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Controversy Continues over Pacifica Forum at the U of O

Over 100 University of Oregon students attended the Senate meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Oregon (ASUO) on Jan. 27, when ASUO considered a resolution to urge a conservative community group to stop meeting on campus.  The ASUO Senate voted down the resolution, and is now considering one supporting moving the group’s meetings to a different campus location.    The Pacifica Forum, a self-proclaimed free-speech organization, has a reputation for promoting anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry. The group has been accused of harassing students by posting names and pictures of them on its website and sending threatening emails. While the group is not a student organization, it has met for some time at the University of Oregon’s student union, the EMU, under a policy that allows off-campus organizations to reserve space on campus.    The senators debated intensely leading up to the vote, with frequent audience interruptions. The issue boiled down to a tension between student safety and student free speech. Two senators ended up in tears.   Ultimately, ASUO senators reasoned that supporting the resolution would infringe upon Pacifica’s right to free speech.  Some students, however, are disappointed with the decision. One student said the senate has sanctioned hate speech rather than free speech.   “The senators indicated they disliked the content of the Pacifica Forum’s bigotry, but wont ask them to stop targeting students," says undergraduate student Cimmeron Gillespie in a letter to the Oregon Daily Emerald. "Too afraid to even exercise their own free speech, the senators betray their duty to students.”   ASUO is now considering another resolution that would express support for students’ vocal opposition of Pacifica, and support the University’s removal of the group from the student union. ASUO is scheduled to vote on Feb. 10. More from the Oregon Daily Emerald More from the National Student News Service

Issue: Free Speech and Academic Rights

Multiple Students Claim Faculty Harassment at Portland State

In two recent separate incidents, students reported being addressed inappropriately by faculty members at Portland State University. One student claimed having his future law career threatened by a professor, and another professor accused a student of being a weapons dealer and FBI informant in the middle of a class. The first conflict was between Kevin Hill, the faculty adviser of PSU’s Pre-Law Society, and group member Ron Lee. Lee accused the group of financial mismanagement, and after a chain of bickering emails throughout the whole group, Hill sent Lee a private message. “He sent me an inappropriate message with this opening statement that basically said ‘I have a relationship with all of the law schools in Oregon,’” Lee said.   In response, Lee contacted several Oregon law schools as well as the Oregon State Bar seeking repercussions for the professor. Hill subsequently resigned from his position with the Pre-Law Society, though he claims it was because of “family issues.” In the second incident, Economics Professor John B. Hall halted his lecture on Jan. 14 to accuse a student, Zaki Bucharest, of being an FBI informant and trying to sell weapons to his classmates. Bucharest left the classroom mid-lecture while the rest of the class sat dumbfounded. The University is currently investigating Hall, who has been relieved of his teaching duties.   There does not appear to be any administrative response to address the two incidents as a related pattern of faculty misconduct toward students. More from the Daily Vanguard at Portland State University More from Inside Higher Ed More from the Chronicle of Higher Education

Issue: Student Governance and Campus Administration

New Mexico Senator Asks UNM to Cut Highest Paying Salaries

In keeping with the ‘chop from the top’ trend at universities around the country, New Mexico State Senator Eric Griego is looking to University of New Mexico’s President David Schmidly to make salary cuts among the 20 highest-earning salaries. Griego introduced legislation termed “Good Fiscal Judgment for UNM Salaries,” which is now making its way through the legislative process.  The bill asks Schmidly and the Board of Regents to slim down the pay to the roughly 20 administrators that make $200,000 to $300,000 a year. “In a bad economy where we’re asking students to pay more tuition, how do you justify two or three hundred thousand dollar salaries for 20 folks?” Griego said. University spokeswoman Susan McKinsey said in an e-mail that Schmidly had been working with Regents to reduce administrative costs “long before Sen. Griego drafted his memorial.” The Director of Government Relations at UNM, Marc Saavedra, presented data that shows UNM administrators account for six of the 100 highest-paid employees at the University. The remaining 91 employees are faculty — three of which are coaches. Sen. Griego said his memorial was well received by his colleagues, and is encouraging the UNM community to ensure its passing. “If they continue to keep the pressure on their legislators and the governor, I think it will pass. It’s all in their hands somewhat,” Griego said. “Unfortunately there’s a lot of political influence on the Board of Regents. The way our system works is you get to be a regent by giving lots of money. A lot of people are running up here and they don’t want to bite the hand that feeds them.” More from the Daily Lobo at the University of New Mexico

