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Tuesday, February 6, 2007

Tuition Up, But Used Laptops at the Bookstore

While our Representatives Olson and Gassman push HB 1241, their bill to expressly allow the Board of Regents to sell back to students the computers they've been leasing for the last three years, their colleagues on the House Education Committee voted 13-1 last Friday to kill HB 1230, which would have frozen tuition for four years for continuously enrolled full-time undergraduates at South Dakota's state universities. Dang -- if I were attending DSU, I think I'd happily trade my used laptop for a tuition freeze. Priorities, anyone?

2 comments:

  1. I honestly don't know what I'd take if given the two options. I do like the idea of freezing tution rates once you enter the University. But there is a long story behind the Tablet bill.

    You see, 3 years ago when DSU started the Tablet program and handed me one, they told us after three years of leasing (about $250 a semester -- which has gone up) we'd be able to buy the Tablets for $1. This way after the lease, we'd have something. Otherwise it would be much better for me to just go to Gateway.com and buy a Tablet. And then this way DSU could also keep control of the Tablets. Of course, they then found out this was illegal, since the state can't sell property without letting go to the general public. This upset some people, to say the least.

    So what would I rather have? I don't know, I think in the end, it might be a wash. I'd have to go back and look at tuition statements over the last couple years. I guess I can understand rising tuition rates. Lack of foresight on the part of the University, a little bit harder to understand.

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  2. Hoorah for perspective from the locals! Thanks, Brett, for the insight! At least the Legislature is willing to take action to help the Board of Regents keep its promise. Still, looking at the bills from the statewide perspective, the tuition freeze would have made life better for every university student in the state. It also would have served as a more effective tool for recruiting and retaining South Dakota's best and brightest.

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