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badger
6/26/2008, 01:32 PM
Hi South Oval,

I'm sure most of you by now have heard that OU once again raised tuition for the upcoming year. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080626_19_A9_hOUREG850779 ) While it is of less concern to SOONERfans.com, OSU also raised their tuition by about the same percentage. (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080621_19_A1_hItwil722764 )

I know that students can now lock in tuition for four years, (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080625_12_EDMON57076) but I can't help but feel for the struggles families and students must be feeling right about now. When I started at OU in 2001, my tuition still started with the number 1. Now, for many in-state students, it starts with the number 4. Out of state students, especially Texas ones, used to proudly say that OU was cheaper out-of-state than in their home state's in-state tuition rates. Now, out-of-state is in the five figure range.

We all complain about gas prices and the record profits that gas companies are making, but universities are getting huge endowments stored up and for what? Oh, right, you donate $50,000 so that you get $500 in interest every year. That's why they want so much money, because they get so much in return...

I want your thoughts on the ever skyrocketing tuition and fees rates, especially here in Oklahoma, where we were once so affordable that OU was accessable to everyone.

My thoughts? Our universities leadership teams are out of control and if they continue to raise tuition at near-10 percent rates, they are going to get that power taken away from them by elected officials.

SoonerInKCMO
6/26/2008, 01:39 PM
Do you happen to know where we can look up what amounts the state legislature has given to the state schools in recent years? I have to think that state spending has not kept up with inflation; and that's part of the reason for ever increasing tuition.

frankensooner
6/26/2008, 01:40 PM
I think it sucks. Boren has raised enough cash to give free tuition for everyone now enrolled for 4 years of college and yet they still have their hand out begging for more cash and pointing the finger of blame at the State Legislature. I think someone spent too long in Washington. ;)

shaun4411
6/26/2008, 01:43 PM
ou is STILL cheper than most universities of its relative academic caliber

yermom
6/26/2008, 01:44 PM
i do find that a bit curious as well

of course, it's not like i see any of that increase :mad:

dolemitesooner
6/26/2008, 01:46 PM
Thats your own fault.

Your sitting on your hand s about that ****.

You should be making more

badger
6/26/2008, 01:48 PM
I know that OU is still cheap. I know that OU is expanding and thus, extra costs for utilities and maintenance. I know costs are on the rise, so someone has to foot the bill.

But WHY, after many years of OU fundraising and state funding, are we suddenly seeing record tuition hikes?! I know OU's endowment isn't as big as Harvard's yet and I also know that T. Boone sent his money to the wrong Oklahoma university, but come ON, Sooner Nation. Students are poor. Families have less money to go around than ever before, and what, exactly, is OU saving all their money for? A rainy day?! It's raining, Oklahoma! It's raining in record amounts of rainfall here!

royalfan5
6/26/2008, 01:53 PM
You do know that most endowment money is restricted funds right? It's not as if the OU adminstration can say **** it, the money that was given to fund a professorsship will now go to keep tution down. And even if it could you would have to find away to fund that professorship. If you want cheap schooling, don't go to a research university.

SanJoaquinSooner
6/26/2008, 01:54 PM
What percent of one's college education should be subsidized by the taxpayers?

I don't believe the endowment can cover everyone's tuition for 4 years. typically, a university can spend about 4% to 5 % of its endowment per year.

Bone
6/26/2008, 01:57 PM
What percent of one's college education should be subsidized by the taxpayers?

I don't believe the endowment can cover everyone's tuition for 4 years. typically, a university can spend about 4% to 5 % of its endowment per year.

0%

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 01:58 PM
Alright badger, you shamed me into it. I pledge to give ~$40,000 to OU over the next 20 years! :rolleyes:

if i don't I think I might have some legal problems :P

yermom
6/26/2008, 01:59 PM
0%

i have some bad news for you...

badger
6/26/2008, 02:00 PM
Good point on the endowments. I know that when money is earmarked for specific things by donors, it can't be moved to other areas (if only Congress had the same limits on Social Security, eh?).

What I am questioning is why the money that we are donating in record amounts are not offsetting funding deficiencies and thus, the need for higher tuition and fees.

I know research universities are high-money, but we were doing such a good job of making high-money, high-value research affordable for such a long time :(

royalfan5
6/26/2008, 02:04 PM
Good point on the endowments. I know that when money is earmarked for specific things by donors, it can't be moved to other areas (if only Congress had the same limits on Social Security, eh?).