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

WMU Launches Eco-thon to Reduce Use of Electricity

This week, Western Michigan University is launching a month-long Eco-thon in its 11 residence halls as part of an effort to reduce electricity usage on campus and encourage more responsible energy use habits among students. In the past few years, the dorm energy competition has become popular green reform strategy at many schools around the country. Throughout the month of February, WMU residence halls will compete to see which one can reduce its electricity use the most. The winning residence hall will receive a number of prizes including: a party hosted by WMU administrators, a commemorative plaque, a $500 prize, and a tree planted in their honor in the spring. Last November, WMU spent $89,600 on electricity in its residence halls, according to the Western Herald. “This will help us continue our commitment to sustainability,” said WMU President John Dunn. The competition is based on similar initiatives at Harvard and Duke Universities, said Evan Escamilla, energy conservation outreach coordinator. The Eco-thon competition, which has been in development for the past two years, will work with Residence Life to inform students of ways they can reduce their energy use. The competition also has a Facebook page with a list of helpful tips on how to cut down on electricity. In conjunction with Eco-thon, WMU is launching a second competition that is aimed at increasing recycling on campus, called RecycleMania. Energy use throughout the duration of the competition will be compared to the energy costs from September through November. Currently, there is not a separate bill for electricity, heat or natural gas use in residence halls. More from the Western Herald at Western Michigan University

Issue: Environment

SFSU Students Rally in Wake of Occupation Hearing

San Francisco State United organizers rallied at San Francisco State University on Tuesday in an effort to draw attention to the students arrested in the business building lockdown Dec. 9 and continue to protest the way the University is handling budget cuts from the state. Students occupied the business building at San Francisco State University for 24 hours last semester, shutting down classes in the building the week before finals to protest the rising cost of tuition and fees, faculty layoffs, cut classes and high administrative salaries. In addition to protesting rising fees, Tuesday's rally emphasized the connection between the high cost of college education and high military spending. "What got lost in the media was that the protest was also an anti-war and anti-capitalism demonstration," said Aaron Salazar, a member of Students, Faculty and Staff United. "When students are under attack, what do you do? Stand up and fight back!" yelled a protester into a bullhorn outside the administrative building, while other protestors held signs demanding pay cuts for administrators and a halt to rising student fees. High education costs first sparked widespread student protests in California last September when over 7,000 members of the University of California community gathered to speak out against budget cuts to the system.   A walkout is planned on campus for Feb. 11, and a statewide day of action is planned for Mar. 4. The day of action will incorporate protests at both state and community colleges throughout California. More from the Golden Gate [X]Press at San Francisco State University

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Student Government VP Impeached After Confronting Threat to Student Rights

Northern Kentucky University officials, student government members and members of the Board of Regents are embroiled in a scandal over the impeachment of former SGA Vice-President Dennis Chaney and a recent change to rules governing when and how student work can be published.  Chaney was impeached in light of a debate over a policy revision to the university’s Intellectual Property Policy. Chaney and a number of faculty members argue that the policy change, which has been approved, gives the University the right to publish student work without consent of the student. Chaney was removed from his duties after Chaney allegedly brought student concerns over the policy to university officials without authorization from the SGA’s executive board. The impeachment charges also state that Chaney was disrespectful to the University’s Associate Legal Counsel Jay Manire — a claim Chaney and a member of the faculty senate deny. Chaney said the policy revision could affect students' ability to enter their work in other contests for scholarship money. He cited writing competitions as an example that limits entries based on previous publication. “The student as the originator of their work reserves the right and know if their work will be published,” Chaney said.  “Harm can be done to students if their work is published without their knowledge.” While some see this new policy change as a threat to student rights, others, such as Manire, believe it’s a way to protect student work. Manire cited an example of a student working on a long-term project, wherein one student did not contribute fully and has since left the university. The new policy would keep from stalling the entry of the project in a contest. Manire declined to comment publicly on the debate and his ideas. “I don’t think it’s an issue,” Manire said. More from the Northerner at Northern Kentucky University

Issue: Student Governance and Campus Administration | 1 Comments

New Proposal from Obama Administration Could Help Students Save

College students who pursue low-paying or public service jobs after graduation could see their burden of debt from student loans eased under a new proposal from the Obama administration. The plan also seeks to make provide more college assistance and ease the burden of repaying federal loans.   Under the proposal, which modifies legislation passed by Congress in 2007, students with federal loans would be required to repay no more than 10 percent of their income each year. Currently, 15 percent of a graduate’s income may go to loans.   Students who take low-paying jobs after graduating would also see their federal debts forgiven after 20 years. If a student takes a job in public service, like a teacher, police officer, or health-care provider, their loans will be forgiven after only ten.   “Students want careers, not just a job to pay the bills,” said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of the financial aid website FinAid.org. “Working a public-service skill can often be more fulfilling than doing a job just to make money. If you give people a chance, with debt not standing in [their] way, you’re removing an impediment.”   President Obama’s plan also includes a tax credit of $10,000 for students who attend four years of college, and an increase in the number of Pell Grants given to low-income students.   The Congressional Budget Office estimates the initiative could save up the government up to $80 billion over the course of the next decade. More from the Daily Texan at the University of Texas More from Fox News

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Gov. Schwarzenegger's Budget Would Raise Fees for CA Students

