The Student Agenda (Revised)

The phrase “student movement” conjures images of whiny little spoiled college kids who don’t know how good they have it, taking to the streets with signs and loudspeakers, bitching about war or democracy or animal rights. And yet, historically, students don’t show up at the polls during elections. They cause just enough ruckus to get some air time and news paper reports but nothing else. Yet, this new generation of students, the millenials, is showing up, according to the numbers. And they are speaking out against cuts in education and the resulting higher costs to the students.

Last month thousands of pissed off students skipped school and attended rallies across the nation to protest budget cuts in education and the higher costs resulting from those budget cuts. The movement started in California, where the recession forced the state to eliminate $520 million dollars from education. The cut essentially raised class fees and tuition costs while class selection was limited. So, the students organized and marched and the movement caught on around the country. And now, it seems, somebody finally heard them—sort of.

Tucked away in the belly of the new healthcare bill are pages dedicated to student loan reform. It’s officially named the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA). Students around the country finally got a bone. Incredible! This isn’t some No Child Left Behind crap. Honestly, this isn’t exactly what students protested for, but it’s a start right?

SAFRA is less about students and more about the private lenders loaning them money at high interest rates. It’s the government’s way of sticking it to the big banks while saving taxpayers and students money in the process. Think of it as a big “screw you” to the largest, for profit, student lenders in the country, most notably Sallie Mae. SAFRA eliminates the subsidies given to the lenders, a move that isn’t popular with the banks. Many banks increased their lobbying efforts in response to the bill. Instead, the government will take on more of the student loan load, which keeps the interest low for students. Also, plans to increase the payout of Pell Grants, a financial aid staple, are in the bill. These moves by the government are to ensure every student, regardless of income, can attend college. Although this bill does benefit students, it’s more about saving as much money as possible. Beggars can’t be choosers.

So what does this mean for students and universities? Students should expect a decreased financial risk of higher education. This bill is meant to lower the amount of money that college graduates owe. For universities? It helps new students get access to financial aid easier and that will lead to continued enrollment.

In other words, it’s going to be easier to fail your first semester, be put on academic probation, get a ticket for underage drinking, catch Chlamydia and break up with your high school sweetheart because, “…it just won’t work out babe, I’m going to be at college”. Don’t forget to buy a bong, bong a beer and take disturbing pictures and videos to share with your 500 friends on Facebook. Seriously, the bill will help kids go to college and, hopefully, become valuable members of society.

So what about those state budget cuts? Is there anything we can do about those? Well, not quite. It’s up to the states to decide how to spend taxpayer money. And Ohio is still balancing the cost of education, or trying to.

The tuition freeze of 2007-2009 was part of Ohio’s solution for keeping education affordable. The freeze temporarily limited tuition increases across the state. However, in July of 2009, the tuition freeze on Ohio’s universities was lifted, a serious blow to students. Although Ohio is limiting the percentage schools can raise tuition to 3.5 percent over the next two years, that percentage does not include fees. And Ohio State University has already found a loophole in the policy. On March 23, 2010 Ohio State announced plans to increase tuition by 8.5 percent . The school is raising tuition 3.5 percent during the summer quarter and the rest during the fall. In reality, thanks to budget cuts and tuition increases, the cost of education is still going up although loans will have lower interest rates. It’s time for Ohio’s students to cause a ruckus.

So what now? Well, the young people of this nation are gaining momentum with everything from presidential elections to the fight for medical marijuana. This generation is not only protesting for what they believe they are showing up at the polls as well. Students are a dynamic political force to be reckoned with, but their job is not finished yet. It’s still an uphill battle. And the only way to get heard in this wild, politically driven, nation of ours is to be a thorn in the side of authority. Between bong rips and drunken mistakes students are actually accomplishing things again, they’re screaming for answers and they won’t stop until they get them . The times, they are a changin’.