As our university faces a 4.5 percent budget cut over the next biennium, the possibility of tuition hikes looms over both myself and my fellow students. When asked what will I do as the Student Government Association President in response to rising tuition costs, I have always made sure students were at the crux of my argument.

I believe that in an editorial written by the Kernel, my opinion was paraphrased to a misleading end. I do believe that academic and professional success are what drives each and every one of us to pursue a college degree. That academic and professional success comes at a price, especially when attempting to overcome Governor Matt Bevin’s clear lack of investment in our education. But what I have stated over and over is that we have to find a delicate balance between raising tuition to keep the value of our degrees high and making sure we do not place an undue burden on students.

I will talk to students throughout the next year gauging their opinions, I will investigate where exactly our tuition dollars go (though I am sure they are not allocated to capital projects), and I will vote next July according to what the student body wants and needs. As for this years vote on tuition, Austin Mullen will still be the voting member of the Board of Trustees, and I am sure he will vote in every students’ best interest.

Letter to the editor submitted by Rowan Reid, President-elect of Student Government Association.

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