Previous cuts to the California State University system could be restored, but it would be come at a cost to students.   Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger released a budget proposal earlier this month that, if passed, would restore $305 million in general funds to higher education and allow $60.6 million for enrollment growth—if the state meets certain funding needs in other areas—according to a press release from the California Faculty Association. However, the proposal includes a 10 percent student fee increase, as well as cuts to new awards for the Cal Grant program for 2010.   The CSU school system has already raised student fees by 9.3 percent this year.   Chico State President Paul Zingg told The Orion, the Chico State Newspaper, that he was not optimistic about the Governor's proposal remaining intact in the final budget.    "In general, the final budget ends up close to what the governor proposed in January," he said. "But in recent years, that has been less and less the case."   Zing also noted the fee increase would likely reduce enrollment, and said he is not in favor of cutting new Cal Grant awards.   "It would be bad public policy to reduce and certainly to eliminate Cal Grants," he said.    More from the Orion at Chico State University

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

UC Berkeley Students Continue Protests, “Makeover” University Building

As classes resumed this week at University of California-Berkeley, student organizers continued the momentum from last semester’s protests against fee increases by staging a makeover of university-owned Kroeber Hall. From January19th through 22nd,  students held  “Know Your Rights”-themed discussions with free food and entertainment in the building, which houses the University's anthropology department.   "Come for the free food, stay for the good company, and join in the fight for public education," read a statement on the Student Activism blog, which advertised the event. Responding to last semester’s student organizing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reaffirmed California’s commitment to funding higher education during his state of the state address several weeks ago. Andrea McCarthy, a spokesperson for the Governor, said that last semester’s student demonstrations led to his decision. The Kroeber makeover is modeled after one of December’s building occupations at UCB, and both were aimed at creating a more open public school environment.   In a break from the record of arrests this past Fall, the Kroeber makeover proceeded peacefully and without police confrontation. The University administration sent an email to all students and staff voicing its support for free speech. The email also cited university policy, and stated, "Such activities must not, however, interfere with the right of the University to conduct its affairs in an orderly manner and to maintain its property." More from the Student Activism blog More from the Daily Cal at UC-Berkeley

Issue: Higher Education Affordability | 1 Comments

WSU Students Challenge Coke Contract

The Progressive Student Union, a student organization at Washington State University, held a rally Jan. 20 to try and prevent WSU from renewing a contract with Coca-Cola.   PSU member Michael Schwartz said Coke, whose contract with WSU ends this year, is responsible for the murders of union leaders in Colombia and has severely drained water tables in places like India and Atlanta.   Coke has been the subject of protests at a number of universities, 52 of which have chosen to end their contracts with the company. Oberlin College, Smith College, and the University of Illinois have all ended their contracts with Coke in recent years for ethical reasons.   During the Washington State University rally, PSU members collected signatures on a petition to the University against Coke, and passed out Jones Soda, Pepsi and root beer, arguing that someone else deserves the school’s business.   Schwartz said the WSU administration has opened up bidding to other soda companies. Pepsi and Jones Soda are expected to apply.  One protester stressed that the bidding process should be as competitive as possible.   "We don't think all Coke employees or people who drink Coke are bad, but someone else deserves the contract at WSU," said PSU member Chelsea Tremblay. The students will get their answer in early March, when WSU will choose a vendor. More from the Daily Evergreen at Washington State University

Issue: Social Justice

Students Count for Big Bucks in the D.C. Census

Census workers in D.C. are trying to convince college students, a chronically undercounted group, to register for the census so that D.C. can access more federal funding. The district is home to nine universities, and an estimated 23,000 students. "What's at stake is nearly $2.5 billion in federal funds that could potentially go to the District," said Harriet Tregoning, director of the D.C. Office of Planning. "A low response rate equates to millions of dollars lost over a 10-year period for vital community services and development, over $3,500 per resident per year, while a high response rate will ensure we can fund needed services." Adam Wise, a junior at George Washington University, is helping to aid in the census counting process. He said that making students aware of the census can feel like an uphill battle.   "The biggest hurdle to educating students about the census has been apathy," Wise said. "We're college students. We're naturally lazy."   Letters are currently being sent out to students in the first of several waves, Wise said, and students who don't receive a form will be able to pick one up on campus. Wise said he is also working to get a local drop site for forms set up. More from the GW Hatchet at George Washington University

Issue: Civic Participation

WA State Senate Limits Student Testimony in Debate on Higher Education

Despite being promised an opportunity to speak about the effects of budget cuts, college students in Washington were discouraged from offering personal testimonies while lobbying for financial aid at a State Senate meeting in Olympia on Jan. 13.   After previously inviting students to speak personally about cuts, the Senate decided earlier this week they would only allow comments on the proposed budget legislation, rather than students’ experience with higher education as a whole. Some student leaders still offered arguments for maintaining funding for the financial aid program, work-study programs, the Washington Scholars program and the State Need Grant.   Legislators are faced with patching up a $2.6 billion budget hole.   Sarah Reyneveld, a University of Washington law student and vice president of the Graduate and Profesional Student Senate, was among those who testified. She stressed the importance of state-funded programs to graduate students.   ASUW director of government relations Jono Hanks also attended the hearings, and said the cost of education should be a priority.   "The main concern is tuition," he said. "[Tuition] concern is not just for today. It's about the future also." More from the Daily UW at the University of Washington

