Senate to Fulfill Letter Writing Promise

Student Senate members will write letters to Governor John Kasich and other Ohio government officials in a campaign to voice student concerns about rising tuition.“Students across the state are concerned about increasing college costs and increasing indebtedness,” said Student Senate President Zach George. “We need to let the people who control the budget…know what we think.”George launched the letter campaign following this year’s raise in tuition and fees of 3.5 percent. Since 2002, tuition has increased from $6,036 to $10,216, an increase of 69 percent, according to the Office of Institutional Research.“State share of instruction continually has gone down from year to year which puts a greater burden on us as students to pay higher tuition,” said George.Each senate member will write one letter to Governor Kasich and one letter to the chair of an Ohio Senate or House committee. In the letters, senate members will ask for continued state support and prioritization of higher education.“It requires everyone to participate or they’re not going to listen to what we say,” said George.Senate is also scheduled to vote on a resolution next Wednesday that would announce its support for House Bill 377, granting student trustee voting rights, which is currently endorsed by Ohio State University President Gordon Gee.George, who is the primary sponsor of the resolution, said he believes in the mantra, “if you don’t vote, you don’t matter,” and encouraged the passage of the resolution.“If you don’t have a vote, your voice has been cast by the wayside,” said Giles Allen, state and federal affairs commissioner. If the HB 377 passes, Allen said, the Board of Trustees will be forced to take student opinion into account.Also addressing senate was Henry Kessler, an intern for Hillel, who urged students to get swabbed as a part of the OU Bone Marrow Drive. According to Kessler, 6,000 students have been swabbed and 15 lives saved.“It’s not every day you have the opportunity to save a life,” he said.Kessler said that on November 5, Hillel will be swabbing students in Baker Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.In anticipation of the upcoming festivities, Pat McGee, Student Legal Services Managing Attorney, presented on “13 surefire ways to get busted on Halloween.”He reminded students not to give alcohol to underage people, not to throw bottles, and not to carry an open container. “If you are not under arrest,” he added, “you do not have to answer questions other than to provide your name and place of residence.”