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General Ohio University Discussion/Alumni Events

Topic: Student Protest

Topic: Student Protest

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Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
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Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 4:17:16 PM

I wonder what effect if any this will have on the trustees upcoming vote on athletics:

http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/student-protesters-disru...

Last Edited: 4/19/2013 4:17:39 PM by Alan Swank

Robert Fox
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Member Since: 11/16/2004
Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 4:39:45 PM

Hopefully none.

JSF
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Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 7:22:09 PM

Yeah, I'd hate for civil disobedience and passionately standing up for what you believe in to matter.

"Loyalty to a hometown or city is fleeting and interchangeable, but college is a stamp of identity."- Kyle Whelliston, One Beautiful Season.

My blog about depression and mental illness: https://bit.ly/3buGXH8

OUbobcat9092
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Member Since: 12/28/2004
Location: Fairfax, VA
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 7:22:45 PM

Students protesting and getting arrested over an increase of $82 a semester? Really??

An increase of 1.6% is a very modest increase and less than the COLA.

the University I work for "held" their tuition increase this year to ONLY 3.0%, on a tuition of $19,000+ per semester...students next year will be paying over $20,000 each semester in tuition alone here.

Bring Back Men's Track & Field

OUbobcat9092
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Location: Fairfax, VA
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 7:41:49 PM

OUbobcat9092 wrote:

4 years at Ohio for what a student spends in one year to attend American University.

Bring Back Men's Track & Field

Robert Fox
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Member Since: 11/16/2004
Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 9:19:15 PM

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Monroe Slavin
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Member Since: 12/20/2004
Location: Oxnard, CA
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 9:23:34 PM

Robert Fox wrote:

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Yeah, mild protest is un-American. This calls for execution. Or worse. The extreme right gives us the wrong again some more as usual. /semi-sarcasm.

(Of course, the students exercise of speech rights would be different if it was for the right..extreme right...cause. /more sarcasm)

Where's the band?!
WHERE"S THE BAND?!

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Robert Fox
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Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 9:30:06 PM

You're so far off-base Monroe, it's hardly worth debating. I said none of the things you post, but don't let that stop you. Build a straw man and tear it down. I'm sure that will serve you well.

Mike Johnson
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Member Since: 11/11/2004
Location: North Canton, OH
Post Count: 1,720

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 10:07:30 PM

OUbobcat9092 wrote:

I'm not inclined to applaud a tuition increase that is "less than the COLA." Reason: For decades tuition increases and total college cost increases have been consistently outstripping the overall rate of inflation.

What I am wondering is when, not if, we will begin to see some decreases in college costs. As competitive pressures build, college admin leaders either will - at last - figure out how to reduce costs or they can begin looking for employment in other sectors.

During my 35-year corporate career with three global companies, I worked through four major recessions. Twice we imposed temporary salary decreases - up to 20% for senior execs, 10-15% for middle managers and 5% for other employees. Both such reductions lasted for months. If a university imposed such reductions, I can already hear the squawking from both admins and faculty.

http://www.facebook.com/mikejohnson.author

Robert Fox
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Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 10:33:26 PM

Mike,
The dramatic increase in student applications this year would suggest that there is little pressure to cut costs. When those student applications significantly drop, I suspect we would see an attempt at reduction in costs.

JSF
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Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 10:44:07 PM

Robert Fox wrote:

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Stupid kids don't know their place! Sit down and shut up! You have no right to have a say in how your money gets spent!

colobobcat66
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Member Since: 9/1/2006
Location: Watching the bobcats run outside my window., CO
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/19/2013 11:03:58 PM

The students can speak with their pocketbooks and go elsewhere if they don't like the increases. I rather believe that Ohio is not out of line for tuition costs. There are lawfull means to fight any increase, but they are charged with breaking a law. So they can get their airing for that in the court system if it comes to that. Anyway, seems like a tempest in a teapot to me. Move on, nothing to see.

perimeterpost
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Member Since: 7/6/2010
Post Count: 3,165

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 12:20:35 AM

a year over year increase of 1.6% doesn't seem like much to protest over, but overall rising costs of an education should be a concern for all students and parents of present and future students.

