Marta may not be smarter for students

The saying "a day late and a dollar short" is an understatement for the amount of fees Georgia State students are forced to pay this semester. Aside from the increase of student activity fees and the 10 percent budget cut to the HOPE scholarship, Georgia State students now have to deal with the increase of MARTA transit fees. This madness has to stop. Georgia State prides itself for being one of the best commuter schools, yet they are making it harder for students to commute reasonably. Commuters already had to adjust to the decrease in parking, providing merely 1,600 parking spots at Turner Field, and now- aside from the government increasing gas prices and making it more difficult for commuters to drive-students can't even depend on the transportation of a reasonably priced transit. In 2008, the discount price of MARTA monthly passes for students was nearly $30. This was exceptional because the original price if bought from a MARTA train station was $50. Less than three years later the price increased nearly 10 percent, making the current price $41for students and $53for faculty and staff. This gradual price increase may seem reasonable, that is until November when the discount price for student's passes will increase 35 percent, making it $61. Buying a pass at Georgia State used to be an advantage because it sold MARTA passes to its students for half the price that it would cost at a station, but now students are forced to reach even further into their pockets. Although the discount price is still lower than the regular price at MARTA train stations, it seems that it should have been a better way for Georgia State to handle the situation.

Another fee increase at Georgia State brings the question of where student's money is truly going? It's hard to miss the new designs on the side of the panther shuttles and new tile on the cross walks while walking to the MARTA station. Is that what students are paying for, decorations? Is Georgia State investing fees into embellishments on superficial items that on the surface seem to mean nothing to anyone? The fees for school are already high enough, but now students also have to shell out for their transportation just to get there. It seems unethical to charge college students such a high price for transportation to a school that is comprised of majority commuters and is centered in a city that revolves around this public transportation. Now the hassle goes

both ways, Georgia State students can either compete with 32,000 other students for a parking spot at Turner Field or spend their

hard earnings on a once affordable public transit.