A 4.25 percent increase in the comprehensive fee and the prospect of change for the future. The combination of those two things makes me consider the final outcome of the Board of Trustees meeting a small victory, or at the very least an indirect compromise, for the students. Given the circumstances, these results are steps in the right direction to me. Yes, 4.25 percent still means a significant increase in the sticker price next year, but considering the fact that the recommended proposal was for 4.5 percent increase, it’s certainly a move in favor of the students. That’s the important statistic that came out of the meeting of the Board of Trustees on Saturday, Jan. 31, but hopefully you continue reading to find out more about what happened.

I want to reach out and share my views on the outcomes of the January 2015 Board of Trustees meeting.

It was a special experience to say the least. Student Senate had the opportunity to present the Mission Moment prior to the start of the general business meeting. The Mission Moment is a tradition for each Board meeting; it is typically a 10-15 minute presentation that in some way relates back to the students of Elizabethtown College. The theme this year was “Student Senate – Service to our School.” After a presentation led by Vice President Alexandra Doran, Treasurer Maddie Magill, Judicial Chair Matt Walters and myself, we gave the Trustees the opportunity to ask us questions about our role on campus. Even during this calm and informative moment, the subject of the increase in comprehensive fee seemed to be the elephant in the room. It was right then that former Chairman of the Board of Trustees and E-town alumnus James Shreiner wasted no time addressing Senate’s perspective. I answered his question with an emphasis on trying to stabilize cost to match the current value of our educational experience, rather than continually trying to offer more to justify the increased comprehensive fee. Respect levels were high all around at the Mission Moment and throughout the proceedings that followed, but the discontent with the current state of the comprehensive fee issue was certainly felt.

After the initial introductions, President Strikwerda’s report consisted of an overview of the College’s current financial position. No votes were cast and the proposed increase was not discussed quite yet. President Strikwerda shared news of significant success in the College’s ongoing fundraising campaign, which is on track to match targets for both the $20 million total and $10 million for the Sports, Fitness and Wellness Center. Following his report, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Robert Kerr and President Strikwerda proposed that an ad hoc committee introduce Enterprise Risk Management, which is a strategic process that will help to evaluate what puts the College at risk and what direction the College should be taking.

Now, the moment that many have been anticipating arrived in the form of two motions put forth by the Board’s Finance Committee, which had met the day prior. Before any heavy budgetary discussion ensued, it was noted that the Finance Committee had a difficult time deliberating. There was not a unanimous decision amongst the members of the Finance Committee, and the experience was described as “agonizing” by the committee chairperson. First, the Finance Committee recommended evaluating and considering options for a new comprehensive fee model, including discount and pricing strategies. This motion was passed by a unanimous vote. In explanation, understand that this approved motion does not impact the comprehensive fee structure for the next academic year, but it was a clear acknowledgement that the Board of Trustees recognizes the problem with the current model. This action does not necessarily imply substantial change in the comprehensive fee in the next couple years, but it does at the very least demonstrate that the College sees the recent trend of increases as a problem. In our recent letter, submitted only days before the meeting on Thursday, Jan. 29, Student Senate called for action specifically to do this. I’m sure the decision to evaluate the model was by no means made solely based on students’ suggestions, but this represents progress. It may not be tangible, drastic or immediate, but the decision to evaluate their model is definitely a step in the right direction.

Following that motion, the discussion of the increase in the comprehensive fee and its budgetary implications ensued. It has been widely known that the original proposal was for a 4.5 percent increase in the comprehensive fee, accompanied by the need to cut $2.7 million in order to meet the budget for the next fiscal year. This included a range of financial assumptions that are more detailed than worth noting. Most notably, the College plans to freeze salaries and compensation, cut multiple staff positions and try to take advantage of other “one-time savings.” The budget itself is designed to be conservative in an attempt to safeguard against unforeseen issues (i.e. an enrollment shortfall like this year). With the motion for a 4.5 percent increase on the floor, some trustees expressed dissent. This led to an amended motion for a four percent increase.. Discussion continued, and several questions were directed specifically to me.