What I am questioning is why the money that we are donating in record amounts are not offsetting funding deficiencies and thus, the need for higher tuition and fees.

I know research universities are high-money, but we were doing such a good job of making high-money, high-value research affordable for such a long time :(

Because Donors don't care about cheap tution. They care about specific areas. It is hard to raise money specifically to keep tution down.(and also Libraires because no one has fun memories of them) Donors simply don't care about keeping tution affordable for students on a macro level. Getting donors to provide scholarship for certain micro criteria is much easier.

dolemitesooner
6/26/2008, 02:10 PM
Yermom you know the best way to get a raise.

A GUN

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 02:12 PM
Working down here in the library, I get a little pizzed from time to time. I remember looking at my tuition bill and seeing internet fees, library fees, building fees, and library resources fees. So riddle me this, why the **** can some ****** bag from off the streets come in, get a guest login, use OUr internets, enjoy OUr air conditioning and heating, and read OUr books and journals for free? I am getting charged for this crap, yet this ****** gets to use the crap for free! I have heard the "OU is a public institution funded in part by the state, so the general public must have access to it." argument before but **** that, I worked the whole time I was in college. My state taxes went to funding OU, why did I have to pay for those things twice?

badger
6/26/2008, 02:20 PM
Alright badger, you shamed me into it. I pledge to give ~$40,000 to OU over the next 20 years! :rolleyes:

if i don't I think I might have some legal problems :P

Ok, I will take the baity bait. Tuition is now $4,000 (and I know it's a little more, but I like simple numbers, mkay?) and we are having 10 percent annual increases now.

Assuming that there are no larger increases than 10 percent (which will likely happen in the next 20 years, but let us ASSUME), let's see where that takes us in 20...

$4,000 * 1.1^20

Um, anyone got a calculator? F it, where's my brain...
Year one: $4,000
Year two: $4,400
Year three: $4,840

(I should have gone with $5,000...)

Year four: $5,324
Year five: $5856.40
Year six: $6442.04
Year seven: $7846.24
Year eight: $8630.86
Year nine: $9493.84

Ok, these numbers are getting weird... scientific calculator to the rescue!

Year 10: $10374.96 (note, this is the first number I've used a sci calc on, so it is a little off from the year 9 figures)

Year 11: $11,412.46
Year 12: $12,553.71
Year 13: $13,809.08
Year 14: $15,189.99
Year 15: $16,708.99
Year 16: $18,379.89
Year 17: $20,217.88
Year 18: $22,239.66
Year 19: $24,463.63
Year 20: $26,909.99

Havoc, as you can see through this complete time consuming and complex math problem, we have a financial problem on our hands! Today, your $40,000 gift sounds wonderful! $40,000 will pay the tuition of 10 students for an entire school year. Unfortunately, by year 20, your gift will not even pay for a single semester of a single student :(

This is exactly why this conversation needs to start right now concerning tuition rates - after a few years of these increases, we'll all be priced right out of higher education.

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 02:27 PM
Ok, I will take the baity bait. Tuition is now $4,000 (and I know it's a little more, but I like simple numbers, mkay?) and we are having 10 percent annual increases now.

Assuming that there are no larger increases than 10 percent (which will likely happen in the next 20 years, but let us ASSUME), let's see where that takes us in 20...

$4,000 * 1.1^20

Um, anyone got a calculator? F it, where's my brain...
Year one: $4,000
Year two: $4,400
Year three: $4,840

(I should have gone with $5,000...)

Year four: $5,324
Year five: $5856.40
Year six: $6442.04
Year seven: $7846.24
Year eight: $8630.86
Year nine: $9493.84

Ok, these numbers are getting weird... scientific calculator to the rescue!

Year 10: $10374.96 (note, this is the first number I've used a sci calc on, so it is a little off from the year 9 figures)

Year 11: $11,412.46
Year 12: $12,553.71
Year 13: $13,809.08
Year 14: $15,189.99
Year 15: $16,708.99
Year 16: $18,379.89
Year 17: $20,217.88
Year 18: $22,239.66
Year 19: $24,463.63
Year 20: $26,909.99

Havoc, as you can see through this complete time consuming and complex math problem, we have a financial problem on our hands! Today, your $40,000 gift sounds wonderful! $40,000 will pay the tuition of 10 students for an entire school year. Unfortunately, by year 20, your gift will not even pay for a single semester of a single student :(

This is exactly why this conversation needs to start right now concerning tuition rates - after a few years of these increases, we'll all be priced right out of higher education.


