Protests stifled the on-campus Board of Trustees meeting last week as the governing body of Ohio University voted to approve a 2 percent tuition hike for continuing students and a 5.1 percent increase for incoming freshmen.
Certainly no one enjoys having to spend more for the same product — students included — and protesters let decision makers know just how displeased they are upon entering the meeting Friday. The Board’s response, which was to walk out of the meeting until “order” was restored, was a poor move to say the least. (Three students were arrested during that time.)
Trustees shouldn’t forget that those protesters are the very students they serve.
Administrators, students and trustees must show an increased willingness to engage in a meaningful discussion on tuition, and the trustees’ choice to remove themselves from a situation that makes them uncomfortable is counterproductive.
Although the university continues to take steps to better connect with students, there’s always room for improvement. Administrators, students and trustees alike would be better served if tuition decisions were better explained to the student body.
One way to accomplish this would be to email students easy-to-read reports (or Buzzfeed-esque “listicles,” perhaps?) detailing how the additional funds would be used.
A more healthy dialogue could limit the amount of backlash against Board members and administrators, and could be helpful for students who are trying to understand how their money is being spent. In the end, it’s a win-win for all parties involved.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors: editor-in-chief Jim Ryan, managing editor Sara Jerde, opinion editor Xander Zellner and projects editor Allan Smith. Post editorials are independent of the publication's news coverage.
