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Lariat Letters: Tuition increase, Dr. Ramsower in need of a revision

Nov. 3, 2009

In response to Friday's article, "Tuition will rise 6.5 percent in 2010," I think it is important to highlight a few points from a student's perspective.

First, it is absurd that we are still following the 2012 financial plan. Many factors have changed since the plan was established; number one, the U.S. economy has taken a major hit in the past year as have the American people, with the unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent.

Second, the chief proponent of 2012, former President Robert Sloan resigned from Baylor four years ago. Let's move on.

Third, Baylor 2012 has caused nothing but bickering, arguing and a negative national media frenzy in the past year, which brings me to my next point.

Why is Dr. Reagan Ramsower still employed by Baylor? Was he not the man responsible for signing off on a plan to pay incoming freshmen to retake their SAT scores? That being said, why is he the chief executive deciding the future of Baylor's finances?

Dr. Ramsower cited salary increases as the primary reason for the tuition hike.

Don't get me wrong: I am in full support of paying faculty and staff higher wages, but the money to fund these increases should come from budget cuts, not tuition increases.

Off of the top of my head, I can think of several areas these cuts could come from, including: ending the re-planting of Baylor's flower beds every six weeks, re-routing the water system so we water the grass instead of the sidewalks, and settling for an older vehicle instead of buying a brand new Cadillac to drive prospective students around campus.

Now, if these are endowed gifts to the university can't somebody call the Joneses and tell them students are being turned away from Baylor because of less-than-acceptable scholarship funds? The rest of the nation has made cuts to stay afloat, and it is time Baylor does too.

In an era when Baylor is trying to attract top-tier high school students, students should be paying less and receiving better scholarships. Current students who demonstrate academic merit as upperclassmen should also be rewarded for their superior grades.

Dr. Reagan Ramsower needs to accept reality; families can't keep up with the rising tuition increases unless scholarships increase at the same rate as tuition. If Dr. Ramsower is so confident Baylor needs a tuition increase, why doesn't he disclose Baylor's financial report to the public (this excludes the public audit)? He isn't the only one who knows how to read financial statistics.

Finally, Baylor should afford students an opportunity to speak up about these issues before they are decided for us.

Dr. Ramsower needs to step out of his office every once in a while and realize students are here to learn, and emptying our pockets out so you can replant the flowers every six weeks is wrong.

Kate Williams
Thousand Oaks, Calif., senior

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