Here's an interesting chart that shows the cost of Room And Tuition at Ohio for every year since the Civil War.

In 1991 in-state tuition was $2,721/yr, but just 20 years later it was up to $9,537/yr, an increase of 250.5%. Compare that increase to the increase in median household income, over the same time frame. In 1991 the median household income was $28,819/yr and by 2011 it was $49,103/yr in 2011, an increase of only 70.4%. If you graduated in 1991 you spent less on 4 years of tuition than what a student pays for 1 year today.

MY STATE. MY TEAM.

The Optimist
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Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 7:19:39 AM

Robert Fox wrote:

Exactly.

This wasn't a noteworthy percentage of students. This protest happens every year, and the numbers were down this year. Their efforts will mean nothing... Tuition will go up this year and next year and still more students will be enrolling in Ohio University than ever before.

I've seen crazier things happen.

Robert Fox
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Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 7:35:36 AM

JSF wrote:

Robert Fox wrote:

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Stupid kids don't know their place! Sit down and shut up! You have no right to have a say in how your money gets spent!

Again with the straw man.

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,073

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 11:51:26 AM

Over $1000 has already been raised for their legal defense fund. This one may actually get some traction.

The Optimist
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Location: CLE
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 1:00:10 PM

Alan Swank wrote:

Over $1000 has already been raised for their legal defense fund. This one may actually get some traction.

Now that we are on semesters, the school year is basically over. I do not see anything worthwhile brewing over the summer.

I've seen crazier things happen.

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,073

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 1:31:29 PM

The Optimist wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

Over $1000 has already been raised for their legal defense fund. This one may actually get some traction.

Now that we are on semesters, the school year is basically over. I do not see anything worthwhile brewing over the summer.

Who's talking about the summer? I'm talking about the next two weeks. The sad part is when the trustees walked out of the meeting it appears that the student trustees did likewise. Way to support your fellow students.

It's interesting that the only two folks in this thread who seem to get what the protesters are saying are a recent grad and a guy who graduated almost 50 years ago. It's not the 1.6%, it's the principle of undisciplined spending and misplaced priorities. Student debt is one of the most serious issues facing our economy today. We can't continue down this path.

JSF
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Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
Post Count: 6,429

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 1:43:50 PM

Robert Fox wrote:

JSF wrote:

Robert Fox wrote:

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Stupid kids don't know their place! Sit down and shut up! You have no right to have a say in how your money gets spent!

Again with the straw man.

It's not a straw man, it's mockery. There is a difference.

Robert Fox
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Member Since: 11/16/2004
Location: Knoxville, TN
Post Count: 2,039

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 1:46:07 PM

I understand what the students are saying, Alan. I just don't like their methodology. There are plenty of avenues for stating their case, and I question whether or not these students are following those avenues. Are they sending letters to the trustees and president? Are they scheduling meetings with trustees, president, professors, and anyone else who might impact their cause? Are they attempting to build a grass roots campaign among the student trustees? Are they executing a media campaign in an effort to get their point of view heard? Have they executed a letter-writing campaign to local state congress members? What about the governor, or U.S. senators?

Or, are they just staging a one-and-done publicity stunt?

Robert Fox
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Member Since: 11/16/2004
Location: Knoxville, TN
Post Count: 2,039

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 1:47:02 PM

JSF wrote:

Robert Fox wrote:

JSF wrote:

Robert Fox wrote:

Yeah, but the important thing is kids get to act like idiots and disrupt a meeting. But I'm sure their cause is righteous. /sarcasm

Stupid kids don't know their place! Sit down and shut up! You have no right to have a say in how your money gets spent!

Again with the straw man.

It's not a straw man, it's mockery. There is a difference.

It's entirely a straw man. You don't know if your statements are true. You really should know better.

