Tuition and financial-aid issues dominated the conversation at a student forum led by ASU President Michael Crow on Thursday afternoon. The forum, held in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation II building, was broadcast to all four ASU campuses.
Crow immediately anticipated student concerns about tuition. In his introduction, he said “a very low tuition proposal” has been submitted to the Arizona Board of Regents.
Andres Cano, director of parliamentary procedures for the Downtown student government, instigated discussion about tuition in regards to House Bill 2675. HB 2675 would require many full-time students to pay $2000 of their own money for tuition costs.
Crow said that he opposes that bill but believes students need to be invested in their education.
“It’s good for everyone to have skin in the game,” he said.
ASU is trying to contain costs while also maintaining an excellent academic experience, Crow said. To accomplish this, the university is restructuring and making use of technology in the form of MyASU and online classes.
Crow also stressed that university staff and faculty have not had a salary increase in the past four years.
“We have unbelievable demand for our services, but we’re taking it to heart and trying to make financial aid work,” he said. The main goal is to “make the university work on as individual a basis as possible.”
Crow also mentioned his opposition to the guns-on-campus measure, Senate Bill 1474.
Crow said he does not believe it would increase student safety, echoing the concerns of university police officers. If the bill were passed, Crow said, ASU would have to step back and evaluate how to maintain safety for students and faculty.
College of Public Programs Senator Cecilio Porras was concerned about professor performance and the evaluation process.
Crow recommended that students first discuss any issues with their professors and then, if the problem is not resolved, address it with the department chair.
Clare Irvine, a political science and sociology junior, asked Crow about the increasing number of online courses. Irvine was concerned in-person courses are being replaced by online ones.
Crow said online courses are for students who cannot be on campus and only to increase the “intense range of options” for students.
Irvine later said her only issue with the student forum was the time constraint.
“His answer was more general than I would have liked, but I’m glad students get their issues out on the table,” she said.
Students also asked questions about the DREAM Act, fraternities and sexual harassment between students and faculty.
Contact the reporter at josselyn.berry@asu.edu