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

New UI President Acts Fast, Launches Budget Plan

In the face of a $400 million budget shortfall, the President of the University of Illinois will implement a three part plan to address the school’s financial problems.   UI Interim President, Stanley Ikenberry, sent out a press release on Jan. 5, to address the grim financial situation at the 142 year-old institution. The school’s problems are rooted in the state’s budget crisis—the state of Illinois’s credit is ranked 49th in the country.   Several times in recent months, the University has issued statements warning that unless they receive promised funds from the state, they may not meet payroll. Right now, the University is meeting payroll with a $65 million buffer that was created by setting aside $20 million in November and reducing expenditures by six percent.   “Until we see signs of this financial crisis lifting we must implement the following short term measures,” said Ikenberry.   Ikenberry plans to reduce spending quickly with furlough days. President Ikenberry is taking 10 furlough days, and directing chancellors, deans and other UI administrators to do the same. The rest of staff is asked to take only four, and the president is exempting those with an annual base salary of $30,000 or less, graduate assistants, and retirees whose tenure is up before August 15, 2010.   The University is also implementing a freeze on hiring and wage increases. Research support and emergency compensation agreements will be unchanged. A working group has been charged with reorganizing and restructuring the administration for cost efficiency. The group will provide a preliminary report to the board of trustees and the UI community on Jan. 21. More from the University of Illinois Even more from the University of Illinois

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

UNC Students Organize Against Fee Increases

Student leaders in the UNC-system Association of Student Governments are working to get money garnered by student fee increases returned to the UNC System. Currently, those funds are in the state General Fund. The N.C. General Assembly passed a mandate last summer increasing 2010-11 tuition by 8 percent or $200, whichever is less. Across the campuses, the average increase would be $180 or 7.2 percent.   According to the mandate, the revenue generated by that increase would go to the state’s general fund to help close the budget shortfall.   Jasmin Jones, student body president of UNC-Chapel Hill, first proposed the petition idea in November.   ASG Prsident Greg Doucette aims to get students more engaged in the tuition process, and to have something solid to hand to legislators during meetings later in the semester.   “After awhile, legislators kind of get sick of me saying the same thing over and over again,” Doucette said. “When you’ve got something you can hand them…it carries more impact.”   Jones has already scheduled meetings with 20 legislators before the legislative session in May. More from the Daily Tar Heel at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Controversial Group Sparks Campus Protest, Free Speech Questions

More than 30 protestors from the University of Oregon and surrounding community attended the Pacifica Forum’s Jan. 8 meeting to argue against the group’s views, which protestors see as inciting hate and creating an unsafe environment on campus. The group meets on campus but is not an official student organization.   Though the meeting carried the theme “Everything You Wanted to Know about Pacifica Forum but were Afraid to Ask,” many protesters’ questions were met with condescension.   The Pacifica Forum labels itself a free-speech organization, though some have expressed concern in the past over the alleged white-supremacist tilt of its speakers. The group has also hosted speakers that denied the Holocaust, The Southern Poverty Law Center categorizes the Forum as a “white nationalist hate group.” Some students reported that the group began its Dec. 11 meeting with Nazi salutes.   The tense meeting brought at least one student to tears and led another to say to the Pacifica supporters “I am a student at my campus and I fear you.”   The group’s recent actions have caused the University administration to take a second look at its policy on providing meeting space for groups. The Forum is able to meet on campus because founder Orval Etter is a former professor at the school.   “We are addressing our policies about how best to proceed with our mission and values while safeguarding the campus community and the values of free speech,” said University Vice President of Institutional Equity and Diversity Charles Martinez in a letter to The Eugene Weekly. More from the Oregon Daily Emerald at the University of Oregon Even more the Oregon Daily Emerald

Issue: Free Speech and Academic Rights

Budget Restraints Threaten Student Transportation, Students Rally

A plan to cut student MetroCards in New York City has prompted sharp criticism from students, community members, and local politicians who held a rally on Jan. 5. The plan to cut the free student MetroCards is part of the Metro Transit Authority’s cost-cutting measures aimed at alleviating a roughly $400 million budget gap. The part of the plan that will cancel free student cards has sparked the most criticism because nearly 500,000 students rely on the cards to get to school. After the plans sparked outrage throughout New York communities, Gov. David Patterson said that if the student cards are eliminated through MTA’s budget cuts, he would find another way to fund them. A council speaker at last Tuesday’s rally suggested using $100 million in federal stimulus money and little-known federal program to avoid cutting student cards. MTA blames the state for its budget woes because it cut millions in subsidies to the agency in order to keep the free cards. "If we're able to get the financial support to get free rides for students of New York City, we'd be happy to see it happen,” said MTA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jay Walder. Public hearings over the next couple months will provide a platform for New Yorkers to weigh in on the plans that could affect thousands of students.   More from NY1 News

