Tuition Freezes- or Lack Thereof

On March 5th I attended an Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) meeting. The topic was listed in the State News and immediately jumped off the page: tuition. As  a young student who is entirely independent financially as well as in every other aspect of life, I have taken quite an interest in this ongoing “debate”.

For a brief summary, Michigan State University’s tuition rises on average anywhere from 6-10% each year, according to the State News. These increases, President Simon told ASMSU as well as other presentations, go directly toward Michigan State for a better university. But my first question is this: What is a better university?

Our money is allocated to an entertainment room equipped with a Wii and other gaming systems in Holden, a theater in the Sparty’s in Holmes, and an outrageous ASMSU budget (almost $20 from each student per semester), yet programs such as the MSU Sexual Assault Program are fighting to keep up. This is a disparity that I cannot stand for.

I do not understand how Michigan State can continue to be an outstanding university if students can no longer afford to attend. More and more of our parents are getting laid off. More and more of us are enrolling in community colleges to desperately complete credits in the summer just so we can afford the next year. On top of this, working a full time job — and certainly a part time job — is beginning to not be enough. We cannot allow our university to remain on this path of wasteful spending.

I do, however, wish take the time to applaud the university for its advancement in the fields of research such as the upcoming Facility for Rare Isotope Beams as well as a successful Big Ten sports program (Go Green). These programs have not gone unrecognized.

President Obama’s stimulus plan specifically set aside funds for the purpose of higher education. Though some may say otherwise, these funds were directly intended to relieve part of the the burden off of students in hopes that we will be able to get an education and stimulate the workforce. Governor Granholm proposed that if Michigan’s public institutions froze tuition, they would receive the funding provided in the stimulus package. This was before her 3.1% proposed cut to MSU. And the past isn’t always the past.

At the meeting, President Simon pointed out that the state of Michigan has previously been less than gracious with funding for MSU stating, “When we had the money for education, it went to corrections.” She compares it to other Big Ten schools saying, “While tuition is high here and going up, in comparison to our peers- it is not as dramatic.” But nothing can distort the fact that we aren’t Nittany Lions from Pennsylvania, we aren’t Buckeyes from Ohio (thank goodness). We are from Michigan: the state with two of the most dangerous cities and the highest unemployment rate in the nation.

And enough is enough. There comes a time where sacrifices must be made. It is time to set aside the animosity between MSU and the previous lack of funding. I personally cannot allow the administration of my school to hide behind the facade of “trying not to build recurring commitments on nonrecurring money.” (see stimulus package) We need money! I need money! The fact of the matter is Pell Grants are not rising as rapidly as tuition and students are getting lost in the chase. President Simon said that we must make sacrifices in order to advance the university and make our degrees worth more. While this is an admirable aspiration, I know I cannot afford it.

I accept the fact that a tuition freeze is not a realistic possibility for MSU, but that does not put a damper the need for closer observation of university spending. I also cannot forsee the state totally witholding funds from MSU, what with all of the currently elected Spartan alumni.

The last point I am going to discuss (I know, whew! right?) is perhaps one of the most unnerving thing I have heard since I came to this school. When an ASMSU representative asked President Simon what we as students could do to get more funding for the school and to make a difference in this catastrophe that is happening around us, she replied that we really have no control over this certain issue. Instead, she suggested that we try to control who gets elected. This was minutes after she insisted that “No final decisions have been made” on this issue.

Wait a minute… I thought I already did that. I chose a president who understood the dire circumstances that is the state of Michigan. A president who understands that students like me with no parents to students with car executives as parents are searching couch cushions for tuition payments. For a president of a university who had the voter turn out and passion of MSU students during the last election to suggest that we cannot have a voice in the happenings around us that are directly influential to us is really quite absurd.

So in conclusion, I call upon everyone who reads this blog to help me. Help me spread the word to not only every Michigan State student, but every college student and alumni and future student and friends and family members. It is time for us to let the administration know just how big of stake we hold in higher education: in our future, and, most importantly, in our present. It’s time for Michigan State University to be given back to the students.

~Elizabeth

p.s. I could go on forever on this, and chances are I missed points I wanted to make or arguments I would like to counter. Please, feel free to comment with any questions, concerns, arguments. I am extremely open to exploring this topic more thoroughly and from different perspectives!