PLACING THE BLAME IN THE WRONG PLACE
(In response to Sean McCauley’s April 5 column, “Understanding ASU’s tuition increases.”)
I am thoroughly disappointed in Mr. McCauley’s article today, because it shows that you failed to do your research. You talk of the crisis that ASU and its sister universities face today as a byproduct of former Gov. Janet Napolitano’s policies.
I am always amazed when people always seem to think of the president or governor as the ultimate scapegoats for government failure, when in fact the funding issues that we are facing today go back much further.
The issue of funding education within Arizona has continuously decline since the 1960s, which happens to coincide with the rise of the Republican majority within Arizona state government. Let’s look at the facts that you failed to consider in your argument.
The Republicans held the House of Representatives before, during and after Napolitano’s tenure. This point is important because as it is in the federal government, it is the House that holds the purse strings.
Also, if you had even utilized the Regent’s website, you would have seen that since 2006 in-state tuition at ASU has increased 9.5 percent and over the last 25 years has increased 21.5 percent. The least amount of increase within that 25 years happened during Napolitano’s terms. Coupled with the continuous decrease in state funding, I fail to see your correlation that it was Napolitano’s increased spending that created our current predicament, when it is in fact the very opposite.
I realize as a columnist, you are not required to remain objective in your writing, in fact it is encouraged for you to present your own opinion. However, I find it sloppy journalism to not reach for some facts that require less than a five-minute “Google” search.
Andrew Ryan
Statepress.com reader
