At a faculty meeting last week, school administrators predicted a rise in tuition bills, staff layoffs, lessened creditworthiness and ability to borrow money, diminished capacity to offer students financial aid and funding cuts in various programs.I have an idea about what we students should do during these difficult times. However clichéd it may sound, Brandeisians need to keep a positive outlook. Buck up, Brandeis.

Let's put our money issues into context. Brandeis isn't the only school that's hurting. According to The New York Times, educational institutions across the country are in dire straits; Arizona State University will potentially cut its budget by up to $55 million and lay off as many as 200 adjunct instructors. The University of Florida has already eliminated approximately 430 faculty and staff positions. Tufts University was forced to suspend its capital projects and brace for an increased demand for financial aid. And state schools, such as New York's Binghamton University, were forced to sharply increase tuition this year when they were denied funds by the government.

Compared to some of the finance and budget horror stories from other schools, Brandeis has escaped relatively crisis-free. There's still food on our plates and teachers in our classrooms, and that's all the more reason to remain positive and proactive when it comes to helping the school, as well as each other, whenever and wherever we can.

That said, as the economy tanks, we tank, and our options are becoming more and more limited daily.

The fundamental building block of our economy is the American worker. We may not be city engineers or auto-body factory workers, but the same principles of determination still apply to students, America's intellectual work force. To rebuild our financial infrastructure, we future workers will need to be intelligent, skilled, determined and creative. We all will have to contribute new and innovative ideas. And ultimately, we will need to be successful so that more individuals will follow suit. Depression often works in a domino effect, and the best way to support others and the whole is to remain steadfast.

To become successful upon entering the labor force, we should not let the obstacles we currently face bring us down and end up reflected in our grades, attitude or personal drive. Growing depressed does not accomplish anything, and those who do not at least try to commit themselves to their studies now will have a lesser chance of making a positive difference in the world in the future.

So come on, Brandeis. Let's show the world why we got into this school in the first place.