Guest column: A pressure increase from the SGA

It is no secret that in-state tuition is going up next year. With the situation in Annapolis getting seemingly uglier every day, I and other SGA members have testified on bills in support of the budget, as submitted by Gov. Martin O'Malley, which includes a 3 percent increase on tuition. Why would we support an increase in tuition as a representatives of the student body? Because it is our best case scenario. 

This state is constitutionally required to maintain a balanced budget, meaning the Maryland General Assembly can only add revenue (higher taxes, tuition, etc.) or cut spending from what has already been submitted by the governor. There are discussions that the budget will include a tuition increase greater than 3 percent by the time the General Assembly adjourns next month.

This past Friday, the state Department of Legislative Services recommended the legislature cut nearly an additional $4 million from the entire University System of Maryland budget. There is the possibility that legislators will introduce amendments to decrease the state funds that go toward higher education in order to pay for other programs as the budget is still not balanced.   

Fighting for what is in the governor's budget is in accordance with the resolution that the Student Government Association passed last week during a special session. The text reads, "The SGA is, on principle, against using tuition increases to compensate for demonstrably insufficient state funding."

The intent of that bill was for the SGA to do anything in its power to mitigate future tuition increases while at the same time urging the General Assembly to increase state funding rather than tuition. In our current position, the state wants to cut more of the university system budget. Therefore, the SGA will continue to fight in Annapolis to make sure that the lowest possible increase is what passes.    

Rest assured that if there were even a remote chance that we could have no tuition increase next year, the SGA would do everything within its power to try to attain that end. However, the legislative reality is an increase, constitutionally, must happen. Therefore, we must be pragmatic in our approach on tuition by supporting O'Malley's budget as it pertains to the university system, while at the same time sending the message that future tuition increases are unacceptable.     

I encourage you to contact your legislator to express your opinions on this topic. You can look up your legislator at mdelect.net/electedofficials. Also, be sure to frequently check the SGA website at www.sga.umd.edu. For more ways to have your voice heard as this debate progresses. Please visit mlis.state.md.us for more information on the aforementioned bills in the General Assembly.

Steve Glickman is president of the Student Government Association. He can be reached at SGAPresident at umd dot edu.