I'm repaying mai loans. Word of warning, STAY THE **** AWAY FROM STUDENT LOANS!!!!!!!!!!1

SoonerInKCMO
6/26/2008, 02:37 PM
I'm repaying mai loans. Word of warning, STAY THE **** AWAY FROM STUDENT LOANS!!!!!!!!!!1

Where the hell were you when I started grad school??!?!1/1?!? :mad:

sooner_born_1960
6/26/2008, 02:39 PM
Havok, what is your interest rate?

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 02:45 PM
6.25%

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 02:48 PM
In all fairness, I took out a little less than half my loans from OU and the rest from a Staford loan. The OU ones have around a 5% rate, but I have to pay them back in 6 years. So I give OU $300 a month, but only have to do that for a little while. I guess what I am trying to say is that the OU loans have a much more favorable rate, but are killing me right now. In 5 years, I will probably be very happy I got just under half my student debt gone in a short time.

LilSooner
6/26/2008, 02:54 PM
You know here is the thing I don't understand. There are some people out there with 80,000 plus in student loans. Now hey there is nothing wrong with an 80,000 dollar education with the exception that they are making 30,000 dollars a year. WTF? Seriously, there are some people in this world that a college education doesn't make sense and a vo tech education would be just as good.

85Sooner
6/26/2008, 03:32 PM
Back in the day................ During the depression, one of the only ways to get a job was to have a college degree. I think that is why our parents (the baby boomer generation ) was soooooo into getting a college degree.

While most of the population is still following this paradigm I believe it will swing a different way in the future. College will just be a training program for those who will be employed, Worker bees not head honchos. ie: Bill gates, Michael Dell etc........

The colleges ( especially the ivy league schools) at the rate they are going, are going to price themselves out of the market. Instead of spending the money on college, just put it in mild mutual funds and you would have more money by the time you retire. Then just go to city college and pay the lower dollars. College is pretty much what you put into it anyway.

They will continue to raise prices as long as they are willing to loan you more money. They have nothing to lose. IMHO

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 03:44 PM
Unfortunately, with $23 million in increased costs which are beyond our control and only $1.5 million in new funds from the legislature, we face a very tight budget situation.

..

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 03:47 PM
What I am questioning is why the money that we are donating in record amounts are not offsetting funding deficiencies and thus, the need for higher tuition and fees.


That "Gaylord Family Atrium" signage isn't going to pay for itself.

NormanPride
6/26/2008, 03:57 PM
Yeah, it looks like the State isn't giving them the money they need. Now, how much of those costs come from the improved facilities needing more maintenance, or better professors wanting more money?

He did say "beyond our control" though, so I would be interested to see what these expenses are.

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:00 PM
I regret that it will be necessary to raise tuition and fees. I am very sensitive to the burden that it places on students and their families and I wish that it could be avoided. At the same time, we want to continue to focus on our efforts to provide scholarships and other help for our students. I am pleased by the fact that scholarship resources available to students have almost doubled in the last four years due to the generosity of our alumni and donors. More than $130 million in new scholarship funds have been pledged or donated, greatly increasing the amount of scholarships available for students from middle-income families. OU awarded privately funded scholarships to more than 8,500 students this past year, up from just over 4,600 in 2004. For those students from low-income families receiving tuition waivers, we will increase our tuition waiver budget by about $4.1 million to help offset this year's tuition increases.

..

Cam
6/26/2008, 04:03 PM
Ya'll need to price private colleges sometime. When I graduated in 94, my school was over $450 per credit hour. And no, that did not include room and board. Due to scholarships and getting free room and board for being an RA I didn't end up paying that much. I was still over $35K in the hole when I graduated.

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:06 PM
He did say "beyond our control" though, so I would be interested to see what these expenses are.

Health insurance premiums, fuel costs, etc.

royalfan5
6/26/2008, 04:08 PM
Ya'll need to price private colleges sometime. When I graduated in 94, my school was over $450 per credit hour. And no, that did not include room and board. Due to scholarships and getting free room and board for being an RA I didn't end up paying that much. I was still over $35K in the hole when I graduated.

I went to a private school in Nebraska from 2000-2004. Tution+Expenses ranged from 16K to 18.5K over the course of my education. Me being smart covered much of that, but there were plenty of dumb rich kids paying the full price. It's over 20K a year to go there now. Yet they really don't have problem filling their classes at that cost.

