Volume 128 Issue 120
Kansan.com
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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The student voice since 1904
Comparison of yearly increase - Tuition vs. Inflation
Rate in percent (%)
Inflation rate averaged 3.5 between 1980 and 2013 while tuition increased by about 8.8 percent in the same time.* Vice Provost of Enrollment Management, Matt Melvin called the phenomenon of tuition outgrowing inflation "unway tuition." Data from University of Kansas Office of Institutional Research and Planning.
Rate of yearly tuition increase Rate of inflation
GRAPHIC BY YU KYUNG LEE
Rising tuition rates make it increasingly difficult for students to afford college. The University's tuition goes up about 8.8 percent each year, compared to a 3.5 percent increase in inflation each year, according to the Office of Institutional Research and Planning.
University tuition rates increase much faster than inflation rates
YU KYUNG LEE
@lee_yukyung
Wake up at 6 a.m., go to classes by 8:30 a.m., work until 5:30 p.m., do homework until 3 a.m. and then sleep. Next day, repeat. Repeat again the day after that. Repeat until the weekend with no time for snooze.
For junior Taylor Moody from New Lenox, ill., 21-hour days became the norm when she started at the University three years ago as a transfer student from a community college. Working 30 hours a week — on top of her 18-hour class schedule — was the only way she could keep herself from becoming buried in debt. With scholarships, jobs and parent support, she only has
"You're either spending time or money," Moody said. "I'd rather be spending time."
about $5,000 in student loans and hopes to keep it that way.
rather be spending time. However, the situation is harder than ever for students in Kansas because the University's tuition continues to rise faster than inflation. The cost of attendance is pushing the University out of consideration for many potential students, while current students struggle to just get by.
former director of strategic communications.
"The issue is, can institutions continue to increase their tuition at a level higher than the rate of inflation, because consumers are not able to do that at a certain point," said Matt Melvin, vice provost of Enrollment Management.
Since 1980, the University's tuition increases about 8.8 percent each year, while inflation increases by about 3.5 percent each year, according to the University's Office of Institutional Research and Planning. If the University's tuition in 1980 increased proportionately with inflation, in-state students today would only pay $1,613.62 for the academic year, compared to $8,396 in 2013-2014, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics' inflation calculator. That means students are paying more for the same education today than 30 years ago.
"There are other factors at play, but it is undeniable that there has been a significant drop in funding from the state per student and a corresponding increase in tuition costs per student," he said.
When Martin graduated from Kansas in 2000, it was cheaper to go to any university, including Kansas. Since 2000, state support for funding per student declined by about 40 percent. The University received $15,600 per student in 2000, but now it only gets $9,500 per student.
"More of the cost of
SEE TUITION PAGE 2
Decline in state support is the primary factor for the tuition growth that outpaces the inflation, said Jack Martin,
Legislature overrides Uber bill veto; service discontinues in state
KELLY CORDINGLEY
@KellyCordingley
Uber, the ride-sharing service, announced it will no longer offer its services in Kansas after the Kansas House and Senate voted to override Gov. Sam Brownback's veto of a bill regulating the service.
On Tuesday, Brownback released a statement that said:
"As I said when I vetoed this bill, Kansas should be known as a state that welcomes and embraces innovation and the economic growth that comes with it. Overregulation of businesses discourages investment and harms the open and free marketplace. Uber, and other innovative businesses, should be encouraged to operate, grow and create jobs here in Kansas."
"The bill simply requires what most Uber customers believe already exists driver background checks, sufficient insurance to ensure passengers are protected in case of an accident and protect the liens of lenders of money to buy car used for Uber rides."
JIM WARD
Wichita Democrat
Senate Bill 117, known as the Uber bill, requires drivers to carry additional insurance beyond what they have through Uber. The bill also requires Uber drivers to
undergo background checks through the Kansas Bureau of Investigations. Uber was openly against this bill.
The Senate overrode the veto first, then the House. After the House decision, @Uber_KS tweeted, "Farewell, Kansas." Their banner photo also reads #BringBackUberKS.
