Minimal student input basis for SGA approval

Out of nine University of Texas system components UT Tyler was the only one of two that did not seek multiple surveys of a broad spectrum of student body opinion before recommending a tuition increase before the regents meeting on March 3.

Other school representatives said they used e-mails, forums and web casts to gauge student opinions. UT Tyler SGA President Amy Whitehouse said she talked to “a lot of students.”

A random sample of students interviewed by the Talon indicate a lack of awareness on campus.

“I am not surprised, but I didn’t know,” Sheriff Kora, public administration graduate student, said. “They (SGA) should have notified the students. If they represent the students and they are doing their job, then they should get our opinion.”

In a meeting with the Talon about the proposed tuition increase Whitehouse admitted the SGA could have done more to inform the student body.
“We don’t have something like that on our Web site. I didn’t put anything on the tuition increase, which maybe I should have.”

The board of regents heard nearly two hours of presentations about the proposed tuition increase from campus presidents and SGA representatives. Later in the day the regents approved the tuition increase.

The regents met in the Ashbury building down town Austin.

Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa told the board “student representatives” from Dallas, Arlington, San Antonio, Brownsville, Pan American, Permian Basin, Tyler, Austin and El Paso were there to express campus openness on the proposal.

A review of UT Tyler SGA weekly minutes the SGA only mentioned the proposed tuition increase twice since the beginning of the year.

On Feb. 8, SGA President Whitehouse, Vice-President Sara Khalifa and Gregg Lassen, Vice-President of Business Affairs discussed tuition during officer reports and on Feb. 11, Whitehouse announced she would be going to Austin to present a recommendation to the board.

The meeting minutes did not show any student polls, surveys or a vote by SGA members regarding the tuition increase. The minutes also did not reflect members rarely any questions regarding the issue.

The Talon editorial board met with Whitehouse, Khalifa, SGA treasurer Andrew Barnson and secretary David Kelly on Feb. 22 to discuss why they support the tuition increase.

Whitehouse said she was going to the regent board representing herself. “I don’t represent the student body per se,” she said.
Later in the meeting Whitehouse talked about representing the student body.

“We are here to be the voice of the students. We are not here to hide anything. We try to be as transparent as possible.”

Khalifa also talked about students needing information to make a good decision regarding their education.

“If you just go up to a student and say, ‘Hey your tuition is going to increase,’ of course they are going to be completely against it,” she said. “But whenever you explain to them the reasons why, they’re like, oh, ok. I want to get the best education as possible, if that means spending $100 or more on my tuition each semester, then I think I can do that.”

SGA members did say they spoke to constituents, but did not conduct any surveys or student forums to discuss the tuition increase.

Whitehouse said there would be a town hall meeting on Wednesday that would allow students to voice their concerns about a variety of issues.

“I’m sure Mr. Lassen will explain that (tuition increase) at the town hall meeting, but I think that’s also why this executive board took this approach when deciding not to do a survey,” Whitehouse said. “You hear tuition increase and you freak out. You just have to talk to them (students) and give them the whole facts because a lot of people need all the facts to make a proper decision.”

President Rodney Mabry told the regents at the March 3 meeting that the survey of students was “ a little bit informal this time.”

Mabry indicated last time the students were asked about tuition they recommended a 30 percent increase.

“And we thought we didn’t need to get that answer again, but we have talked to all our students,” he said.

In a Thursday e-mail to Mabry the Talon asked him to clarify the date of that student recommendation. As of deadline he has not responded.

Staff members searched SGA minutes dating to August 2008 and did not find any record reflecting a student recommendation of that amount. Staff members also researched newspaper achieves, again not finding that specific recommendation.

Board of Regents meeting

In their speeches to the regent board, SGA presidents talked about student forums, committee meetings and updated community Web sites as tools of communicating to students about the tuition increase.

Representatives from UT Tyler and UT Permian Basin were the only ones that did not present opinions based on any form of student surveys.

Representatives from UT Dallas also did not present information on student surveys, however, it was the only campus that did not recommend a tuition increase for current students.

Rahguveer Puttangunta, SGA president at UT Pan American, said his campus formed a Cost of Education Committee that is made up of 18 voting members, nine being students and one parent.  The committee posted and online forum and conducted three community forums to discuss tuition and fee increases, he said.

“At UTPA, we have greatly increased our transparency by updating the committee’s Web site, creating an online forum for individuals to express their concerns as well as televising the committee forums on campus, advertising in local newspapers and presenting to specific student groups,” Puttagunta said.

Alex Munos, SGA president in El Paso, talked about student forums on campus, advertising the tuition proposal in the school newspaper, in-class notifications and postings on bulletin boards regarding the increase.

“We had the highest participation in this forum than ever before. I stand here with the highest confidence our students back these increases,” Munos said.
University SGA representatives reported a mixture of student opinions based survey efforts.

“What I heard from students are they are more than willing to pay the extra $140 a semester to keep the professors that we have now and to be able to sustain the quality of education we receive,” Whitehouse told the regents.

Puttangunta said student feedback was mixed on his campus.

“The tuition increase was faced with some resistance as I previously mentioned however, informed students are well aware of UTPA problems,” he said.
Puttangunta said several petitions signed by 425 students submitted to the SGA or committee opposed the increases.

Either a student forums or committee addressed this issue on every campus except Tyler.

Student opinions

The students interviewed suggested ways the student body could have been informed about the tuition increase.

“Send out an e mail,” freshman Rebecca King said. “I know the school sends out e-mails for important events and that is something that is important.”

Meredith Kelly, a sophomore nursing student, agreed e-mail to students would have informed the student body, “so it does not hit you like a ton of bricks.”
Another student expressed the importance of getting student input.

“I read in the paper that students can’t vote on the increase, but they should have gotten our input,” Jennifer Salsgiver, public administration graduate student said.