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Midwest Community Colleges See Historic Enrollment

Community colleges in Michigan and the Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana are noticing an unprecedented growth in student enrollment from last year.  The number of students enrolling in Michigan community colleges is unmatched by anything in history. Mike Hansen, the president of the Michigan Community College Association, said 275,000 students are enrolled in community colleges throughout the state—a 10 percent increase from fall enrollment. Hansen noted that while the increase is a good thing, he is concerned about growing class sizes. "In other words there really isn't the classroom space," Hansen said. "There's classrooms being taught on weekends and midnight, Henry Ford Community College for example is parking at the mall and they bus the students in. There's no parking anymore at Washtenaw." Community colleges in other parts of the Midwest are seeing the same trend, including the Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. Ivy Tech’s Richmond campus has 4,225 enrolled for the spring semester, which is up from last year's 2,910—a 45.2 percent increase. Diana Pappin, executive director of resource development and media relations, said the school has increased class sizes to both accommodate rising demand and address a cut this month to the remainder of the two-year budget cycle.   Statewide, Ivy Tech has seen a historic spike in enrollment since last spring—a nearly 40 percent increase from 90,135 students to roughly 120,000—making it the college's largest semester enrollment in its history.  More from Michigan Radio More from the Palladium Item

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Miami Students March to the Capitol

Four Miami college students began what they're calling "The Trail of Dreams"—a 1,500-mile trek to Washington, D.C. starting New Years Day to advocate for immigration reform. The group of students, some legal residents and others undocumented, hope to mount support for the DREAM Act, legislation that would allow eligible undocumented students to gain U.S. citizenship.  The marchers are raising awareness for the plight of children brought to the United States by their parents illegally who then often face deportation after growing up in the United States. All of the students said they are willing to take the risks involved in calling attention to students, like some of the marchers, who are here illegally. One of the students, Juan Rodriguez who is president of the student government at Miami-Dade College's InterAmerican Campus, came to the United States from Colombia with his parents as a young child. "I'm tired of coming back to school each semester and hearing about another friend who was picked up and deported," Rodriguez said to a group of supporters. The students said they were inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, and the migrant farm workers who walked the length of California in the 1970s. The Florida Immigrant Coalition is assisting the students with logistics, and following them with an RV to provide shelter at night and a bathroom. More from CBS

Issue: Social Justice | 1 Comments

Dropping Classes Could be Costly for Florida Scholarship Students

Many Florida college students will now have an extra incentive to stay enrolled in classes after the add and drop period ends, even if it means receiving a bad grade.   A new state law will force students with Bright Futures scholarships to repay their award money if they withdraw from a class after the add-drop period ends. "It's like you're being forced to fail,'' said Sophomore Boris Bastidas at Florida Atlantic University. "If you withdraw after drop/add, you've got to pay the money back. If you stay in the class, you may get a bad grade that will hurt your GPA.'' The amount of the charge will depend on the value of the scholarship and the number of credit hours dropped. A typical charge for a three-credit class is predicted to be around $378. Students without scholarships have always had to pay money for withdrawing from a class mid-semester. The new law is the most recent, but not the first cut to the Bright Futures scholarship program, which is funded by the Florida Lottery. Bright Futures used to pay the total cost of public university tuition and fees for high school students graduating with an A average, but now the scholarship pays a fixed amount. The state estimates that the measure will collect $32 million from students, and also improve the state's woeful graduation rates. At the University of Florida, only 56 percent of students graduate within four years; at Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University, fewer than half the students graduate within six years. The state did not make statistics available on how many of the A-students receiving Bright Futures scholarships are part of the poor graduation rate. More from the Miami Herald

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

ASUCD President Vetoes a Vote of No Confidence in Yudof

Following months of heated criticisms of University of California President Mark Yudof, the President of the Associated Students of the University of California-Davis Joe Chatham vetoed a resolution that would have proclaimed a stance no confidence in Yudof. The resolution was passed by the ASUCD Senate two weeks ago.   The Senate passed the resolution on the steps of Mrak Hall, the site where 52 students were arrested while protesting budget cuts and a 32 percent tuition hike this past November. Mo Torres, former ASUCD senator and author of the resolution, voiced his disappointment in the rejection of the resolution. Torres touted the symbolic location of the vote, on the steps of Mrak Hall rather than where ASUCD meetings are traditionally held. "It is disappointing that this resolution has been vetoed," said Torres. “This resolution was passed in a beautiful environment. Had it been passed in this room, it wouldn't have been on AGTV and the news. It would not have had the same meaning if it was passed here."   Though the decision ignited protest, Chatham stood by his decision, explaining that a vote of no confidence is a useless symbol. "Making a vote of no confidence is not productive," Chatham said. "It essentially calls for people to resign, and that's not what we are asking for. I've written an alternative resolution that highlights some specific demands, including a fee reduction schedule, greater transparency and greater cooperation with the students." Chatham sees lobbying as a path with more potential, touching on a strategy that some students and parents have already begun. "I think that students, staff and faculty need to partner with the regents to voice our opinions in Sacramento." More from the Aggie at UC Davis More from CNN

