Hopefully none.

Students protesting and getting arrested over an increase of $82 a semester?  Really??

An increase of 1.6% is a very modest increase and less than the COLA.

the University I work for "held" their tuition increase this year to ONLY 3.0%, on a tuition of $19,000+ per semester...students next year will be paying over $20,000 each semester in tuition alone here.

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

You're so far off-base Monroe, it's hardly worth debating. I said none of the things you post, but don't let that stop you. Build a straw man and tear it down. I'm sure that will serve you well.

Mike,
The dramatic increase in student applications this year would suggest that there is little pressure to cut costs. When those student applications significantly drop, I suspect we would see an attempt at reduction in costs.

The students can speak with their pocketbooks and go elsewhere if they don't like the increases. I rather believe that Ohio is not out of line for tuition costs. There are lawfull means to fight any increase, but they are charged with breaking a law. So they can get their airing for that in the court system if it comes to that. Anyway, seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. Move on, nothing to see.

 

Exactly.
 

 

This wasn't a noteworthy percentage of students. This protest happens every year, and the numbers were down this year. Their efforts will mean nothing...  Tuition will go up this year and next year and still more students will be enrolling in Ohio University than ever before.

Over $1000 has already been raised for their legal defense fund.  This one may actually get some traction.

Who's talking about the summer?  I'm talking about the next two weeks.  The sad part is when the trustees walked out of the meeting it appears that the student trustees did likewise.  Way to support your fellow students.

It's interesting that the only two folks in this thread who seem to get what the protesters are saying are a recent grad and a guy who graduated almost 50 years ago.  It's not the 1.6%, it's the principle of undisciplined spending and misplaced priorities.  Student debt is one of the most serious issues facing our economy today.  We can't continue down this path.

I understand what the students are saying, Alan. I just don't like their methodology. There are plenty of avenues for stating their case, and I question whether or not these students are following those avenues. Are they sending letters to the trustees and president? Are they scheduling meetings with trustees, president, professors, and anyone else who might impact their cause? Are they attempting to build a grass roots campaign among the student trustees? Are they executing a media campaign in an effort to get their point of view heard? Have they executed a letter-writing campaign to local state congress members? What about the governor, or U.S. senators?

Or, are they just staging a one-and-done publicity stunt?

 

I do not see anything happening in the next two weeks.
 

Making it personal, I am also a recent graduate. As recent as you can possible get. I still have student loan debt out. I am all for curbing spending. That said, I don't believe the recent increases have been out of line. The argument I have heard is that the quality of education is decreasing at Ohio Univeristy while tuition is rising. I disagree. I think the University has made it a priority to increase the visability and national reputation of this University. I agree with that course of action l, and I think they are getting the job done in that arena.

Have you bothered to check if they are doing these things, are you just going to call them idiots (OK, OK, "acting like idiots")? You can't call straw man when I respond to your sarcasm with sarcasm of my own. If you insist on saying I erected a straw man, then I will respond in kind. Choose wisely!

Ever since Tracy Kelly, student trustees have been shills who are interested in their own resumes and not being the voice of the students. Beyond worthless.

For all of the history of activism on campus, it's at an all-time low right now. My guess is that these students are very small in number and all but powerless. Crashing that meeting was probably their best and only option. And they got arrested for it. The finger wagging adds nothing. I'm glad we're keeping the fine American tradition of debating the method of delivery rather than the message, though. Their protest ultimately fell on deaf ears and the clucking of strangers from a cross the country with their own interests strikes me as overkill.

The OU Student Union has been around for a little while now but has steadily lost whatever momentum they had after Will Klatt left town. So, no, this isn't a one-and-done stunt (for what publicity, anyway?) because I can remember a number of things they've done. Thing is, there's not even a ripple effect here. After this thread dies, so does this topic.