As your Student Body President, the most important part of my role consists of representing you on the Board of Trustees - the highest decision-making body of our university. Last week, the issue of a tuition increase was before the Board of Trustees. I voted for the increase because I believed it was best for every student only after making sure the neediest students were financially secured.
This past legislative session, the state legislature raised our tuition by 8 percent. This was partnered with severe budget cuts for our university - the culmination of about $200 million in cuts over the past few years. Since 2009, the Board of Trustees has voted annually to raise tuition 15 percent in order to help deal with the budget shortfall.
What came before the board was the option to increase tuition the differential 7 percent to complement the 8 percent increase mandated by the legislature, so we were, in fact, voting on a 7 percent additional increase. There was no connected increase in student fees, so the board determined that the cost to an individual student would not truly go up by an additional 7 percent.
The many actions proposed to deal with our budget shortfall included this tuition increase, benefit cuts to some faculty and staff, redirection of some revenue streams, and long-term methods to increase online distance learning classes.
While I was alarmed to see the tuition increase proposed, I was careful to realize that students were not being individually targeted to bear the burden of filling the budget gap.
Yet a major issue arose that put a large portion of students at overwhelming risk. A $9 million gap existed in providing financial aid for our neediest students. These are students who, without this financial aid, would likely be unable to attend our university. Students in this category usually come from families who make less than $40,000 per year and truly cannot afford any increase whatsoever.
My focus became securing the aid for these students. On three separate and public occasions, I made it clear how vital it was for that $9 million gap to be filled for these students. All three times, both President Bernie Machen and Provost Joe Glover confirmed that they believed the issue to be of the highest importance, and it would be filled. In the budget that President Machen presented Friday, the gap was indeed closed. I commend President Machen and Provost Glover, as well as my fellow trustees, for recognizing the importance of this issue and for acting upon it.
Now that the neediest students' financial aid was not at risk, I looked at the big picture. I genuinely considered every aspect of the proposal because I feel it would be a disservice to you to simply vote one way or another with little consideration. I am your representative on the board, and I was elected to give full research and consideration to everything that comes before it.
First, I looked at what not filling the budget gap would mean. It would result in a cutting fiasco. The worst-case scenario would involve individual colleges being forced to cut their own budgets 10 percent, research and facilities being subjected to hard cuts, and students services provided through this funding likely being re-examined. Essentially, there would have been a dramatic decrease in the quality of the education we obtain. The tuition would stay the same, but due to legislative cuts, the quality of the education would go down.
On the other hand, a tuition increase would mean the quality of the education would stay the same or potentially increase due to new faculty and research hires while at the same time increasing the financial burden on students. The latter part is what had me up at night before this vote. I recognize that it is my duty to stand up for every single one of you, and a large part of that is working to relieve your financial burden. At the end of the day, I saw the possible decrease in quality of our education as a threat to the future value of our degrees. I don't want your degree from UF to be worth less when you apply for a job even twenty years down the road. I tried to balance the immediate financial needs of students with the value of the degree we are working to obtain, which will help us for our entire lives.
Therefore, I voted for the tuition increase. I firmly believe that it was not only a necessary vote but one which was cast for the option that would most benefit students during this very difficult time. In no way does this change my stance against block tuition or my commitment to providing services to you through Student Government that make your daily life easier, such as free printing.
I knew when I cast my vote that it would likely generate some controversy. However, I hope that you will see the consideration I placed into this vote and share my belief that it was for the overall benefit of the university we love and every single student.
Ben Meyers is the UF Student Body President.
