Should PhD Students Have to Pay Tuition?

A couple weeks ago, my roommate had a friend over for dinner.  My roommate is getting his PhD in Public Health at UCLA and so is his friend.  The evening was fine until his friend made, what I believe, was a rather bold statement.  She believes that PhD students, once they reach “candidacy”, should not be charged tuition.  She also stated that this is normal to not charge tuition.  I was taken aback by the statement and began to probe why she felt that way.  And the probe soon turned into argument.  She eventually left with no real resolution to the topic.  I then began to research the topic on my own.  Should PhD students have to pay tuition like Master’s students and undergraduates?  Is it normal practice for the PhD students to not pay tuition?  The quick answer is no.  It is neither right nor normal.  Here is why.

Quotes by Taylor, 4

Professor Brian Taylor on the necessary skills of driving a bus:

“Driving a bus in San Francisco is truly amazing.  This takes some great skill.  I once saw a Muni bus driver at a bus rodeo broad slide his bus at 70 mph so it would line up perfectly with the curb. Meanwhile the suburban drivers were just mowing people cut-outs over.  It was jaw dropping!”

Quotes by Taylor, 3

Professor Brian Taylor on dedicated lanes:

“Nothing beats having your own dedicated lanes because having bus, rail and cars share rights of way on the road is like having a roommate in college you don’t like but need. You want the freedom and benefits of your own place but its just so damn expensive! Having the roommate makes it cheaper.”

Quotes by Taylor, 2

Todays quote brought to you by Professor Brian Taylor, UCLA.

“For a civil engineer, seeing a fully laden firetruck careen down a residential street is like watching the Death Star come around the planet. Everything is going to be destroyed in one pass.”

Quotes by Taylor, 1

I have been seriously neglecting this blog.  For those who have enjoyed the past discussions, I apologize.  My time has been consumed by an increasing workload as I continue to pursue my Masters in Urban Planning at UCLA.  But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun.  And thats what this is.

One of my professors and my graduate advisor, Professor Brian Taylor, is brilliant and a leader in the field of transportation.  But not only that, he is a fun and energetic professor who loves to teach.  And with that comes some pretty funny quotes.  So with out further delay… I give you the first in a series I call “Quotes by Taylor”:

Taylor: “…so the HTF – you guys know what that is, right?”

Class: “Highway Trust Fund.”

Taylor: “Excellent! You’re all becoming planners.  Soon no one will know what you’re talking about.”

Roobs Does LA

Hello all!  I appologize again for not writing anything new.  Over the weekend I moved out of the Bay Area and have now set up shop in Los Angeles as I attend graduate school at UCLA!  I will try to come back with more interesting posts, including a follow up on the Melanie Shelby-Equality California relationship.