE EITHER.

Probably air conditioning is a bigger issue further south than it is here.
I frankly don't know the current air conditioning status of the dorms at
MSU or U-M, but I certainly see the AC units humming away at all those
student apartment complexes all over town.

> I BOUGHT MY '89 DODGE DYNASTY WITH MY OWN HARD-EARNED MONEY.

Congratulations.  There was no possible way I could afford a car when I
was a student.  Admittedly, I didn't start working when I was 14, as you
did.  Please don't take that as the slightest disrespect.

I work on a university campus and teach and do political work, and I don't
see many students like you any more.

When I was a student, I lived in a student housing co-op -- the absolute
rock-bottom cheapest housing option -- and I knew MANY people who worked
very hard for what little they had as students.

Since then, the co-ops where I lived have had to REINVENT themselves with
single rooms and other amenities we never had, because otherwise nobody
would be willing to live there.  Or, at least, not enough to cover the
basic costs of running them.  It wasn't a profit issue -- the co-ops are
not-for-profit -- it was a survival issue.  Even so, a number of the
co-ops that existed when I was a student are gone now.

> THROUGH HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION, I HAVE MANAGED TO PAY FOR EVERY
> NECESSITY EXCEPT HEALTH INSURANCE.  I HAVE DONE WELL ENOUGH IN SCHOOL,
> DESPITE LONG HOURS AT VARIOUS JOBS, TO EARN A FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIP TO
> SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY, AS WELL AS SIX SMALL INDEPENDANT
> SCHOLARSHIPS.  YET, I CONTINUE TO WORK TO EARN MONEY FOR GAS, AUTO INSURANCE
> AND REPAIRDS, FOOD, CLOTHES, MINIMAL MEDICAL EXPENSES, AND OTHER
> EXPENDITURES.

I have nothing but admiration for what you have accomplished.

> I FEEL IT IS UNFAIR TO JUDGE GENERATION X BY A FEW INDIVIDUALS.  WE AREN'T
> ALL IRRESPONSIBLE, SPOILED BRATS.  SOME OF US HAVE LEARNED THE VALUE OF HARD
> WORK.

Please understand, I never called anyone -- least of all you! --
"irresponsible" or "spoiled brat".  Nor was that my implication!

What I was and am pointing to is a *cultural* change in the way people
tend to live while in college.  The old military barracks model has given
way to an assumption that college students are entitled to all the same
amenities as middle class noncollege students.

Nobody is to "blame" for this, but to resort to capital letters -- IT IS
UNDENIABLE THAT A MAJOR CHANGE IN ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR HAS TAKEN PLACE!

Again, I very much apologize for offending you, but I think you
misunderstood what I was saying.

                              Larry Kestenbaum