In 2012, combined efforts from universities and colleges in Oregon registered 50,000 students to vote in preparation for a potential spike in tuition. When election time came, several hundred students gathered in Salem to rally for a ruling on a two-year tuition freeze.
Their votes and voices were heard.
State legislation passed a two-year freeze on tuition for all universities. Although community colleges are governed by their own elected boards, most in the state followed the legislation's request to freeze their tuition as well. LBCC designed their budgets in order to not raise tuition through the 2014-15 academic year.
The two-year freeze is ready to lift. LBCC Student Leadership Council and Oregon Student Foundation have been busy registering more students to vote. The goal is to get another 50,000 this year.
"This is a statewide effort. Linn-Benton is one of 20 other schools to participate," said Jon Crenshaw, vote organizer for the OSF. "If we want to fight it, the first step is getting students to vote."
The goal SLC set was to get 3,200 students to fill out voter registration cards this year.
This past spring they registered 1,500 students, followed by another 250 during summer term. At the start of fall term there will be two weeks to gather the remaining signatures to reach their goal.
LBCC has 16 different high schools funneling through on advanced diploma programs, such as the "fifth-year" program in which high schoolers continue education for an extended year on a college campus.
"We are visiting high schools in the fall because they are students too and have the right to be educated young voters," said Mike Jones, SLC legislative affairs director.
During the summer, OSF and SLC members visited LBCC classrooms, walked the campus with clipboards and voter cards, and talked with enrolling students on orientation days. According to Crenshaw, combined state effort has already registered 23,000 students.
"I have been very happy about the strong effort SLC has made to involve students in being mindful of this civic duty. The numbers have been impressive in comparison to efforts at other schools," said Bruce Clemetsen, vice president of student affairs.
LBCC will team up with neighboring Oregon State University to sign up Corvallis youth. SLC also plans on reaching out to Lebanon, Eugene, and Sweet Home to educate the surrounding area.
"The basic logic is when students don't vote our legislatures don't listen to them," said Crenshaw.
Tuition has historically increased every year, with the exception of the past two. The amount it may increase is unknown.
The 2015-16 school year will be the soonest the college will decide if they want to increase tuition. Currently the administration is considering all options of where money could come from rather than from student pockets.
"We are working very hard with other community colleges to ensure that state funding is sufficient to minimize the need to increase tuition. Our Advancement office is working hard and raising private money and trying to create endowments to support college expenses," said Clemetsen.
Fees are now under review to increase or decrease where numbers show it most beneficial. Technology purchases, safety and transportation costs, and student activities are being considered.
"We need to be looking at what state funding will be, how our expenses will grow, and what we need to invest in to make improvements," said Clemetsen.
Grants and bonds are also options being addressed. A $34 million General Obligation Bond will be on the ballot for both Linn and benton counties this year. The GO bond has the potential for the college to grow and get community support.
"The projects that the college would like to commence with the funds from the bond, explicitly capital projects, will allow the community to grow and can in turn increase enrollment and funds generated through The Foundation office. All of which can help combat tuition increases," said Jones.
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