You thought it was bad now

By:Shandra Jordan

Christopher J. Ortiz

Patrick Crossland

You think advising is bad this year, just imagine the

possibility of fewer advisers next year. You think it’s hard to get

into a computer lab late at night now, it might be even harder next

fall. You think we don’t have enough technology in the classrooms

now, there may not be many improvements when you return from

summer.

A spokesperson for Gov. Bill Owens said Wednesday that Owens

would reject a 40-percent tuition increase, which was a

recommendation made to the Joint Budget Committee. The JBC has not

voiced an opinion on its staff recommendation.

The recommendation included cutting state General Fund money to

CSU by roughly $20 million and CU by roughly $50 million.

None of these cuts are final, but it is likely that CSU will

lose some state funding for the 2004-2005 school year. If these

cuts happen, CSU will probably have make drastic cuts. Until the

final budget is passed, what exactly will be cut is up in the

air.

Owens turned down a 12-percent tuition increase recommendation

from the JBC last year and compromised with the 9-percent increase

we experienced this year. University and state officials are

certainly aware of the dire situation, but they need to be sure to

keep students’ needs and services in their conversations’

forefront.

On the face of it, nobody wants to pay 40 percent more in

tuition, but we also need certain services and programs.

It’s going to be a delicate balance. Make sure that you’re

paying attention to the cuts the university makes and be sure that

our officials are representing our needs at the Capitol. Tuition

increases may be on the horizon, but don’t to quick to accept it if

all your favorite services are gone.