The debate over whether tuition should be increased at the University of Oregon is a growing problem amongst students and faculty. Key stakeholders for this issue will revolve around those who are for the tuition increase and those who are against it. The decision will be made in a few months by the Board of Trustees whether it will be increased or stay the same, so there is not much to be done until that decision has been finalized. Because there is no debate whether the meeting will happen or not, I want to angle the story from a perspective of who will be affected by the change–students and faculty. I will include important authority figures, as well, but I am going to make the story more personal by discussing how students are affected by a tuition increase and how faculty is affected by a tuition decrease.

A tuition increase can affect many different types of students. One student who would be affected by a tuition increase is senior and soon-to-be graduate student Alex Larsen. Ms. Larsen pays her way through college through a part-time job. She also works enough to fully support herself through housing and groceries; however, some students aren’t so lucky to be as financially stable as Ms. Larsen. Lora Bourdo has a part-time job, an internship, and is a member of a club on-campus. She does not have enough time in her week to work enough to support her tuition and housing costs. Ms. Bourdo relies on her parents’ and student loans to cover the cost of tuition. As a student who is not fully supported, taking out more student loans due to a tuition increase can cause an increased student debt for after she graduates, adding to the student debt crisis that many students currently face. Both Ms. Larsen and Ms. Bourdo are students who want to be clear of student debt, which is why they both work attending school; however, Ms. Bourdo will have student loans to pay off after graduation.

While a tuition increase could be detrimental to many students, a tuition decrease could be potentially harmful to UO professors. A UO professor who does not have teaching tenure may be up for a possible lay-off or furlough days in order to cut spending and make up for the lack of state funding. One example is Visiting Professor of Medieval Art and Architecture Rebekah Perry. As a Visiting Professor, Ms. Perry is not on the tenure track, and her position could be at stake if tuition remains the same.

Graduate student and current ASUO president Sam Dotters-Katz currently sits on the University of Oregon’s Board of Trustees, which is the financial group who will make the decision for or against a tuition increase. As a student he understands the financial demands that tuition has on students, but as ASUO president and a member of the board, he also understands the needs of the school.Mr. Dotters-Katz gives the students a voice on the Board of Trustees, as he is the only student who currently sits on it. He will be a fair advocate for the majority, and he will be an important person to talk to in regards to which factor will be the most important in the tuition decision–the student’s needs or the school’s needs.

Jamie Moffitt, University of Oregon’s Vice President for Finance and Administration, is a key player in the fight for a tuition increase. As an employee of the school and the VP of Finance, Ms. Moffitt would hope to see the school improve, which requires financial advancement and therefore either an increase in state funding or an increase in tuition.

Student Rachel Gowland will also contribute to the student-angle of the story. As ASUO External Tuition and Affordability, Ms. Gowland is the main expert in the student body that addresses issues of tuition and the students’ ability to pay for that tuition. She will be against a tuition increase because she is an advocate for affordability amongst students.