The UF College Republicans agree with the Board of Trustees and Student Body President Ben Meyers' vote to increase tuition.
At this point in time, budget cuts are what are needed for the state. I applaud the work of state Senate President Mike Haridopolos and Gov. Rick Scott for making Florida one of the most financially stable states in the country. Budget cuts are tough to implement, especially with election season around the corner, but our elected officials in Tallahassee are working for the good of the entire state and making Florida an attractive state for business.
The 7-percent tuition increase, unanimously voted on by the Board of Trustees, is necessary for the betterment of both UF and the state of Florida. By increasing tuition, we are shifting the burden of financing education to students, the consumers of the service. By switching to a user-pays approach, the rest of Florida's population doesn't bear the burden of the cost of our education.
Tuition increases are necessary in order to maintain the value of our degrees. UF needs to continue to provide top professors and churn out new research in order to stay competitive with other schools across the country. We already pay one of the lowest tuition rates in the nation, so a moderate increase in the price of our education can only serve to bolster the reputation of The Gator Nation and inflate the value of a degree from UF.
On a separate note, I find it very immature that the Alligator would refer to President Meyers as the "doughy delegate." Such personal attacks are highly unprofessional and deplorable for a reputable student news source. By all means the media should hold our elected representatives accountable, but name-calling is completely uncalled for.
