eiier Dear Sir, It is good to see government tightening the belt on funding to universities. Universities predict disaster unless government comes up with the ' requested 17 percent increase in fimding. Students claim correSponding tuition hikes will price them out of an education. Of course, each claim has some truth. But this does not mean higher education is going through an unnatural, or unhealthy progression. Although there is a dangerous overflow of academics scurrying about this country looking for suitable work. Most discover, too late, the piece of paper they worked so hard for to be little more than just that. Too often the graduate finds himself growing stagant serving sate obscure bureaucratic function, or feeling equally useless serving behind sore department store counter. Meanwhile, across the street works the person with a manual trade. Probably it is interesting work. Probably it pays more. Perhaps the only thing the graduate has over tine craftsman is monthly student loan payment deadlines to meet. For some crazy reason there exists on university campuses, and other places like government, industry, labour, and other institutions of learning, a mysterious contempt for the manual trades. Ignorance perpetuates this contempt. There are alternatives to a university education, good ones. Unfortunately, people have been finding it more and more difficult to get a start with one of the high skill trades. 'Ilne training opportunities are not there. 00vernment has been aware of this for a long time. Early in 1977 a government task force reported the shortage of skilled labour as a serious problem requiring urgent national attention. 'llne task force report calls the lack of training facilities disgraceful, and recommends changes. The solution, obvious enough, would be a Shift in emphasis from academic to job oriented training. Essential to this would be a dnange in attitude on , behalf of many people. Canada has one million unemployed, a acute shortage of skilled workers and, at the same time, the world's second most e}q3ensive education system. (Sweden is top). Can universities really expect to enjoy in the future the extravagant lifestyle developed over the past several decades? If academics are finding the belt of restraint tight, they had better watdn out, because by the mid—1980's they will be finding it difficult to breath. Bill Power Drop—out 1978 (now living and working in N.s.) CHEM. LAB. I realize that it's only a drop in the bucket, what with industrial and agricultural run-off, but every little bit hurts: 'Jhe spent chemicals in our Freshman chemistry laboratory seem to go straight into our water system. matter still stands, however, comm-av; first or now \\ With A"Diiference . '- 11230 AM to 2:30AM ’7 Days Await . 221' University Ave. PHONE 892-0478 EVERYONE WELCOME The Student Union. .~ pressing them.» . for space or legal reasons. . Press (CUP) . 416-925-6359 . PHOTO (RAPHER :LEE DONNELLY . TYPIST 'I’nisseemstometobe an insufficiently responsible actiononthepartofa ' University Faculty. When I was at Simon Fraser Univ— ersity, we used a system where the acids and bases, .- .eak and strong, were separated into containers — I disremember whether they were plastic or glasslined. I suspect we could afford such a system; it was not elaborate. However, these dnemicals, . although separated, should not be consigned to the city authorities for disposal. 'nney are likely to dump the chemicals, carefully separated, into the Harbour. I might be maligning them; Imust admitwe seemtohave one of the more enlightened municipal and provincial governments around. The s : UPEI SUN is the student newspaper at the University of Prince Edward Island. .weekiy throughout the academic year by the UPEI Contents are the responsibility of the editor and staff. Opinionsare those of the persons ex- The deadline for submissions is the Friday noon preceeding publication. . articles must be signed although anonymity can be granted. We reserve the right to edit material , The UPEI SUN is a member of Canadian University National advertising is handled by Youthstream, 307 DavenportyRoad, Toronto, Ontario, The SUN is printed by the Journal Pioneer in Sunmerside, P.E.i. and is distributed throughzut . campus and in various locations in Charlottetown. Office hours are Mondays, (noon--i0 p.m., Tuesdays, 2-i2 p.m. and Wednesdays, 2-5 p.m. The staff meeting is each Thursday evening at 6 p.m. in the SUN office. 7 Our mailing address is UPEI SUN, Main Builds ing, University of PEI, Charlottetown, P.E.i., CIA hP}. Our phone number is 892-hl2i, local 387, THANKS TO ALL THE FOILOWINGWHO HELPED IN OUR FIRST ISSUE: ACTING EDITOR:MARIA'DRISCOLL DEIWj-n Barks The Am: :PAT IN CRAI‘IAIV.‘ .Y mm“ ,Ewmms Lin-.7: 117 K. nt Street, Charlottetown _ Phone 39443922‘ ‘ Lt is published All letters and \ John Cairns Nora CLrtcliffe Mary Driscoll Maureen McCabe Anne MacEMen Pat Ingraham Maureen Murray that should they dump the chemicals as is, our university conscience or responsibility might seem to be ended, except that our goal of nullifying the effects of our experiments will not have been attained. Perhaps a quick letter from our Chemistry Dept. to that of another university might save us sore mistakes in choosing equipment and P ms'by H. Riser-ts Dear Editor, I would just like to say how mudn I enjoy Ton Clow when he is on the air at cm. He has a terrific voice for it and I know I'm not the only one who enjoys his shows. Keep Lp the-great‘work, An avid listaler. imam”; wmiirsfi "mini, iiiii’fi, "cams, REPAIRS, mmme‘