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:09 PM
Health insurance premiums, fuel costs, etc.

and that nifty 2% cost of living raise...Yeah, $.16 more an hour!!!!:rolleyes:

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:10 PM
I went to a private school in Nebraska from 2000-2004. Tution+Expenses ranged from 16K to 18.5K over the course of my education. Me being smart covered much of that, but there were plenty of dumb rich kids paying the full price. It's over 20K a year to go there now. Yet they really don't have problem filling their classes at that cost.

OCU is pretty damed pricey. something like $750 a credit hour :eek:

Cam
6/26/2008, 04:10 PM
I went to a private school in Nebraska from 2000-2004. Tution+Expenses ranged from 16K to 18.5K over the course of my education. Me being smart covered much of that, but there were plenty of dumb rich kids paying the full price. It's over 20K a year to go there now. Yet they really don't have problem filling their classes at that cost.

I was a dumb poor kid, thank you very much. :P

badger
6/26/2008, 04:11 PM
I laffing curve out loud when people my parents age tell us darn kids that we should work our way through college like they did. I don't think people realize what a burden it is on students and families now compared to just 10, 15, years ago.

I am sure David Boren is very sad about raising tuition, but marky mark my words, if he keeps raising it by 10 percent annually, he's going to lose control of tuition rates and the powers that be will begin assigning tuition each year in accordance with upcoming elections.

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:12 PM
and that nifty 2% cost of living raise

Technically that's not "beyond our control".

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:14 PM
Technically that's not "beyond our control".

You read that SCOTUS ruling today :texan:

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:16 PM
I laffing curve out loud when people my parents age tell us darn kids that we should work our way through college like they did. I don't think people realize what a burden it is on students and families now compared to just 10, 15, years ago.

I am sure David Boren is very sad about raising tuition, but marky mark my words, if he keeps raising it by 10 percent annually, he's going to lose control of tuition rates and the powers that be will begin assigning tuition each year in accordance with upcoming elections.

Put down the Juno DVD and walk away....

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:16 PM
You read that SCOTUS ruling today :texan:

:confused:

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:17 PM
I laffing curve out loud when people my parents age tell us darn kids that we should work our way through college like they did. I don't think people realize what a burden it is on students and families now compared to just 10, 15, years ago.

I am sure David Boren is very sad about raising tuition, but marky mark my words, if he keeps raising it by 10 percent annually, he's going to lose control of tuition rates and the powers that be will begin assigning tuition each year in accordance with upcoming elections.

Yeah, but Usually David is slick about it, he waits until after the OSU regents raise their tuition. I don't think the state wants to be in charge of the entire state higher education system. I hate the hikes to, specially since it is starting to look like its back to school for me (damn job market making me get a masters) but as long as the national trend is for increasing tuition, we are just going to have to deal with it.

succs

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:18 PM
:confused:

:texan:

Paperclip
6/26/2008, 04:19 PM
I laffing curve out loud when people my parents age tell us darn kids that we should work our way through college like they did. I don't think people realize what a burden it is on students and families now compared to just 10, 15, years ago.

I am sure David Boren is very sad about raising tuition, but marky mark my words, if he keeps raising it by 10 percent annually, he's going to lose control of tuition rates and the powers that be will begin assigning tuition each year in accordance with upcoming elections.

Aren't you a girl? What are you doing going to college anyway?

badger
6/26/2008, 04:21 PM
M.R.S. degree. Ever hear of it?

mdklatt
6/26/2008, 04:22 PM
Yas long as the national trend is for increasing tuition, we are just going to have to deal with it


The national trend is for increasing everything, so why should tuition be any different?

I haven't read the Daily in awhile, but I bet it's still full of "we need more parking!" and "we need a better library!" editorials alongside the "no more tuition increases!" editorials.

Sooner_Havok
6/26/2008, 04:28 PM
The national trend is for increasing everything, so why should tuition be any different.

I haven't read the Daily in awhile, but I bet it's still full of "we need more parking!" and "we need a better library!" editorials alongside the "no more tuition increases!" editorials.

Yeah, pretty much. Along side the "Why does the library close at 2am instead of being open 24 hours?" I'll tell you why, I am here till 2am every night. At that time, I kick 2 people out every night. Both crazy conspiracy theory whack jobs.