Ohio University is thinking about raising tuition again. It has happened every year during the reign of Roderick McDavis. The proposed 6 percent hike will once more try to make up for another budget shortfall. It is another in a long string of gaffes by the OU administration as they try to actually run a university.
It was only last year when the university cut $14 million, while saving $6 million for VisionOhio. Now VisionOhio, the administration's solution to everything, is feeling the pinch. With a $6 million budget, $4 million of it is being eyed to help with this university problem. VisionOhio has become the sacrificial lamb of the ongoing budget problems. Now this savior of Ohio University is on life support as it slowly dies to make up for ongoing mistakes.
The main reason the administration cited for these proposed ideas is the student body growth. It is amazing how much the university doesn't get it. They act surprised when transfer students refuse to come to OU, but if they stopped to consider the last couple of years, it is no wonder. With the continuing bad press the university has received it is inevitable that transfer student numbers are down. Couple that with the 80 percent retention rate, and you've got a recipe for a budget shortfall.
There are solutions for this latest crisis of monetary proportions. Why is it only the students must suffer? Perhaps an administration pay cut would solve some of the financial woes. Now, we're not talking a massive one but rather a manageable 2 percent cut. That would go a long way in helping with this ongoing problem.
And Mrs. McDavis shouldn't get paid. What she does for the university is not worth what we pay. Obviously, donations haven't gone up, and students continue to leave. The main question on our minds is what her job entails besides parties and schmoozing with donors. An even better question is why are we paying for it.
It's time to call a spade to spade. The university needs to stop making it seem like a tuition hike is a last resort when it has become obvious it is their only idea. It is not fair to make the student bear the brunt of this crisis. There are other solutions than to simply jack up tuition again. Just try a littler harder.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of the Post executive editors.
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