I know it is a hard time for everyone and I can’t help  but feel for the campus. In light of the budget cuts on campus,  students, faculty and staff are on edge.

Student-athletes from baseball and golf must decide whether to transfer in order to  continue playing, or stay on campus without playing their sport anymore.

There’s also the issue of their student-athlete scholarship. They came here to play their game and be a student. I don’t think anyone thought a couple months ago that their sport would be cut at UND.

With budget cuts come a lot of evaluation to make the best decision during hard times. I know it is a long process and I know that it is not an easy task. From what I’ve seen on campus, students and faculty seem to get the bad end of it all, all without much say.

I have yet to hear any possibility for students to fight the decision. Budget cuts suck. But at what point do we stop to really get the community involved? At what point can the community come together to voice their concerns and discuss the cuts before they’re final. It seems the more cuts that are done, the more frustrated faculty and students become on campus.

I have heard of the theater arts program, the music program, the choir and more programs at risk of disappearing. At what point do we consider other alternatives? It might be true that in terms of student subsides we hold some athletics on our back, and cutting some teams lowers the cost for us.

The way the cuts have been handled do not do UND any favors. I wonder where does the thin line run. At what point do we consider the  harms in cutting everything? I have been keeping a close eye on the budget cuts across campus.

Students, faculty and even department programs are on edge because they don’t know if they are on the chopping block next. I got the email like so many other people on campus that said something about the cuts to the sports programs. At the drop of the hat men’s golf and men’s baseball were gone. From the sports teams and those who were affected, I could hear more anger and hurt.

I feel like overall, the way that cuts have been happening is not good for campus.

Amina Chinnell-Mateen is a columnist for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected]