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| Students celebrate a tuition freeze victory on July 22. Photography by Melissa Chandler |
Wednesday, July 22 the Linn-Benton Community College Board of Education’s discussion over a three percent tuition increase —that took effect in June— had students and administrators in a tizzy.
The meeting began at 6 p.m. with the swearing in of board members by Anne Schuster, Benton County Commissioner. Students lined up at the back of room 103 in Calapooia Hall. They held protest signs that read “Freeze Tuition,” “550,” and “We did our part - Will you do yours?”
Student Leadership Council President, Paola Gonzalez reminded board members, during an address, of student efforts that took place during winter term to raise awareness across the state about education and tuition. Gonzalez reiterated that students were told if they raise the funds necessary to eliminate a tuition increase there would be no increase in tuition.
“If it wasn’t for the talent grants through student government I would not be able to attend this upcoming year,” said Gonzalez.
Gonzalez wasn’t the only student to share a personal struggle with the Board of Education members.
Michaela Martin is a communications student was last to take the stand on a tuition freeze. Martin is a single mother with no support or contact from the father of her son. Her son is now two years old and she is raising him all on her own. It wasn’t an easy thing for her to admit. While attending school she has to pay for daycare.
“I don’t want to be dependent on the system,” said Martin.
Martin made reference to cost of tuition being minimal for In-State students being only $2.51, which is about $99 for a term. With that divided into three months it is approximately $33, which is a box of diapers that lasts Martin about a month. Martin struggled at this point because diapers aren’t cheap and children need them. When it comes down to it, tuition or diapers, diapers always win.
“Dollar for dollar,” said Martin.
Students have been proactive throughout the year with rallies and gathering the funds to make a tuition freeze possible. This was a key piece of information to the argument.
“I feel frustrated that charging the students more would even be an option,” said Chelsey Mick. “I feel defensive that the hard work my SLC comrades (past and present) have put into the various efforts both on campus and at the Capitol to lobby for zero spikes in our tuition felt overlooked.”
Candalynn Johnson a business and political science student is a first generation college student who works three part-time jobs on top of attending college. She has attended college for two years, has received scholarships and is still $9,186 in debt. This debt doesn’t come without pain and suffering. Johnson suffers beyond just debt.
“My day starts at 8 a.m. and doesn’t end until 9 p.m., which causes a lot of strain on my mental and physical health especially with my diagnosis of ADHD,” said Johnson. “This would only get hard if I had to take on more hours of work, and this is why I support a 0 percent tuition increase.”
The board members didn’t show any reaction towards emotions,personal stories or tears shed. After students shared personal stories and board members convened, the meeting was brought back to order to further discuss tuition increase.
President Greg Hamann presented the board member’s with a projection model representing the budget for the future and its impact of the impact on the college’s ending fund balance.
“We will be just fine without a tuition increase [this year],” said Hamann.
During Hamann’s presentation board member’s Jim Merryman and Dick Running continued to argue against the tuition increase back to zero. They were adamant that future students would refuse to pay a higher tuition increase percentage.
“It was a bit ridiculous that they were arguing about $550 million, as they wouldn’t have that money to count on if students wouldn’t have gone out and fought for it,” said Nikki Aman. “I feel like Jim in particular was talking about college like a business with a customer base rather than a state funded institution with students in need.”
Hamann continued to urge board members to see the positive side of this zero percent tuition increase as a benefit and as a possibility. That with the new programs starting soon, LBCC could afford to have a zero percent tuition increase for the 2015-2016 school year.
“How can you be so optimist with a pessimistic budget?” said Lyn Riverstone, board member.
Hamann persevered on with his projections. In the end the Linn-Benton Community College Board of Education voted to freeze tuition until further information became available.
“I feel like it’s a disgruntled victory. We won yeah, but this shouldn’t have been a debate. And more than anything else, our Board of Education shouldn’t be focused on how to squeeze more money out of its students, but rather how to spend the money we’ve already sweat out,” said Mick. “Spend smarter, not more.”
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