Dear reader,
I imagine it does not come as a surprise for me to say that higher education and its finances are not in a typical spot – so we need to stop acting like it is.
In the first month of this semester, I have been disappointed to see many student leaders spending their budgets with what I view as a substantial lack of intention and consideration to the larger financial context facing our university and our peers.
That is why I now come to you, my peers and fellow student leaders. If you want a village, you must be a villager, and not only in word, but in action.
Colleges and universities across the nation are not in a position of comfortable wealth right now. Amid federal funding challenges, the enrollment dive colleges are expected to face in the coming years, threats to international student populations, the rise of anti-intellectualism and more, higher education is in the crossfire.
The impacts of these threats are not being felt only in financial offices and internal staffing decisions – they are directly impacting students like you and me.
At Suffolk University, our performing arts groups did not even know what their budgets were going to be for the year until September and many of them now are rehearsing in insufficient spaces (the ended contracts with a local studio have now put them in jeopardy, too).
While some groups struggle, it seems that others are living in bliss. I was particularly disappointed to learn that our Student Government Association purchased a box, for example, at the TD Garden for Tate McRae’s upcoming performance, costing $2,500 for only roughly 20 students’ benefit.
I was encouraged by SGA’s recent decision to raise the student activities fee to help support our performing arts groups and the current administration’s voiced concern about the staff layoffs and other financial struggles facing our university, but to me, it seems that this empathy stops at their own wallets.
Over the summer, I was told The Journal’s budget was going to be substantially cut. In another year, I would have (and I have) fought against budget cuts – we work on a thin margin as is. But, this year, I did not utter one word of fight against the $5,000 cut we took.
In my mind, the cut was an act of solidarity with my fellow students and a willingness to accept a challenge in the hopes that money would go towards groups that would struggle to function without it. I am not trying to make The Journal or myself a martyr, but it is disheartening to see student leaders, especially those who are sworn to serve the entire student body’s interest, placing their own fun above the students they serve.
When student leaders make a funding initiatives request from our finance committee, one of the requirements is to explain how the money will be used to benefit the entire student body, not just a select group. I believe this philosophy should be applied to all large club spending, especially to those of our governing body.
The way forward through these challenges that can feel so far above us is bringing it back to who truly matters – us.
Student leaders, I ask that you take an extra moment to think about how you are using the limited resources we are privileged to have. Find ways to make more with less, be creative and work together.
As always, we encourage and welcome Letter to the Editor submissions to continue discourse and share more perspectives.
With the utmost respect,
Maren Halpin
Editor-in-Chief
