2008 Woodie Awards
Dr. Phil talks budget - I still have questions
Tuition Forum
Duncan McGregor
Issue date: 3/14/08 Section: Opinion
On Monday, March 3 Phil Creighton, president of Pacific University, hosted a question and answer session. It was attended by a fair number of students but no faculty. Several key administrators were present to help Creighton answer questions. The stated preface of the meeting was to go over Pacific's budget so students could know how their money was being spent.
According to Creighton, faculty salaries have first priority, then administration, followed by various student services, like the library and technology services. Creighton made it quite clear that tuition was not spent to further building on campus.
When asked about future increases in tuition, Creighton mentioned that the Board of Trustees is toying with the idea of increasing tuition by 6.8 percent. The reasoning behind it is primarily to give the faculty a cost of living adjustment-a provision that is completely reasonable.
According to the Department of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (an index which measures the cost of goods that many consumers use) only increased by 4.3 percent between January 2007 and January 2008.This raises an important question. Why is our tuition going up 2.5 percent more than inflation?
There is a readily available escape route: the Board of Trustees expects inflation to further increase above four percent. However, the Federal Open Market Committee has consistently reduced interest rates over the last six months which suggests that the best economic minds in the country suspect that recession is more probable than inflation. Inflation may rise to 6.8 percent this year, but it is not certain.
Where does that leave the extra 2.5 percent? I certainly hope it means 2.5 percent more services.
Further, the administration has no intention of instituting a grandfather clause which would fix tuition at the price your freshmen year, seeing as this would put more burden on each successive generation.
Good news for students: the university is next building on the list to be improved. Creighton has a grand vision of how he wants to expand Pacific University. Of course this makes me wonder on what time table he is operating and whether it coincides with my interests. What should we care if the university is significantly better after we graduate.
According to Creighton, faculty salaries have first priority, then administration, followed by various student services, like the library and technology services. Creighton made it quite clear that tuition was not spent to further building on campus.
When asked about future increases in tuition, Creighton mentioned that the Board of Trustees is toying with the idea of increasing tuition by 6.8 percent. The reasoning behind it is primarily to give the faculty a cost of living adjustment-a provision that is completely reasonable.
According to the Department of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index (an index which measures the cost of goods that many consumers use) only increased by 4.3 percent between January 2007 and January 2008.This raises an important question. Why is our tuition going up 2.5 percent more than inflation?
There is a readily available escape route: the Board of Trustees expects inflation to further increase above four percent. However, the Federal Open Market Committee has consistently reduced interest rates over the last six months which suggests that the best economic minds in the country suspect that recession is more probable than inflation. Inflation may rise to 6.8 percent this year, but it is not certain.
Where does that leave the extra 2.5 percent? I certainly hope it means 2.5 percent more services.
Further, the administration has no intention of instituting a grandfather clause which would fix tuition at the price your freshmen year, seeing as this would put more burden on each successive generation.
Good news for students: the university is next building on the list to be improved. Creighton has a grand vision of how he wants to expand Pacific University. Of course this makes me wonder on what time table he is operating and whether it coincides with my interests. What should we care if the university is significantly better after we graduate.
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