Issue: Student Governance and Campus Administration

Dorm Fees Increase Across the Country

Amidst collapsing academic departments and huge tuition hikes, many colleges across the nation are also responding to budget cuts by increasing student resident fees. The trend began last year, when the Michigan Board of Regents implemented a 3.9 percent increase in the residence hall rates at the University of Michigan, bringing the cost of dorm living to $8,924 in 2009-2010, an increase of $334 from the previous year. The Arizona Board of Regents followed suit earlier this year when they handed down an almost 11 percent increase in residence hall fees for the fall 2009 semester. In Alabama this April, the State Board of Education authorized Faulkner State Community College and Wallace State Community College-Hanceville to increase their dorm fees as well--FSCC increasing by $200, and WSCC increasing by $50. The Texas Christian University announced in early December that it might raise housing rates up to 2.5 percent for all of its dormitories. Meal plans are also getting more expensive. Residents at FSCC and WSCC now have to pay $1,120 for their meal plans, compared to $945 last year. More from the TCU Daily Skiff More from the Daily 49er More from the Alabama State Board of Education More from Michigan Live in Ann Arbor More from the Daily Wildcat at the University of Arizona

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

Housing Motion Could Impact University of Kentucky Students

After some students took legal action against Lexington landlord Mike Haley for refusing to return a security deposit, the City of Lexington and state officials are now looking into Haley’s management of his rental properties. The City filed a motion for an injunction against Haley, arguing that his rental homes violated the city's zoning ordinances because they meet criteria to be considered boarding houses.   On December 17, Judge Thomas Clark denied the motion for an injunction, which would have forced students to move out of Haley’s properties.  The case against Haley will continue throughout the spring with future court dates scheduled in April. Student Government President Ryan Smith said that even if the motion passes, students will not stop living in privately-rented housing in Lexington. "There are more and more apartment complexes being built, however, houses will continue to be a major source of residence for students," said student government member Ryan Smith, who attended the hearing. "I think it's important we stay on top of this issue and let the mayor know what the students are thinking." More from the Kentucky Kernel More from the National Student News Service

Issue: Civic Participation

UC Law School To Cover Huge Portion of Tuition

While budget cuts have the University of California community in upheaval, the UC Irvine School of Law arranged for privately financed scholarships to cover at least half of tuition for 80 students for three years. The decision comes after Irvine’s inaugural class of 60 students received full scholarships for all three years in August. The scholarships made Irvine so alluring that it could only accept 4 percent of applicants this year—making Irvine the most selective law school in the country in its first year. Most of the scholarship money comes from lawyers in southern California, according to Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. Last week alone, Orange County trial lawyer Mark Robinson donated $400,000 on top of the $1 million donation he made to the inaugural class in August. Though the UC Irvine School of Law is not yet accredited, the tuition for 2010-2011 is expected to be nearly $40,000 for California residents and $50,000 for out-of-state residents, a 10 percent increase from last year. Dean Chemerinsky, who previously taught at the Duke University law school, said he was expecting a surge in new applications before the Feb. 15 deadline in light of this week’s scholarship announcement.  “Obviously we can’t keep these scholarships going forever,” said Chemerinsky, “But I think we need to keep it going till we’re established as a school, so that we keep getting these high-quality applicants.” More from The Ledger

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

After Outcry, USA Today Backpedals on Phrase “illegal students”

USA Today changed the phrase “illegal students” in the title of an article from last week after over 500 concerned readers wrote letters condemning the language. Change.org and DreamActivist.org organized the letter writers, and the article now refers to “illegal immigrant students.” The article, “Groups try to delay deportations of illegal immigrant students,” was about several recent incidents in which undocumented students were threatened with deportation. Letter-writers argued that no people should be considered “illegal,” and that the use of the phrase promotes a hostile and dehumanizing attitude towards immigrants. They also argue that in the particular circumstances of undocumented or unauthorized college students, the term is inaccurate.  “Even if Bazar is talking about higher education, universities and colleges are not legally barred from teaching to undocumented immigrants so long as they pay their own tuition bills,” said Erin Rosa at Campus Progress. Petition-organizer Prerna Lal wrote about the campaign against USA Today’s use of the term on Change.org. “This subtle change tells us that a few hundred emails and calls have the power to drive change,” wrote Lal enthusiastically. “There should be some solace in knowing that any media source that refers to immigrant students as ‘illegal students’ will have to bear the brunt of young immigrants who simply want the right to define themselves.” DreamActivist.org is an organization that works towards passage of the DREAM Act, legislation that would allow undocumented college students to gain a legal path to citizenship. More from USA Today More from Change.org More from America’s Voice Online More from the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Issue: Social Justice | 2 Comments

