Are Undergrads, more valuable then working professionals?

[J T McDuffie]

In article <1991Mar16.224820.2834 at zoo.toronto.edu> henry at zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>In article <1991Mar15.021241.14858 at aeras.uucp> jt at aeras.UUCP (J T McDuffie) writes:
>>	Fair is fair - and just because you're not currently employed
>>	should not mean that you are no longer valuable to the Usenix
>>	community...
>
>The Usenix Association is not a government agency, able to obtain money
>just by printing more as necessary.  Its funds are limited, and every penny
>of discount given to someone is one less penny available for education,
>publications, standards involvement, etc.  Nor is it a charity, in business
>to help the unfortunate.  Usenix has to focus not on whether you are
>"valuable to the Usenix community" but on whether spending scarce funds
>to help you attend will contribute directly to Usenix's goals.

	Yes, but...  Furthering the goals of Usenix (education being one
	mentioned heavily herein) entails that a number of factors be
	evaluated.  Perhaps job hunting is NOT a valid reason for attending
	a Usenix conference; the education of those attending defitnatly is.
	And who is in greater need of education or educational update?

        I would argue that the student is already in the best possible
        place to obtain a *current* education; the currently employeed
        tends to fall behind the leading edge - simply because she's too
        busy doing to really keep up (a real prime reason to attend
        conferences); and the unemployeed is falling farther and farther
        behind each week they remain in that state.

	So, who is best served in meeting the goals of the association
	using grants, etc.?
--