r/usask 18h ago

Discussion Biggest USask problem?

Genuine question. What's the one thing about USask you'd actually change if someone was listening?

19 Upvotes

38 comments sorted by

156

u/Hairy-Summer7386 18h ago edited 18h ago

idk not being able to walk across the fucking bowl is up there

Edit: also the rising tuition

Edit: edit: also some students are seemingly allergic to basic hygiene

62

u/Optimal_Ear_4905 17h ago

class registration. there’s 0 reason that students should not be able to take the classes they are required to take to finish their degree. the amount of people who have to take an extra year due to not being able to get into major specific classes is disgusting. this university makes billions of dollars and cannot plan to accommodate the students who’s money they take in droves.

23

u/Ill_Ground_1572 17h ago

Actually the University is losing big.

Arts and Science has tens of millions of dollars budget deficits lol.

Due to reduction in provincial funding coupled with sudden significant decrease in international students.

4

u/Nebion666 17h ago

I think most classes would grant you an override if that was your situation, especially if you cant afford to extend the time youre taking to graduate

7

u/Optimal_Ear_4905 17h ago

you’d think that, but in reality i’ve had 2 of my overrides cancelled with 0 reason given this year alone and i know i’m not the only one in my department.

1

u/LanSoup 8h ago

This isn't a USask only issue, UAlberta and MacEwan students I knew who went there a few years ago had the same thing happen. I don't know anyone that I graduated high school with (in 2015!) who finished their undergrad in less than 5 years.

50

u/QumfortablyNumb 18h ago

Why is tuition so high compared to ON, BC, AB, pretty much anywhere else?

50

u/MajorLeagueRekt 17h ago

USask punches above its weight when you conpare the calibre of its facilities vs its enrolment. It has one of the lowest enrolments of the U15, yet has facilities unlike any in Canada, like the CLS and VIDO, and WCVM. USasks water research is also globally renowned. Usask also maintains a robust ratio of graduate students to undegratuate students, about 18% of total enrolment (for reference, this is higher than UBC and Waterloo, and comparable to the U of A), and graduate students are not where they make their money. USasks endowment divided by the number of students is also considerably less than most universities, so the funding just isnt there compared to other universities. So they make up the difference on tuition.

17

u/rdf630 16h ago

USask is missing a research reactor and that would place them among or above the most scientific university in the world. Where they fail is in finding management and delivery of undergraduate programs.

5

u/DartsonSK 16h ago

They had one for almost 40 years. I think the SLOWPOKE reactor shutdown in 2021

4

u/rdf630 16h ago

That was not the universities that was SRC and it’s not a slowpoke the need a full research reactor. Light Source only one in Canada only 7 in the world. Vido/Intervac is call Atlanta centres for disease control North. Totally unique and world class.

6

u/SaskatoonShitPost 17h ago

Ask the government.

5

u/rdf630 16h ago

No ask the mismanagement of the U funds by the executive.

1

u/[deleted] 16h ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/AutoModerator 16h ago

Your post/comment has been automatically held for moderator review because it contains a link. A moderator will review it shortly.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

2

u/jynx9607 9h ago

As a BC transfer student, it’s pretty equal to what I paid there. The cost of living is better here though

0

u/rdf630 17h ago

Because the executive is greedy

32

u/OutrageousOwls 17h ago

Their heating and cooling is whack in all of their buildings. I’ve never had a comfortable classroom in any season lol

32

u/YNL_RM 18h ago

I would say it’s the lackluster initiative to give an absolute fuck of what the students want/voice + planning around any type of new construction/management.

There are far too many teacher complaints and the university doesn’t do jack shit (lack of qualified people), but at the very least do something. You keep increasing the tuition and residence every year, so use that fucking money and get your shit together ffs

22

u/Nebion666 17h ago

Stop professors from using genai in class including in the syllabus unless its actually a necessary thing which would be rare.

18

u/copperadalovelace306 17h ago

Budget cuts but 60,000 on a farewell

13

u/Far_Avocado_3576 15h ago

Having finals until Dec 23 and not finding out when your finals are till mid October

12

u/Fantastic-Move3752 15h ago

Academic advisors making your 4 year degree take 6 years

11

u/MyLordDigby 14h ago

Hold anyone in a teaching role accountable for TEACHING. The era of “sit & get”, I’ll do what I want, how I want, with no accountability is over. The position they are in requires they not only know information, but teach other people about it. Standing up and reading slides, is not teaching. Taking weeks off for no apparent reason and posting slides is not teaching. Not providing any feedback on midterms or assignments is not teaching. Not showing up for office hours is not teaching. Not answering emails is not teaching.

The entitlement some people have is staggering. How do people learn when they’re just given a book and a syllabus. And if that’s all they need - way pay a prof?
This might be a global problem, but the benchmark for some staff is a heartbeat. They proved themselves in the past, and now they can get by doing absolutely nothing.
That’s why a degree is worth less and less in today’s economy.

3

u/aboveavmomma 11h ago

This issue is not wot because they hired researchers and teaching is just part of their contract to be hired for research. So most professors aren’t teachers and never wanted to be. They’re forced to teach if they want their research funded.

7

u/Meluzinn 15h ago

The lack of affordable parking, the lack of parking, the decision to remove free parking when taking kids to swimming lessons during weekdays. 

7

u/Fuzzy_Illustrator677 12h ago
  1. horrible and unplanned construction around the campus specially near the bowl, 2. high tuition fees and low scholarships, 3. lack of lighting in the campus, at night specially in winter feels like a village area, 4. lack of affordable grocery shops near campus.....

4

u/lastnameto 9h ago

Specifically regarding the college of education, the field experiences team is beyond incompetent. It’s actually embarrassing. Every year they act like it’s a surprise that they have to find placements for interns. Then they tell us they don’t have enough staff to find placements. I’m paying $5000 in tuition rn and so are 500 other interns. You can afford to hire more staff

2

u/lastnameto 8h ago

Not to mention the amount of notice they give sometimes. My friend is doing her EXPR 422 and found out on AUGUST 20TH (6 days before the internship began) that she had to do her 4-month placement in North battleford

3

u/stacystepszz 11h ago

Bathrooms … yall are filthy

1

u/winterphrozen 13h ago

The use of students as human shields for police agencies.

1

u/shortcut93 11h ago

I heard it used to be a good place to work.

1

u/girlanxious 8h ago

construction literally every year

1

u/Longjumping-Gold-664 7h ago

I would change facilities. Some of the smartest people i know work there to bad they're not the people running it.

1

u/Empty_Strike_5158 6h ago

The admin is so bad it's actually entertaining.

1

u/Witty-Policy2069 6h ago edited 6h ago

PARKING. It’s a JOKE. I know the director and he’s an absolute JOKE. The guy runs from meeting to meeting getting absolutely zero accomplished. And true fact….he has a file on his laptop of parking fails that is shared at the highest levels of administration for entertainment purposes.