The Optimist
General User

Member Since: 3/16/2007
Location: CLE
Post Count: 5,561

Status: Offline

RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 2:19:13 PM

Alan Swank wrote:

The Optimist wrote:

Alan Swank wrote:

Over $1000 has already been raised for their legal defense fund. This one may actually get some traction.

Now that we are on semesters, the school year is basically over. I do not see anything worthwhile brewing over the summer.

I do not see anything happening in the next two weeks.

Making it personal, I am also a recent graduate. As recent as you can possible get. I still have student loan debt out. I am all for curbing spending. That said, I don't believe the recent increases have been out of line. The argument I have heard is that the quality of education is decreasing at Ohio Univeristy while tuition is rising. I disagree. I think the University has made it a priority to increase the visability and national reputation of this University. I agree with that course of action l, and I think they are getting the job done in that arena.

I've seen crazier things happen.

Alan Swank
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Member Since: 12/11/2004
Location: Athens, OH
Post Count: 7,073

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 2:50:46 PM

Robert Fox wrote:

All fair questions Robert. As for the current student trustees (not the recently appointed ones), believe it or not they have gone on record as not even favoring student trustees voting. As for scheduling meetings, the current crew claims to listen but the problem is that they don't hear and certainly don't like to be challenged particularly in public. There was an interesting article in one of the papers recently (I can't find it to save my soul) about the top down administrative philosophy that started with Glidden and has continued with McDavis. We've all worked for bosses who seek input but who do what they want regardless of the validity of our input. Unfortunately that is the current decision making culture at OU right now. As a group, the trustees are so far removed from reality. Remember the trustee who a few years ago said students might just have to forgo a pair of expensive jeans to pay the tuition increase. Thank goodness she was defeated when she ran for public office here in Ohio.

The peaceful protest that the students engaged in is kind of a last resort at this time. All they did was disrupt a meeting where votes had already been decided.

JSF
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Member Since: 1/29/2005
Location: Houston, TX
Post Count: 6,429

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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 3:47:34 PM

Have you bothered to check if they are doing these things, are you just going to call them idiots (OK, OK, "acting like idiots")? You can't call straw man when I respond to your sarcasm with sarcasm of my own. If you insist on saying I erected a straw man, then I will respond in kind. Choose wisely!

Ever since Tracy Kelly, student trustees have been shills who are interested in their own resumes and not being the voice of the students. Beyond worthless.

For all of the history of activism on campus, it's at an all-time low right now. My guess is that these students are very small in number and all but powerless. Crashing that meeting was probably their best and only option. And they got arrested for it. The finger wagging adds nothing. I'm glad we're keeping the fine American tradition of debating the method of delivery rather than the message, though. Their protest ultimately fell on deaf ears and the clucking of strangers from a cross the country with their own interests strikes me as overkill.

The OU Student Union has been around for a little while now but has steadily lost whatever momentum they had after Will Klatt left town. So, no, this isn't a one-and-done stunt (for what publicity, anyway?) because I can remember a number of things they've done. Thing is, there's not even a ripple effect here. After this thread dies, so does this topic.

Last Edited: 4/20/2013 3:54:27 PM by JSF

Robert Fox
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Location: Knoxville, TN
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RE: Student Protest

Posted: 4/20/2013 5:04:50 PM

JSF wrote:

You seem to relish a childish pissing match with me.

If you'll scroll back up this thread, JSF, you'll see, quite clearly, the sarcasm started with you. In fact, you've been on a bit of a crusade here, as though you are the appointed defender of these four students. Inviting me to choose wisely smacks of an incredible ego. Perhaps you should check yourself. You're not that impressive.

So your guess about these students' numbers and relative power is better than my guess that these students haven't followed other channels to achieve their ends? That's rich.

Finally, calling me out as a stranger from across the country is especially ridiculous. Are you also the self-appointed ambassador for all things Ohio University? Get over yourself.

Here's a lesson perhaps you've not yet learned: Criticizing these students' methods is perfectly within bounds, whether that ruffles your feathers or not.

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