University students had an unusual opportunity Wednesday in Salem during “UO Day at the Capitol” to sit down with legislators and tell them what is on their minds when to comes to matters involving their education.
Students who attended the event were immediately plugged into countless meetings with legislators, alumni, faculty and administrators, including University President Dave Frohnmayer, to discuss the state of higher education. Frohnmayer discussed the controversial prospect of raising tuition prices and asked legislators to understand that the University had been put in a difficult position, especially after it assisted 2,900 students who were affected by losses in the Oregon Opportunity Grant in January. Each student was awarded $80 after the grant’s investment portfolio suffered severe losses.
University junior Ryan McCarrel was appalled that only 18 students had something to say with the current $46 million recession and the lingering threat of tuition increases for spring term.
“I was surprised by the lack of students today at the Capitol,” he said. “There were few people outside the ASUO that showed up, and that makes students look pretty apathetic.”
Frohnmayer made it clear that he did not approve of Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s decision to give the Oregon University System zero funding from the federal stimulus package.
“Whatever politics surround the issue of higher education, and I will never understand them, they have put us in a position that requires us to at least consider the possibility of tuition increases,” he said. “I don’t know any other way. I am looking at the payroll for August and September and I have no idea how we are going to pay our employees. I can’t print money.”
Rep. Mary Nolan responded, “And nor can we.”
A decision to increase tuition is not made in the legislature. However, the legislature does allocate money to the Oregon University System, whose State Board of Higher Education is the governing body that makes tuition decisions. Therefore, if the Board of Higher Education allows a tuition increase and the legislature disapproves of the decision, future funding consequences could result.
“Listen, I think the University of Oregon needs to do what it needs to do to keep performing at a consistent level,” Rep. Sal Esquivel said. “My only fear is other legislators may look at this and say, ‘Well, they got themselves out of the last budget crisis without our help, they can do it again.’”
ASUO President Sam Dotters-Katz aligned his opinion on the tuition increase with Frohnmayer during meetings with legislators. He argued that as unpopular as a tuition increase would be for students, making cuts to the University would have more severe long-term effects.
“I didn’t get elected on the ticket that I was going to raise tuition prices, but these are extreme circumstances, and I think students will understand that it has come down to cutting the quality of their education or increasing tuition,” Dotters-Katz said.
However, not all members of the ASUO find a tuition increase to be an acceptable solution to the University’s budget shortfall.
“I am unhappy about the tuition increases and am skeptical about how the money from Campaign Oregon is being spent. It looks to me that the economic crisis is falling too harshly on the backs of students,” said Jose Bustillos, ASUO state legislative coordinator.
The remainder of UO Day included photo opportunities with the Duck mascot in the Galleria and a presentation by Frohnmayer thanking students, alumni and faculty for attending the event.
“The phrase ‘out of sight, out of mind’ certainly applies to this situation,” he said. “By showing up today we made a statement that we are invested in the decisions legislators make.”
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Duck day on Capitol Hill
Daily Emerald
June 5, 2009
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