Parents and Families Join Tuition Protests in CA

California students have been up in arms all semester, but now parents and families are knocking on the doors of Sacramento over impending budget cuts and fee hikes at California public universities. The Parent Advisory Council at California State University-Chico is organizing a campaign to get parents to call their representatives and tell them that education is becoming unaffordable. Bob Combs, president of the Advisory Council, is heading the campaign. "We elect these officials, we donate money and we are the voice of our children," said Combs. "If one of us is calling an Assembly member or Congress person, we're certainly much stronger if 10 of us are calling." The L.A. Times interviewed two parents, Berenice Vite and Rafael Curiel, who missed three house payments to meet their son’s tuition at CSU-Long Beach. "I was raised learning about the importance of education, and I want my children to be educated,” said Vite. “But we don't know if we're going to have a house or not.” Students in both the CSU and the University of California systems have been getting huge amounts of media attention as thousands attended protests and occupied university-owned buildings over the course of the semester. Over 200 students have been arrested since September. The UC system is raising tuition by 32 percent over the next year, and CSU is accepting 40,000 fewer students. Both moves are reactions to a total of $516 million in budget cuts. Ken Stone, the president of the CSU Alumni Council and father of three current CSU students, also sees community organizing as the path forward. "There are things we can do at a grass-roots level, like talking with friends and neighbors about the threat to higher education, and we want to make sure we can talk from a knowledgeable base." More from the L.A. Times More from the Parent Advisory Council at CSU

Issue: Higher Education Affordability

AG Says UW Student Governments Must Obey Open Meeting Laws

When student journalists at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee had a hard time getting information about their student government’s budget and election practices, they asked Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen if student governments should be subject to open meeting laws. On Dec. 17, Van Hollen said that student government organizations that play a role in determining how student fees are spent or what university policies will be would be subject to open meeting laws like other governments.  Student organizations that do not play that type of roll are not subject to open meeting laws under the opinion.  In Wisconsin, state statue gives students “primary responsibility for the formulation and review of policies concerning student life, services, and interests” and “the disposition of those student fees which constitute substantial support for campus student activities.”  The Student Press Law Center reported the story, and spoke with Jonathan Anderson, the special projects editor for the UWM Post. "It gives us an argument when we make a records request to a University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee student government. We hope that it makes the process easier when requesting records," Anderson told SPLC. The student journalists explained that their mission is to ensure public oversight of the student government’s expenditure of public funds. More from the Student Press Law Center More from the Wisconsin Attorney General

Issue: Student Governance and Campus Administration

220 Colleges May Not Get Federal Aid because of Default Rates

More than 220 colleges have long-term student loan default rates so high that students at those colleges would be ineligible for federal student loans under a new law. The law would measure default rates over a three-year period starting 2014, according to new Department of Education figures. Federal student aid supplies low-interest loans to students to help pay tuition based on  what many students know as the FAFSA form. In the final quarter of the 2008-2009 academic year, the federal government distributed over $4.6 billion in aid to nearly 2.5 million students in unsubsidized loans alone. If too many of a school’s past students fail to pay back their federal loans on time, the school may become ineligible to get future money for their students. Student-loan defaults are more common at for-profit colleges, and the proposed bill has caused those institutions to warn of imminent harm to students. "The only thing that explains default rate is the socioeconomic background" of the student, said Harris N. Miller, president of the Career College Association, which represents for-profit institutions. "By using that as the metric of quality, you will always be discriminating against low-income students." But some groups offer other explanations for the high default rates of for-profit college students: predatory lending. A report released Dec.1 by U.S. PIRG, the United States Students Association, and Demos explains that for-profit colleges aggressively market high-interest loans that they know their students cannot pay back. The report calls on Congress to create a Consumer Financial Protection Agency to regulate, among other things, lending by for-profit colleges. More from the Chronicle of Higher Education More from the Federal Aid Student Gateway More from the National Student News Service

Issue: Higher Education Affordability | 2 Comments

UW Students Organize to Stave Off Financial Aid Cuts

University of Washington President Mark Emmert made it clear to students that their input could be the key to saving their financial aid. Knowing their future funding is at stake, UW students did just that, addressing legislators, faculty, and staff at the annual pre-session legislative reception Dec. 9 put on by the Associated Students of the University of Washington (ASUW). Previously, Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire proposed a 50-percent cut to state need-based aid in the 2010 supplemental budget. "Statistics are nice, but stories of everyday students are very compelling," Emmert said. "We need to tell the stories of what it means to not have that financial aid, in very clear and very direct fashions." Cruz Credle, president of ASUW Tacoma, shared his story about the Husky-Promise grant. “I’m actually a Husky-Promise student,” he said, “This has allowed me to be the first of my siblings to go to college. I’m a role model for my little nieces and nephews.” The ASUW started a Political Action Network in November, and since its creation more than 500 students have joined. PAN has already had success in using grassroots email campaigns to ensure the continuation of the U-PASS, a low-cost transportation card for students and faculty. PAN’s leaders hope it will spark students to further voice their support for higher education. After listening to students tell stories about how important financial aid is to their education at the legislative reception, Washington State Senator Paull Shinn said their strategy showed exactly the stories he was looking for. "As the chair of [the] higher education [committee] for four years and vice chair for eight years, every time students come talk to me, it affects me—my thinking, more than anything," he said. "There are lobbyists, professional lobbyists; they come and that's their job...but students are sincere, they're speaking from the heart." More from the Daily at the University of Washington More from PAN

