With the second consecutive painful tuition increase on the way, students may soon face additional registration fees, including a proposed technology fee.

As reported in the Wildcat Wednesday, some administrators believe the UA must begin levying a technology fee in order to compete with other universities that charge such fees and are able to more easily afford technology. Students at schools similar to the UA pay between $45 and $425 in technology fees.

Keeping up with other schools in terms of technology provided to students is extremely important. However, that must be done without making a UA education unaffordable for students who can barely scrape together enough money for tuition.

Recognizing that UA administrators' hands were tied and that state budget cuts threatened to strip the UA of nearly everything it had become, many students reluctantly supported a tuition increase, myself included. Additional financial aid was promised and delivered, but those students who could neither afford tuition nor qualify for financial aid fell through the cracks nonetheless. Because the state budget cuts had been so severe, the money raised from the tuition increase ÷ minus the amount dedicated to financial aid ÷ was barely enough to recoup the losses from state revenue. Tangible improvements were minimal.

Indeed, there were no good options. If the quality of education were allowed to deteriorate, the state's budget would have been balanced on the backs of students. As it was, with the tuition increase, students carried the majority of the burden created by the cuts anyway. There was no scenario ÷ at least not with the current state legislature ÷ in which students weren't the big losers in the budget proceedings.

It will be no comfort to students who were forced out of a college education by the tuition increase that students who remain at the UA are still receiving a quality education, thanks in part to the tuition increase. Despite the impact on underprivileged students, it is necessary for UA administrators to take any action necessary to maintain the integrity of a UA education.

However, the argument can hardly be made that providing technology to students is an absolute necessity.

Our degrees would still be valuable if no Integrated Learning Center existed. Our experience at the UA might have been less enriched and our homework might have been more challenging, but the university's integrity would be in no danger of utter collapse.

During lucrative fiscal years and under generous state legislatures, non-essential university programs can be provided. If grants can be obtained to pay for increased technology, as was the case for part of the funding of the ILC, it can be brought to the UA at any time.

But in lean budget times, the belt must be tightened. If administrators cannot convince legislators ÷ who frivolously subsidize telemarketers and dating services ÷ that such programs do not merit additional money, how can they expect students, especially low-income students that can barely scrape together their tuition, to sign on to higher fees?

Somehow they do, but they shouldn't.

Despite the greatest efforts of some of the members of Arizona's legislature, the UA is not a private institution. As a public university, the UA has an obligation to serve the entire population of our state, not just those who can afford regressive fee increases.

ASUA Student Body President J.P. Benedict had not decide on the fee when he was interviewed by the Wildcat last week, but he indicated he was leaning toward supporting it.

"I have yet to decide if the fee should be applied, but it is important that students can come to campus to get their studies done," he said.

It is important for students to have access to technology to help them with their studies, but it is also important that those students are able to return to the UA the following semester.

As a public university, when regressive taxes on students are levied, administrators must be clear that it is being done out of necessity and as a painful last resort. This would not be the case for a technology fee.

People from all walks of life come to the UA. A great many of them cannot afford to pay fees that fund flat screen monitors and high-resolution scanners. That simple fact shouldn't keep them from a college education.

Kendrick Wilson is a political science junior. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.