Rumor has it our tuition at MSU may rise by 10 percent. Coupled with the rising costs of room and board, books and other supplies necessary for a successful college experience, this news of a likely tuition increase is the last thing many want to hear.
So whose fault is it anyway?
Once again, the costs of obtaining a higher education are skyrocketing, and there seems to be nothing students can do except place blame. Thus the question: Where - or to whom - should the blame go for this increase in the cost of an education from MSU?
We have been lucky during the past few years. The tuition guarantee enacted by our Board of Trustees has allowed tuition increases to mimic inflation increases - therefore guaranteeing yearly tuition will not increase beyond the rate of inflation.
The tuition guarantee has been successful by encouraging responsible spending by administrators and keeping in check the rising costs of higher education. Moreover, because of increases in state and federal funding, our university has not only been able to preserve and improve existing programs, but also to add new programs and increase the overall quality of an education from MSU.
Unfortunately, however, it is currently believed the Michigan Legislature will not be as generous to the university as it has been in the past. In fact, it looks as if our increase in state appropriations will be below the current rate of inflation.
To make matters worse, both costs in health care and energy are expected to drastically increase this year. This decrease in state funding and increase in costs associated with running the university may force our board to make a difficult decision: the suspension of the tuition guarantee.
Obviously, our instincts primarily tell us to blame our trustees. They are the ones who make the decision of whether to suspend the tuition guarantee; thus, if it is suspended, they are to blame. Bluntly, this line of thought is wrong.
Our trustees care as much as students, faculty and administrators about the cost and quality of an education at MSU. A possible increase in tuition reflects not a desire to follow in the path of a school like the University of Michigan, where there exists no restraints on increases in tuition, but the desire to maintain the increasing quality of education at MSU while adhering to the “land grant” ideals of providing a quality education to all, regardless of economic background.
If our board is not to blame for the tuition increase, then maybe the blame must be placed on the Legislature. Despite the fact some legislators enjoy giving themselves 30 percent raises, debating foolish issues like prayer in school and spending almost an equal amount of money on higher education funding as on funding for prisons, they are also not to blame.
A decrease in federal funding coupled with an economic slowdown has members of the Legislature scrambling to create a balanced budget. This includes funding decreases in all aspects of the state budget and, unfortunately, higher education is not untouchable.
If neither the board nor the Legislature are at fault, then who is to blame for this possible increase in tuition? In my opinion, no person or group of people deserves to be reprimanded for this possible tuition increase, but rather the economic slowdown we are currently experiencing.
Decreased spending, investment and high unemployment all unite to create a decreased tax base. This, combined with other factors such as a decrease in federal funding to the state of Michigan and an increase in the costs of energy and health care, has led to the problem we face today: the threat of rising tuition costs.
If we want to blame this economic slowdown on people, we can always resort to blaming it on the “tax and spend liberals” or the “pro-big business conservatives.” Nonetheless, instead of pointing fingers - or doing a combination of avoiding pointing fingers and pointing fingers as I have - it is time we swallow the bitter pill and learn from this year’s problems so this potentially large increase in tuition will not have to happen again.
We must urge our board members to propose a revised tuition guarantee for next year. The Academic Assembly if ASMSU - the university’s undergraduate student government - has proposed a modified tuition guarantee in which tuition can raise beyond the rate of inflation, but by no more than 2 percent.
Though this modified tuition guarantee allows for a cushion in case of another tight year in terms of state appropriations, it also guarantees there will be no drastic tuition hikes.
Likewise, it is important we elect state representatives who are not only dedicated to increasing funding for higher education, but are also dedicated to closing the funding gap between MSU, U-M and Wayne State University.
Finally, we must all strive to do our small part to increase the prestige of MSU.
Whether it be making the dean’s list, winning a Big Ten championship or creating a new student organization, all we do to improve our personal lives as students increases the prestige and notoriety of MSU.
Through this increased prestige and notoriety comes increased attention and, hopefully, increased funding.
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Matthew Clayson
ASMSU Academic Assembly chairperson and international relations junior
can be reached at claysonm@msu.edu