One thing to note, I am an observer at the meeting. This means I have no voting rights and no prearrangement to speak. I am invited to be there, and my main purpose is to take notes so that I can come back and report the outcomes of the meeting. So, when I was asked to give a student perspective on a four percent increase instead of a 4.5 percent increase, it was unexpected. However, I stood and spoke as true to what I believed as possible. To paraphrase my response and incorporate some points that were brought up: A four percent increase does not make a significant monetary difference on an individual basis when compared to a 4.5 percent increase (approximate savings of $250 per student), but it does make a difference symbolically in the mindset of the students. Of course students want no increase, but I understand the realistic side of things and can make sense of the extremely tight margins under which the College is operating. But, in light of the past several years being around a 4.5 percent increase, four percent does represent an improvement. It’s not a huge difference on the individual level, but it does represent a step in the right direction.

Eventually, concerns were raised and echoed that a four percent increase, which equates to approximately $250,000 more that must be cut from the budget, was too drastic. The motion was again amended, but this time it was set at 4.25 percent. This means the management of the College would have to plan for about $125,000 less in the upcoming budget. That does not necessarily mean that another $125,000 worth of cuts will occur; the administration could potentially find other avenues, such as a smaller budget margin.. Ultimately, after more questioning and debate, the motion for a 4.25 percent increase in the comprehensive fee was brought to a vote and passed, though not unanimously.

Following this decision, the group took a break. During the break, the pricing model was certainly a topic of conversation. However, conversation had a lighter tone to it—the tough decisions were made finally. As I said at the beginning, I believe the outcomes of this meeting are progress, even if just slight progress. In my opinion, the trustees appeared to be in consensus that it was time for change, or at the very least time for the opportunity for change. When the Board reconvened, the discussions were much simpler and the meeting gradually came to a close.

I cannot say that my time speaking at the Board of Trustees meeting was the game-changer. There were logical points made on both sides of the argument, but I think that I did as much as I could to stand up for the concerns of the entire student body. And, just to clarify once more, students are not asked to speak at Board of Trustees meetings. It just does not happen. This was unique in so many ways, and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to even speak in front of the trustees. Title aside, I am just a student. I may try to represent Student Senate, which tries to represent the student body, but if you overlook that fact, I urge you to realize that this was an example of the decision-makers of the College actually listening to the students directly.

With that said, I would like to emphasize what was reinforced to me even more today: The Board of Trustees is not the enemy. These are people volunteering their time. They are not salaried by the College. In fact, it is really the opposite: in total, the Board of Trustees plans to donate around $250,000 to the College this year. In addition, President Strikwerda and members of the senior staff are not enemies either. Unfortunately for them, they are tasked with sometimes telling students what they do not want to hear.

I’m not saying that everything is perfect now. There is still a lot of work to be done, and Student Senate will continue to try to advocate for the students on the matter. This article is not a large-scale call to sympathize with the ones who increase our tuition. It is an effort to shed factual light on the responsibilities they have. A 4.25 percent increase is not easy to stomach, even if it’s better than expected. Maybe something even more difficult to do, though, is to look at E-town’s financial situation realistically. That’s what I’m trying to do, and I know that is what the trustees are doing. James Shreiner’s final point during the debate regarding the comprehensive fee was that everyone involved, including trustees, administration, faculty and students, needs to step back and consider what direction they want the institution to go in.

As the saying goes, anything is better than nothing at all. A commitment to evaluate the pricing model that has caused unfathomable grief to families paying the tuition bill — that’s something. Same goes with 4.25 percent instead of 4.5 percent. If there is one thing to take away here, it’s that we’re all on the same team, and slight progress was made and an indication of a fresh direction. Hopefully, that’s a sign of more change to come.