By ALISA THOMAS

Staff Writer

Today's generation will be the suppliers of "The Suppliers," known as the Baby Boomers, in the near future.

America is aging. Economic professors see the graying of America as a point that at, in a few years, the Boomers will be resting up for the end of their days.

"By 2011, a large amount of the Baby Boomers will be at a point of possible retirement and receiving Social Security and Medicare benefits," Edward O'Boyle, an associate professor of economics and finance, said.

Those Americans who were born in part after the World Wars, between the years of 1946 and 1960, are between the ages of 43 and 57.

Students see the graying of America as an opportunity for the pioneers to take some well-deserved time off and allow these upcoming generations to take up the slack.

Yet, not all students welcome the slow retirement of Boomers.

"It's unfair for us to have to pay in part for most of these boomers benefits, but it is well deserved," Franchesta Dixon, a sophomore computer information systems major, said.

"They have had their time to shine, and it's about time they rest, because they deserve rest."

The major concern with the graying of America is an upcoming generation of students and laborers will be financially supporting this older generation.

Some students see this change as more of a coloring of America rather than the graying of this nation.

"There should not be any exclusions for paying for benefits for those who have worked the majority of their lives, making it easier for us and are at the point at which they can't or just don't feel like working anymore," Kizzy Thornton, a junior speech communications major, said.

America is advancing to a period in which younger generations and coming generations will be forced to become a firm framework for aging architects.

The parents of the Baby Boomers started out developing America by demanding better education facilities for their newborn kids, better housing areas for these increasing families, more jobs to provide for these newly developed families and acceptable retirement after many years of dedicated service to the labor force and America.

It is now time for the next generation to take up the slack and continue to push America forward.

"We need to work because they have provided for us to attend school and find decent jobs and not attending just for our health," Dixon said.

Many students see this issue as e way of insuring the old golden rule, "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

With the Baby Boomers retiring, it is now coming time to pass the torch, and we must provide for those who provided for us, students say.

Some students also see the positive possibility of working a long time and making provisions for their children so when they decide to retire, their children will be able to pay for them as well.

Thornton adds, "When we get to that age, someone will most likely have to do just as we are doing and work to help pay for our benefits, too."