by Hannah Sievert |
Last week, senior entrepreneurship and innovation major Patrick Garrison created a petition asking administration to decrease tuition rates, decrease cost of housing and increase teachers’ salaries.
Though the petition racked up over 300 signatures in less than a week, Garrison revised his petition Wednesday morning, admitting that much of the information he had commented on had been misunderstood. He is no longer asking for signatures.
Garrison’s petition was originally inspired by the 4.4 percent tuition increase to be implemented next year.
The petition was released last Friday on Facebook and spread quickly. It addressed University President Fr. Poorman and the University of Portland Executive Board, voicing much of the frustration that fellow students feel regarding the tuition increase.
“We are insisting on a decrease in our tuition and housing and an increase in professor wages” the petition stated. “While this university makes millions and millions of dollars in net earnings, its students are terrified of their growing debt and its professors are worried about their financial futures. We cannot stand by and do nothing. If this administration does not act, then myself and others are prepared to demonstrate publicly in order to fight for the rights of our fellow students and professors.”
Within less than a week, the petition had gained over 300 signatures from students.
Despite the petition’s following, many students were skeptical about the petition’s information.
Freshman Emily Peterson chose not to sign the petition because she was skeptical about the petition’s numbers.
“I didn’t sign it because I want to know where he’s getting his facts from. It could be more well-researched,” Peterson said.
Although freshman Kaitlin Flanigan didn’t agree with the petition entirely, she signed it anyway, hoping the petition itself would help to raise awareness regarding the issues with rising tuition rates.
“Even if the facts aren’t all there yet, it’s a start. It could raise awareness” Flanigan said.
The petition’s following allowed Garrison to set up a meeting with Alan Timmins, UP’s director of finance. After the meeting, Garrison revised his petition, admitting much of the information on the petition had been misunderstood.
“My mistake was not interpreting the (IRS) 990's correctly,” Garrison said. “Due to the complexities embedded in these forms I did not fully understand what was happening until Alan Timmins was able to walk me through them.
“The form made it appear as if the school made $23.2 million, however, that money is heavily restricted in its usage as either being required by law to go into the school endowment fund or is restricted by how the money can be used for various projects around the school. So, unfortunately, that money isn't available for professor wages or lower tuition as I had hoped.”
Garrison is no longer asking for signatures on his petition, but he said the school has told him that they are working on problems that Garrison asked to be addressed.
“Timmins stated that they're currently running an analysis of professor wages and raising them in certain areas … I feel like continuing the petition would be unnecessary,” Garrison said.
However, Garrison hopes that the administration will be more clear with students regarding where tuition funds are going.
“Right now I've encouraged both Alan Timmins and the new ASUP board to have an annual public meeting very similar to the one I had with him so that the entire student body can be aware of what's happening with this school monetarily,” Garrison said. “If that conversation doesn't continue within the UP community, this mistake will likely repeat itself in a few years.”
Garrison also says the petition was not entirely a waste, as the misunderstanding allows for more people to learn where the money from tuition is going.
“I'm glad that everyone can walk away with a better understanding of what's happening at this school,” Garrison said. Hannah Sievert is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at sievert19@up.edu.
