The Hill News Editorial Board has decided to begin a weekly column to express our stance on issues of particular interest to students. As members of the student body, we feel it is important to discuss these issues with the greater St. Lawrence community. We hope to provide a voice for students on campus, and use these conversations to enact greater change at St. Lawrence.
St. Lawrence University recently announced that it would continue to raise tuition by 3.5 percent for current and incoming students next year. Tuition has been increasing steadily over the past few years, and will soon eclipse the $70,000 mark.
Despite the increase in cost, students find themselves in the dark on where their money actually goes. The administration tends to say very little, if anything at all, about how the university’s budget is divided up. Stock answers are often provided about how the money is going to improve the experiences and lives of students, without any specifics.
Many faculty members find themselves in a similar situation. Professors who spoke to us shared that when budgets are debated, they are often discussed using umbrella categories such “student services.” This covers a variety of university functions, including Dining Services and Athletics, without specifying how exactly the numbers break down in each category.
On top of this, several items on the budget are considered to be untouchable. Athletics, for example, are often left out of any debate over spending. The perceived value, both in revenue and promotion for the University, is believed to justify any expense.
When certain items are viewed as beyond reproach, it means cuts have to be made elsewhere. This includes crucial parts of campus life, such as Dining Services, the study abroad office and academic departments. The last of these is creating immediate concerns regarding faculty, as professors have begun retiring or leaving for other jobs, while departments struggle to replace them.
The lack of transparency provided by the University and administration is, we feel, unacceptable. As students of St. Lawrence University, we are the primary customers and clients. Our dollars fund much of what goes on here, and as such, we should know where the money is going. It seems only right that we should know, when we pay our bill every semester, exactly what we are paying for.
As tuition continues to rise, the University and students, both current and prospective, are approaching a crossroads. The financial commitment grows every year and is going to limit the University’s ability to attract students. If interest in the University decreases, the burden will only continue to increase for current students.
Students are currently being asked to fund the University with no clear knowledge of where their money is going. As stated in a previous article in The Hill News, over 70 percent of St. Lawrence University’s budget comes from student tuition. As the financial base of the university, students bare the majority of the financial load, yet have minimal certainty of how much of their money will actually benefit them, either directly or indirectly.
We, the Editorial Board of The Hill News, are asking the administration of St. Lawrence University to be more transparent with the student body. We feel it is in everyone’s best interest to know exactly how our tuition is spent. We believe this increased visibility will lead to more accountability for the administration. We welcome students, faculty and administration to respond, and hope that this will start a productive conversation.
– The Hill News Editorial Board