Frivolous Spending at Sonoma State University

Frivolous Spending at Sonoma State
By Natalee Lewis

Just take a visit to the Sonoma State University campus to see that the University is flourishing, while the students are struggling to pay their tuition. Tuition that has increased substantially over the years, and is scheduled to rise an additional $270 dollars taking effect in the 2017-18 school year. Just twenty years ago tuition was just over $1,700.The Chancellor states the increase is necessary to cover costs, but at an annual tuition cost of $7,388 per student, it seems that SSU is pulling in more than enough to cover their costs. Where does all this money go? Maybe the Green Music center that cost millions even after donations? Or the elaborate student center that also cost millions? The 300,000 outdoor T.V? Perhaps the tuition goes to increase the CSU Chancellor’s salary which is astronomically high at over $500,000 a year. SSU has spent millions in the last decade building a new library, gymnasium, and new buildings, so why is CSU proposing a tuition increase?

Maybe SSU could use some of the tuition to renovate Stevenson Hall, which has an asbestos problem that has not been adequately addressed. Students and professors are still using this building while there is asbestos coming through the air ducts covering the inside of the classrooms and offices of the professors. While some of the classrooms are state of the art, others are in need of new desks, and in need of renovation. Such as the case in Ives Hall. The desks are very uncomfortable and old. If frivolous spending is going to occur it should be done to improve the comfort of the students and professors.

It is clear that tuition seems to be going to wasteful spending, most of which the students do not approve. As a Sonoma State student myself, I would rather pay less tuition than have a new music Green Music hall that I have never used or plan to, especially for my education. The Green Music hall cost millions and does not cater to students, rather it caters to the rich public. Furthermore, I don't need a big outdoor T.V for my education, or a million dollar gymnasium.

What I do want as a student is to have my costs for attending college low. I am not making much money, and I don't have the excess of funds to pay my tuition. Myself, like many other students have taken out student loans to cover my tuition. Tuition that is already substantially high considering college used to be free. It seems to me as tuition rises so does the wasteful spending at SSU, and it becomes clear that a strong correlation emerges that the higher the tuition, the more we see unnecessary spending.

Once and for all, SSU administrators need to remember that students are not consumers creating a profit for the administrators.