Rep. Barbara Bollier (R-Mission Hills) voted for the regulations originally and voted to override the bill on Tuesday.
"[Uber] said they would be pulling out before it even passed the House," she said. "My opinion is you have to play by the rules, and this was not burdensome to them."
When the governor first vetoed the bill, he referred to it in a press release as "premature," and said it opened the doors for more issues in the market place.
"To overregulate or improperly regulate an emerging industry before the marketplace actors make proper arrangements is to invite more problems, not less," the statement read.
Rep. Jim Ward (D-Wichita) voted for the original bill and for the override, and said the override was about consumer safety.
"The bill simply requires what most Uber customers believe already exists -- driver background checks, sufficient insurance to ensure passengers are protected in case of an accident and protect theliens of lenders of money to buy car used for Uber rides," he said in an email.
SEE UBER PAGE 2
Student Safety Advisory Board reviews annual report
RILEY MORTENSEN
@RileyMortensen
In its last meeting of the academic year, the Student Safety Advisory Board (SSAB) reviewed its annual report and plan Tuesday afternoon, which highlighted projects and measures the board passed throughout the 2014-15 school year and considerations for next year.
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Projects covered in the report include: SSAB funding the purchase of 14 body cameras and batteries for the Kansas University Public Safety Office, passing funding for the installment of security cameras to the scholarship hall community area and active tabling in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month where members of the board handed out fliers highlighting supportive services like the Willow Domestic Violence Center and contact information for the University's Public Safety Office (PSO), according to the report.
According to Garrett Farlow, chair of SSAB, the body cameras are already in use, and the security cameras are reportedly being installed over the summer, as well as two new
light poles as part of a separate project.
Comments on changes the board might look at for next year including meeting every three weeks instead of bi-weekly or monthly were also made by Farlow.
"This has been a huge blessing in my life. It was really awesome. I've grown a lot and we've grown a lot together, too."
GARRETT FARLOW
Student Safety
Advisory Board chair
Farlow and vice chair Jessica Larson also mentioned the possibility of splitting the chair position into co-chair positions to increase accountability and productivity. According to Larson, there would be an external and internal chair The external chair would work with community resources like the GaDuGi SafeCenter, while the internal chair would be in charge of University communications with organizations like PSO or the University Care Coordinator.
Larson, who will be the SSAB chair next fall, said she's looking forward to more leadership and input with co-chairs.
This school year was the first time in SSAB history where the board established officer board positions, according to the report. SSAB had a chair, vice chair, secretary and Title IX Roundtable representative.
This was also the first year the board released an end of the year report. Farlow said the goal of the document is to give future boards some direction and suggestions as to things that still need to be accomplished or evaluated. Transparency within the board was also a key element and another reason the report was written, Farlow said.
After reviewing the document with the board for criticism, Farlow brought the meeting to a close.
The board is still making changes to the document, but hopes to make it available online to the public soon.
"Thank you everybody for staying committed," Farlow said. "This has been a huge blessing in my life. It was really awesome. I've grown a lot and we've grown a lot together, too."
Edited by Garrett Long
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN
Student body vice president Zach George calls Student Senate to order for the first time.
Filling of Senate position sparks dispute among some members
ALANA FLINN
PUZZLES 6
SPORTS 8
@alana_flinn
The motion for open discussion was denied by Student Body Vice President Zach George at last Wednesday's joint Senate meeting about the election of the Director of Diversity and Inclusion, Omar Rana.
OPINION 4
A&F 5
When the executive staff was being approved by the
However, George said there was a specific rule that prevented the closed discussion from happening. The meeting carried on, but a few minutes later, Senator Emma Halling challenged George on what specific
CLASSIFIEDS 7
MORNING BREW 7
senators, Student Rights Chair Madeline Dickerson requested to move to a closed discussion on the approval of Rana.
"There were at least 10-15 (out of 109) people wanting to have that discussion, so that was concerning to me because Student Senate is supposed to have these discussions," former Senator Kaitlyn Klein said. "It's
SEE SENATE PAGE 2
rule prevented the closed discussion.
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