2008 Woodie Awards
Increases approach making OCC unaffordable
By Staff Editorial
in OpinionIssue date: 4/3/08 Section: Opinion
Five dollars here; two dollars there; they add up. We keep hearing tuition increases are necessary and not that steep. We keep hearing relative to other schools OCC is still a bargain, but at some point even that so-called bargain can become too expensive.
With the latest tuition increase, Jon Larsen and his rubberstamp committee (the board of trustees) are well on the way to making OCC too expensive.
The administration will tell you state funding has been cut and everything is more expensive. This may be true, but consider these facts:
•In 2005, Dan Duffy, former vice president of student affairs, told the Viking News,
"Right now, OCC is the sixth most expensive community college in New Jersey. (Jon) Larson (college president) is aiming to become the second most expensive, right behind Bookdale (Community Col-lege),"
Could this be the real reason tuition is up 56.6 percent since 2000?
•The trustees know how to play in the worlds of politicians and CEOs. For example, the announcements of tuition increases, both in January and now, and the actual dates of board actions.
There was, most certainly, motive behind the public announcements of the meetings, the days before breaks, and the meetings, the days during or just after breaks.
These are the same methods used in corporate America and Washington, D.C.: Release the bad news when nobody is looking.
•Just $400,000, or 0.73 percent, was cut from the $54.7 million budget. The bureaucracy has grown under Larsen. Do we really need seven vice presidents and two special assistants?
•Most of the work done by the trustees is done in the secrecy of the ivory tower known as the Administration Building. It was very clear, and in fact stated openly, the tuition increases were already decided before the public meetings were held.
Student representative April Wennlund supported the administration and spoke in favor of the increase in tuition. In the end, only Stephan Leone had the courage to not allow Larson to use his huge thumb to press him into submission.
We noted with approval even the Asbury Park Press, which has often appeared to be the media arm of the college's administration, came out against the recent tuition hike and called for the college to look at other financial actions, including reducing spending before putting more burdens on the backs of students.
It should be noted that even though trustees Robert Fall and Jerry Dasti voted for the increase, they pledged to help students. Each said he would contribute $500 to a fund to help needy students offset the costs of the increase. It remains to be seen whether or not this comes to fruition. We will be watching.
With the latest tuition increase, Jon Larsen and his rubberstamp committee (the board of trustees) are well on the way to making OCC too expensive.
The administration will tell you state funding has been cut and everything is more expensive. This may be true, but consider these facts:
•In 2005, Dan Duffy, former vice president of student affairs, told the Viking News,
"Right now, OCC is the sixth most expensive community college in New Jersey. (Jon) Larson (college president) is aiming to become the second most expensive, right behind Bookdale (Community Col-lege),"
Could this be the real reason tuition is up 56.6 percent since 2000?
•The trustees know how to play in the worlds of politicians and CEOs. For example, the announcements of tuition increases, both in January and now, and the actual dates of board actions.
There was, most certainly, motive behind the public announcements of the meetings, the days before breaks, and the meetings, the days during or just after breaks.
These are the same methods used in corporate America and Washington, D.C.: Release the bad news when nobody is looking.
•Just $400,000, or 0.73 percent, was cut from the $54.7 million budget. The bureaucracy has grown under Larsen. Do we really need seven vice presidents and two special assistants?
•Most of the work done by the trustees is done in the secrecy of the ivory tower known as the Administration Building. It was very clear, and in fact stated openly, the tuition increases were already decided before the public meetings were held.
Student representative April Wennlund supported the administration and spoke in favor of the increase in tuition. In the end, only Stephan Leone had the courage to not allow Larson to use his huge thumb to press him into submission.
We noted with approval even the Asbury Park Press, which has often appeared to be the media arm of the college's administration, came out against the recent tuition hike and called for the college to look at other financial actions, including reducing spending before putting more burdens on the backs of students.
It should be noted that even though trustees Robert Fall and Jerry Dasti voted for the increase, they pledged to help students. Each said he would contribute $500 to a fund to help needy students offset the costs of the increase. It remains to be seen whether or not this comes to fruition. We will be watching.
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