By the end of next year, Ohio University students could be managing their education a little differently. OU officials are pushing for technology and software upgrades for the university network. It could be a step forward - but for students it comes at a price. So why don't student representatives have a say in the matter?
The proposed plan goes like this: The university will foot half the $40 million bill, and students will cover the rest with the introduction of a new technology fee. A majority of student senators support a referendum so the matter could be put to a vote. But the vote wouldn't take place until mid-May, and the tone-deaf Board of Trustees has continued forward. Friday, trustees reviewed and recommended more than 200 new or increased fees, including the technology fee.
Student Senate President Michael Adeyanju opposes the proposed student referendum. In fact, the board's actions were influenced in part by a letter Adeyanju wrote saying that he understood the need for the fee. It's not that the fee should be voted down, necessarily. It's that students should have a say either way.
OU trustees are sorely out of touch, but it's a problem that's easily solved. They simply need to listen to what the students - and not just administrative lapdogs - have to say. The Board of Trustees is an autonomous, decision-making body, and student input bears little weight and has no real power to influence policy. OU has two student trustees, but they have no vote on the board. Student Senate votes are essentially a survey of student opinion. Board decisions are certainly not bound by student opinion, but making a sincere effort to take it into account would help both the trustees' decisions and their image.
The fact that students cannot directly influence policy makes communication between them and university officials all the more important. This time, unfortunately, students have been ignored altogether. OU trustees are not concerned about what the students have to say. They're content to swoop in and rubber stamp the proposal as quickly as possible, and the referendum will most likely come too late. Student Senate Treasurer Robert Leary and Graduate Student Senate President Pete Wickman have tried to prevent that - they sent a letter to Eric Fingerhut, the state's top education official, asking him to delay his approval or denial of the fee until after the referendum.
It's sad, really: If trustees would keep just one ear tuned to student voices, then students might not have to go over their heads to try to be heard.
Editorials represent the views of The Post's executive editors.
4 Opinion
Board of Trustees needs to listen to student input on policy decisions
