Lost in translation

We had a communication breakdown this week regarding tuition changes.

What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.

A full three days after the Board of Regents approved a hike in tuition, abolished tuition guarantees for four years of school and increased tuition flat rates, the University at last issued a campus-wide e-mail to explain the situation.

Although The Red & Black reported the story from the beginning, communication between administrators, Regents and reporters has been confusing at best. Upper-level administrators maintained until Thursday morning that all students would be required to take 15 credit hours – which is not the case at all.

It doesn’t seem the BOR took fifth-year seniors or transfer students into consideration. It’s likely many students entering their ninth semester next fall won’t need a full 15 hours – yet they’ll still be charged as much as incoming freshmen. And graduate students are still scrambling to figure out where they stand.

The tuition increase doesn’t affect the majority of current students, but tuition is one of the most important issues facing students and their families. The BOR should have been more clear from the beginning who would be affected and who would not – and the University should have made an effort to be more transparent.

- Shannon Otto for the editorial board

Bravo for buses

Student activities fees are being put to good use for charter buses to Six Flags.

University students making the annual pilgrimage to Six Flags will have something new to ride in addition to Goliath and Acrophobia – chartered buses.

Even though most of us at The Red & Black will be unable to attend tonight’s Dawgs After Dark event, we applaud the University Union’s decision to provide transportation for students.

We’re glad the oft-lamented student activity fees are being used to help keep our student body safe. And just think of the money students who ride the buses will save – gas prices are creeping up again and food at amusement parks is notoriously expensive.

We commend University Union for saving students money and, potentially, saving their lives.

- Marcus Crawford for the editorial board