Consider student’s needs, pocketbooks when deciding outsourcing services

A long time ago in a place far away, Dallas, I began my college career. After purchasing my textbooks for the semester I came to the depressing realization that the rumors are true.

College students really do go through serious monetary troubles while in school.

It seems that at least one of the catalysts of this trouble is outside business’ coming in and charging students high prices for required items.

Every semester college students spend thousands of dollars on items not included with their tuition – books, expensive calculators for math classes, along with other items.

In some cases it is not in the student’s best interest to bring outside companies on the campus. Of course there are always two sides to every coin.

On the one hand, most college students make little to no money and have a difficult time paying for books.

Often this requires them to have to wait until later in the semester to be able to pay for their entire list of books which could have a negative impact on their grades.

Of course bookstores are not the only businesses with other prices.

From the administrative perspective, campus development can be a costly and slow process.

Certainly the administration wants an attractive and large enough campus for the students but at the same time they have a budget they must work with, dealing with outside construction companies makes it difficult to be both fast and cost effective.

On the other hand, some outside help can be nice, for instance outside food services.

Outside food services at the university allows students to pay a reasonable price, $7.63 for an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet, for enough meals for the semester.

Some complain about the price but in comparison to most all-you-can-eat restaurants it seems reasonable. This assistance helps the student body, at least those on a meal plan, not have to think about how they are going to have to pay for their next meal.

The important thing is to remember to pick and choose what services should be outsourced, if it can be done internally and is best for the students than it should be kept internal.

However, if going to an outside company is the only reasonable choice, then that is what must be done. The important thing is to remember the students best interest.