May the fat cats hear our cries

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Daily Wildcat Scott Andrew Schulz

Early that morning I was alerted to the fact that the UA administration was and is threatening to raise our tuition once again. Big surprise, considering the vast array of building projects that have torn up the landscape of our campus in recent months. This is only the beginning, however.

There are plans for additions to McKale Center, the erection of numerous student dormitories in the coming years, as well as the construction of the revolutionary new Student Union, which should be completed sometime around 2030. You saw this coming. You knew we would have to flip the bill at one point or another.

In any case, on that evening of Nov. 5, the UA administration held a public hearing where students had the opportunity to voice their concerns not only to UA President Peter Likins, but also to ASUA President Tara Taylor and the regents of NAU, ASU and UA. If ever you had the chance to explain the severity of your financial woes because of this onslaught of university expansion, and physically show these leaders that we are more than bar codes, this was that time.

That morning, I reminded fellow students of the meeting, but the responses were all the same. "It doesn't matter," you said. "They don't really care what we have to say." And, of course, "Nothing will change anyway."

The apathy that radiated from the lips of this campus that day made clear the reasons we have allowed ourselves to be financially slapped year after year by our administration. If you looked at your bill closely this semester you noticed a significant jump in tuition costs. And, should we continue to turn our backs, we shall literally pay the price.

It seems the simplest solution is to blame the students for not voicing their opinions regarding matters of administrative policy. We do not demonstrate ourselves to be adamantly opposed enough to raises in tuition and the like, so therefore who are we to complain?

However, this cannot be true. Yes, there certainly could stand to be a higher turnout at hearings such as the one I refer to. But, despite only a small group representing the 35,000 or so students at the UA, the chairs at the hearing were generally full and many students did step up to the microphone and present nicely organized thoughts to the panel. These students pleaded for the administration to understand the financial situation the majority of us are accustomed to. We work hard for the money we make, but very seldom do we actually get to see the results of our labor. More and more, that money is postmarked for the Bursar's Office from the moment our paychecks are processed. Numerous student representatives struggled to convey this reality to the university administration.

Attempts by students to be heard by the Associated Students and the university administration over the years have fallen on deaf ears. Our cries for help have been swiftly turned away and ignored. Policies have been written and enforced whether or not they were accepted by the majority of the student population, just as long as they were the will of the administrative representatives.

One example is last year's talks regarding tuition hikes. Last spring, Likins promised he would do everything in his power to avoid placing a financial burden on the students.

His plans for a new Student Union and other building projects had already become public. Likins appeared to be concerned with the needs of each individual student and the students as a whole.

Soon afterward, however, tuition was raised by a whopping 5 percent, despite widespread objection to such an increase. Our concerns were blatantly ignored. Now, here we are once again.

It is not the responsibility of the students to reverse the apathetic atmosphere that our campus has become all too familiar with. Instead, it is our administration, our group of representatives, who must show us that they hear our voices.

Tomorrow, they will gather at ASU to vote on the dramatic increase of tuition that has been

proposed. A hike that is not necessary. The money exists, but it is not being distributed properly. Excessively high athletic budgets and needless building projects have helped to swallow the hard-earned money of students. Why should we tax and punish students who are dedicated to pursuing their education?

As I said before the panel, I am proposing that the administration put a freeze on the tuition of students who maintain solid academic standing. Students who demonstrate a willingness to work hard in an effort to better themselves should be rewarded and not punished. We should not have to worry about rises in tuition costs that very easily impede progress toward our respective degrees.

There is hope that this article might actually make a difference. There is realistic fear that I will soon be joining you for another round of meaningless talks with the UA administration.

Scott Andrew Schulz is a communication junior and can be reached via e-mail at Scott.Andrew.Schulz@wildcat.arizona.edu. His column, Millstone, appears every Wednesday.