Students split over budget cuts

June 15, 2009 by Pashtana Usufzy 

Survey casts light on student opinions, fears

The results of a student survey sent to UNLV students aimed at assessing the acceptance and impact of budget cuts will be presented to the members of CSUN today.Responses collected over the Internet give a glimpse at how the campus community plans to deal with the 5 percent fee increase for the upcoming fall semester.

“We [were trying] just to get as best a [perspective] as we could on student [reactions],” said Student Body President Adam Cronis. Nearly 1200 students logged on to the custom survey and poll Web site SurveyMonkey to share their opinions. Cronis said relatively high turnout made the survey the third most visited on the site. “I think it was a survey that got a decent perspective,” he said.

The survey, which closed June 10, shows the struggle of students to comprehend the reasons behind the budget cuts and fee increases. Nearly 50 percent of students understood or supported the fee increase, with the other 50 percent saying that they do not understand why fees must be raised. The survey was not scientific.

Expected increases will not be taken easily, but Cronis believes they will be manageable. He says he “grudgingly supports” increases that will keep the school running intact. “It’s undeniable that [there] will be students that will be negatively affected [by cuts],” he said.

Because it is more difficult to contact students during the summer, than during fall and spring semesters student Senate members hoped a quick online survey would allow greater insight into student opinions on the matter. The Senate will hear the full results of the survey in order for the group to assess how the increase will impact the university. While President David B. Ashley called the cuts “better than what [the university was] looking at,” some students may not be able to handle them.

Cronis said “It needs to be absolutely understood…that there are going to [be students that have] to leave because [of] these [cuts].”