It seems as though Oregon State University’s administration, financial decision makers, and board of trustees have no problem pushing forward a tuition hike. While this has been pushed a few times in the Daily Barometer, and I suppose advertised through “Orange Media,” it also seems that the timing for meetings and proposals always corresponds with the busiest or most hectic parts of the term.

There does not need to be an increase in tuition when so many administrators are making absurdly high salaries. Adjuncts (and possibly other) professors are struggling, but it seems the last tuition increase did little to increase their salaries or chances of security. Staff is at constant risk of budget cuts—the people who do the work that goes unnoticed are one of the key components of keeping the university running. Students and residents are struggling to pay housing bills, which are driven up by the overloaded housing infrastructure in Corvallis and brought on by blatant neglect and ignorance of city and non-student community issues by OSU administration. Students are also struggling to pay tuition bills, unable to procure jobs in a market saturated by tens of thousands (residents and students) willing to work, and tens of thousands (residents and students) more who desperately need the jobs they have to keep their heads above water.

What about these issues suggests that increasing tuition AGAIN will do anything for the people who are necessary to the daily functions of the university?

Yes, it would be great to have more state funding, but OSU is one of the largest universities in the state, and receives one of the highest percentages of funding from the state because of its size. It should not rest squarely on the shoulders of those in school to push for state funding. What are administrators getting paid for if not to make education equitable and accessible to everyone? What are they doing instead? Increasing our tuition. It seems to me that this increase will be the University’s way of flipping the bird to the students.

Samantha Christensen

Student, anthropology

Oregon State University