Norman — Some American college campuses, silent and unengaged for years, showed some life this week. Thursday was National Day of Action for Public Education and some OU students took advantage of spring-like weather to support the cause on the campus’ South Oval.
It wasn’t nearly the scope of events staged in Berkeley, Calif., and Wisconsin, but University of Oklahoma protesters showed solidarity. The protesters were targeting cuts in higher education budgets and anticipated tuition increases.
In California, students are facing tuition spikes as high as 32 percent. Oklahoma lawmakers have trimmed all state agency budgets, with higher education’s portion about 3.5 percent.
OU is looking at ways to make up that gap, with utilities, health insurance and other costs increasing each year. We’re hearing word from employees of some plans to contract out utility services beginning this spring or early summer. A tuition and fee increase is likely for next year, although officials have not made public a set amount.
Regents, not lawmakers, set tuition and fees for university students. They are required to keep them in line with other Big 12 institutions. The problem is those institutions are under the same pressure. Lower state appropriations nearly always means higher tuition and fees on students.
The next protests ought to be at state Capitols throughout the country. Legislators control budgets and students need to remind them of the impact tuition and fee increases have on family budgets.
