"Amid uncertainty, opportunity for UB"

In 2005, questions about futures - academic, social, and financial - will dominate campus news. Should SUNY pass more tuition increases, including proposals for yearly hikes? How will the mandatory activity fee increase change the work of the Student Association? What will become of UB2020, President John Simpson's vision of UB's future? This year, The Spectrum wants UB students to scrutinize the issues and become a part of decisions that will impact the future of the school.

On Jan. 6, SUNY Chancellor Robert King outlined a new tuition plan for the SUNY system. King proposed a $600 per year increase to in-state tuition at four-year colleges starting for the 2005-2006 school year. King's plan also called for tuition at Stony Brook, Albany, Binghamton, and Buffalo to be higher than at smaller SUNY schools. King also plans to implement a plan for regular tuition increases to follow with inflation.

Proponents of the plan say tuition increase protection for 2006 freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will allow them to pay the flat tuition through the end of their four-year college careers, regardless of other tuition increases. Critics claim the tuition increase protection is only temporary and does not protect later students from significant tuition hikes. They also say the $600 increase is too steep, especially following a nearly $1000 increase less than two years ago.

Adding to students' fears are the questions surrounding the future of the Pell Grant. President Bush recently outlined a plan that would increase the maximum award by $500, but restrict qualifications for the awards, making it more difficult for some to get assistance. Students should follow these issues closely - it may be happening far away in Albany or Washington right now, but it will soon have a direct effect on each student on this campus.

While governments are cutting education funding, SA begins this semester with a raise - the $10 raise in the mandatory activity fee takes effect this spring. Students should scrutinize where their extra money goes. Freshmen and sophomores should monitor how efficiently the increase is spent, because due to new rules, they will vote on the next fee increase proposal in two years.

Last year brought us President John Simpson's one-year anniversary as UB President, and 2005 will hopefully bring portions of his plan for UB's future, UB2020, into focus. The Spectrum reported this past November on Simpson's 20-year plan to change UB from a "good" university into a "great" one. He placed emphasis on academics, the growing bioinformatics department, development in the arts and even improvements in athletics.

To implement these improvements, Simpson enacted some restructuring in UB's administration, molding the system to be more conducive to his vision. According to the UB2020 website, Simpson's plan is to change the institution's mindset to identify strong and growing programs within the university and allow them to grow organically instead of forcing growth in programs that are trendy. Simpson's plan calls for significant student input, utilizing focus groups and interaction between the administration and the student body throughout the 20-year process.

Uncertainty and doubts are hope-killers, but this semester, UB students are in a unique position to exercise control over their future and the future of this university.