Issue: Higher Education Affordability | 1 Comments

Boise State Campus Mobilizes Against Intolerance

Over 200 people took to the Boise State campus on Dec. 11 in response to what protesters saw as racist and homophobic fliers that were illegally inserted in copies of school's student newspaper, the Arbiter. A coalition of faculty, staff and students participated in the Hands Across Campus Rally (HACR) following the distribution of the fliers. Participants stated that they wanted to combat hate, oppression, and intolerance. They also wanted to show acceptance and support to those targeted by the fliers. The rally was organized in just 24 hours, and within 30 minutes HACR was able to collect 305 signatures on the Hands Across Campus Solidarity Statement. Shannon Morgan, reporter for the Arbiter Online, wrote about her personal experience at the rally. “It was a chance to publicly show that our support for diversity and tolerance is not just something we say, but something we are willing to take action to protect.” Morgan continued, explaining that “what this flier [said] is not OK. It does not represent our university, this state or the values of this country.” More from the Arbiter Online Even more from the Arbiter Online

Issue: Social Justice | 3 Comments

Students Rally Against Pittsburgh Student Tax

By Louis Sallerson The student tax proposed by Pittsburgh’s mayor, Luke Ravenstahl, has ignited both student opposition and political controversy. The “Fair Share Tax,” announced by the Mayor as a central priority immediately following his re-election, would help fill a $15 million city budget deficit by exacting a 1 percent tax on the tuition of every student who attends a college or university in Pittsburgh. According to the mayor, the bill would tax students who benefit from the municipal services of the city but have not paid their fare share for these services. The vote on the tax was delayed for a second time on Dec. 16 when Mayor Ravenstahl said that his conversations with the city’s non-profits have been “progressing.” He said he would settle for a voluntary $5 million payment from the city’s non-profits in lieu of the tax. Still, the tax has met with widespread opposition from both students and politicians, who question its legality. According to City Council Member Bill Peduto, who publicly opposes the tax, there is “a basic premise [in] the Penn constitution that only the state legislature has the ability to create taxes. Local governments are not given that right, local governments can enact a tax once it has asked the state legislature.” “The tax itself is not based on the fees or the costs associated with any student,” Peduto said. “but instead is directly tied to their tuition, which is not a good indication on deciding how someone is using city services.” Lawmakers from the state legislature, among them Representative Paul Costa (D-Allegheny) have already stated that they will block the tax with new legislation. Students are also arguing that they are major contributors to the city’s economy. “Students are residents of Pittsburgh too,” said Aaron Gross, chair of the Undergraduate Student Senate at Carnegie Mellon University. “Many own homes, pay real estate taxes and pay wage taxes on the income they earn in the city.” Like Peduto, CMU Undergraduate Student Senator Amy Ayedemi argues that the dollar amount of a student’s tuition is not tied to their role in the city. CMU students, “notorious for their hard work and contributions to society” according to Ayedemi, would pay an additional $409 on top of their tuition as opposed to the $27 that would be charged to students at the Community College of Allegheny County. Others argue that the tax counters basic principles of good governance. Gross argues that because most students in the city receive financial aid to finance their educations, the tax inherently affects those who are least able to pay. Councilman Peduto added that the bill would be taxing something that the government should be encouraging. “We have sin taxes on things like alcohol tobacco and gambling,” Peduto said, “but, I can’t think of anywhere where people are being taxed on educating themselves and bettering themselves. It would be like taxing people who are giving up smoking, taxing people who are going on diets, or taxing people who are joining gyms.” According to Peduto, students from Pittsburgh have sent him 4,000 emails expressing their concern, a figure that doubles the highest amount he has ever seen. The students have used a website to spread awareness about the tax, which offers talking points, gives updates on the latest developments, and provides information on how to contact members of the student council. The Mayor, who has attempted to put this tax to a vote in the city council, still retains the support of five council members necessary to hold a majority. However, the vote on the tax has been delayed and many wonder if the Mayor will still hold onto his majority support when the year ends and two of his supporting council members step down. In the meantime, students are continuing their opposition. “If Pittsburgh becomes the first city in the nation to tax students for learning,” Gross said, “it will not only be a serious detriment to Pittsburgh students, but to students across the nation. These politicians are simply lacking a long-term vision. Taxing students is a politically easy way to fill a budget gap.” Even if the tax, which many doubt will pass, is enacted, the students leading this opposition have vowed to continue fighting. “This tax is not going to fly,” Ayedemi said. “If the mayor actually goes through with this proposed student tax, my only concern would be for him, because this is going to the courts. And you can guarantee that I will be one of the people fighting against him if and when that day comes.”

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