Posted by: pmp6nl
« on: March 07, 2011, 10:59:08 PM »Quote
Kevin Black and Shawn Affolter, Fargo, column: Shortchanging university system hurts North Dakotahttp://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/195551/group/opinion/
While students at other institutions have called for a complete freeze in tuition, the NDSU Student Senate and the North Dakota Student Association voted in favor of a 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases over the next biennium. This affirms a shared sentiment: Students desire the best quality education, not just the cheapest one.
By: Kevin Black and Shawn Affolter,
FARGO — The state House’s message to North Dakota State University students has been heard loud and clear. We hope those 59 legislators whose vote will hurt our fellow students also are listening, for we would like to offer a reply.
We question the notion of some House members that funding increases will promote reckless behavior or that funding cuts will guarantee fiscal responsibility and accountability. Indeed, there are many more dimensions to this story.
While the Legislature is prepared to spend millions to defend the Fighting Sioux nickname in court, representatives still are willing to decrease
equity, tuition affordability and performance-based funding by even
greater amounts. These curious priorities will disproportionately affect
NDSU and the quality of education that our fellow students receive.
At NDSU, 95 percent of students attend classes on campus, the highest face-to-face ratio of any institution in the state. Between general fund appropriations and net tuition revenue, the amount spent educating a single NDSU student totals onnly $10,695 — far less than the university system average of $12,158 during the 2007-2009 biennium.
These facts coupled with NDSU’s growing enrollment to 14,407 students — a 49 percent increase over the past 11 years — have left our university with serious growing pains. Students feel these pains in such things as the school’s widening student-to-faculty ratios, lack of adequate lab and classroom space and aging academic facilities.
We recognize laudable one-time expenses that are worthy of the state’s investment, including upgrades to the Main Library, Geosciences and Ehly, Ladd, and Dunbar halls, all of which are educational buildings that have been overlooked for decades.
Nonetheless, we believe both the state and students have an ownership in higher education. While students at other institutions have called for a complete freeze in tuition, the NDSU Student Senate and the North Dakota Student Association voted in favor of a 2.5 percent cap on tuition increases over the next biennium. This affirms a shared sentiment: Students desire the best quality education, not just the cheapest one.
In stark contrast to other states, North Dakota is in the position to elevate its flagship institutions. At a time when the state can invest in a work force that will broaden the tax base, diversify our economy and attract the brightest minds, why not appropriate for NDSU sufficient resources to do so?
Rep. Bob Skarpol, R-Tioga, is on record as calling for change in the university system. If the change Skarpol and like-minded legislators want is to reform higher education, then they should provide benchmarks, mandate transparency and reward performance, as well as contribute to meaningful and timely reforms of the university system.
If the Legislature has a goal to effectively invest our state’s resources, then we can think of no better way than by equipping NDSU students to receive — and fully funding our institution to provide — the best education around.
Black is president and Affolter is vice president of the student body at NDSU.
Way to go guys. Keep sharing the student voice!