Holy Enron Batman! Thirteen percent next year and 23 percent over two years! Is this to fund our name change to Southeast St. John's University? Perhaps to build a new dome for all our smokers since they can't smoke in dorms anymore? Or even to replace the University's antique collection of mid 1980 Dodge pick-ups and vans? This is absolutely ridiculous!
Diana Burlison, our Associate Vice President of Administrative Affairs states, "we think the students are astute enough to know what is happening in the economy, and with the state deficit."
Yes Diana, we are astute enough to know what is going on. We know that historically speaking, the average recession in the United States lasts about 10 months. We know that war (present conflict in Afghanistan) tends to boost the economy. And using your logic Diana, if the state is suffering through a deficit right now, then shouldn't we have been paying less tuition when the state was experiencing a surplus?
Tighten our belts?! Why don't we just give them to you! Most of us scrape by from month-to-month here at SCSU. Whether its after we have taken out two loans to fund our education, waiting and fighting for our scant VA benefits, having to raise a family while going through school, or even just the traditional college experience, we cannot take much more of this.
My fellow students, its time for us to take a stand. Write your elected officials. Attend Lobby Day at the State Capitol on Feb. 13, do something, anything! We need answers on why such a high increase is needed.
And not just the status quo answer (insert Sept. 11, recession or budget deficit). We pay the bills here, its about time we found out what we are paying for.
Hal Kimball
Junior
Pre-Business Major
Human Relations Minor
