IEEE: A Call to Action from Dean Kamen

[Erin Rapacki]

Originally Posted by rforystek

In order for FIRST to increase the prices such as they are, they need to justify it by showing the cost of the kit+ the realistic cost to them of one team at a regional. Its bad business not to be giving us anything like this, and business in the real world that did this would lose their contracts. The reason they FIRST will never is that they are a total monopoly. No-one else has anything like this, and that is completely understandable. FIRST must respect that, and act responsibly.

If you were running a business, and every year you went further & further into debt.... but didn't do anything about it because you had a lingering hope that help was on the way: would you go on forever without raising prices?

FIRST has grown into something wonderful, but direct funding towards the FIRST organization as a whole hasn't grown along with their need for new employees and Regional expenses. Sometimes, Regionals aren't able to raise all the funds they need... so FIRST steps in (they really have no choice on the matter). FIRST needs to pay off a few debts because of this, also... they'd like to improve customer service by hiring a few more people.

Everyone at FIRST works really hard, but they are all stretched thin and their computers are old. These additional funds will help the program in many ways.

ByE

erin