Undergraduate Student Government in Tempe passed a resolution last Tuesday introduced by the University Affairs Committee named, “A resolution to endorse the Executive Policy for Class Registration Reform.” Designed to address tiny registration flaws, the reforms are undeniably overdue. The changes USG is advocating include plus and minus grading disclosure, publishing syllabi pre-registration, expanding teacher bios and course descriptions, and extending the drop/add period another week. While I am just as eager as the next student to call these pending changes a victory, these reforms simply constitute the minimum role USG should be assuming.
Curious to see if USG intended to deconstruct systemic barriers that confront students pursuing an education, I read through USG policy goals for 2010-2011. What I saw was not too promising. For the midterm elections, USG aims to register students to vote, increase the usage of the Permanent Early Polling Location and build up the Permanent Early Voting List. While that’s nice on paper, USG needs to increase its emphasis on working statewide in order to reach higher goals and educate more students on the issues. Dismayed to see a plethora of education supporters defeated in August’s primaries, USG needs to step it up for November’s general elections.
I condone the local initiatives USG vows to accomplish, like creating “one-year voting student members of pertinent city boards and commissions” and advocating for affordable housing. However, USG need not look beyond the University to find policies most detrimental to students.
First and foremost, the cost of education is absolutely out of control. Over the last decade, ASU’s tuition and fees for incoming freshmen have increased by almost $6,000. This does not include the added cost of mandatory on-campus living, meal plans — the lowest starting at nearly $2,000 per year on the Tempe campus — books, and supplemental tuition, among other expenses. USG should have the guts to challenge ASU on meal plan pricing options and also work to stop predatory textbook practices.
In addition, accountability should be key for USG this year. Remember that last year USG failed to hold the Associated Students of Arizona State University West accountable for their resolution calling for the disposal of tuition predictability. In response, the Arizona Board of Regents combined President Michael Crow’s more than $1,000 economic surcharge fee with tuition, making the fee both permanent and untraceable. And how will USG challenge the next time ASU generously changes its “peer institutions” to match the Crow administration’s benchmarks without student oversight?
While I have high hopes for USG’s goal to “begin crafting a policy-oriented response to differential tuition hikes,” I hope USG doesn’t sell out the student body by misrepresenting student interest when faced with draconian proposals from both the legislature and the ASU administration. Enough is enough, and students should be watching their USG leaders closely. Every week, USG holds office hours on the third floor of the Memorial Union where students can have their voices heard. After all, it is up to us, the students, to hold our government accountable.
Reach Athena at asalman3@asu.edu
