I am very satisfied with Vice President and Provost Benoit and Vice President of Finance and Administration Golding’s presentations at this week’s Student Senate meeting. They met us with a professional tone that was serious, yet welcoming. They approached us with the reality that we are but one of many constituents that this university has, including faculty, the administrators, and the taxpayers of this great state.
The university needs to take into account the fiscal issues facing those constituents as well as the student body’s views. We are facing harsh fiscal realities, and these two leaders were able to not only educate me on their views as to how this administration functions, but I now support their decisions as of late, which I admittedly used to loathe.
We are in for the long haul for this university as citizens of this state. We want to see it succeed in the future, which means we must be constantly aware that there are powers beyond this university, which affect our budget, namely, our state, which has steadily decreased its share of tuition. We need to attack the budget problem from more than one source, and our next target should be said state funding.
If we work together as a body, and with other student bodies across the state, we can make it clear to our legislature and our governor that state share of instruction is of great importance to us. There are many challenges ahead of us, both in and out of college, and we are at the age to handle these. We have the energy, talent, and commitment to fight for changes we want, need, and most importantly, deserve.
Adam Brown is the South Green senator on Ohio University’s Student Senate.
