Over the past several weeks, students at the University of the District of Columbia have risen up in protest against a proposed 86 percent tuition increase. University President Allen Sessoms says the hike is essential to improving the quality of the University. Though the burden it places on students is unfortunate, it is a price that must be paid in order for UDC to improve its facilities, attract higher-quality faculty, and give value to its degrees.
The problems facing UDC are difficult and manifold. The University has a recent history of ineffective presidents, which has led to the mismanagement of funds, technology shortages, and an unresponsive faculty. In addition, the University has a limited amount of independence from the District government, and this arrangement prevents the school from making the changes that need to be made. Combined, these factors prevent the University from doing right by its students.
UDC’s basic demographics make it very different from most universities in the country. Fifty-five percent of UDC students are part-time, and the median age of its student body is 37. Many students work full-time while taking classes on the side. The fact that most students are at the University for short periods of time and are not fully immersed in the community makes it much more difficult to create a first-rate institution.
At this point, the only way the University can hope to implement the necessary changes it so desperately needs is through the proposed tuition increase. Professors can research and publish only if the University provides them with the necessary resources. Furthermore, as dramatic as the increase is, it will place UDC’s tuition on par with the vast majority of state university tuitions throughout the nation.
What makes UDC’s situation problematic is not the increase itself, but rather the way the proposed change was introduced to the students. President Sessoms alienated students to such a great extent that some occupied his office just to get a chance to speak with him personally.
UDC must make its policies more transparent. Its students need to be able to work with the administration on policy changes, and the University needs to recognize the reality of the demographics of the student body when implementing those changes. The tuition increase is essential to the University’s survival, but it must be implemented gradually in order to give students time to adjust financially. These changes will be difficult for both sides, but with a little cooperation, a transparent decision-making process, and realistic expectations, administrators and students have the chance to make UDC a first-rate public university.
