Town hall draws about 45 students

By Dana Parker-McClain

The Satellite Student Union echoed with the voices of about 45 students, student leaders and administrators in Wednesday’s Student Town Hall Meeting.

Organized by Associated Students Inc., the town hall meeting gave students a forum in which they could voice opinions on current campus issues to administrative staff.

With a minimum student turnout, administrators faced few questions in an atmosphere void of the hostility that may be expected on a college campus hit with 30-percent tuition increase.

AS President Neil Gibson and Senator Brent Hanson reinforced the idea that the current tuition increases at Fresno State are the fault of the state legislature, not the school itself.

“ It’s out of our hands,” Hanson said. “It’s not Fresno State doing this to you, it’s the CSU board of directors.”

Gibson said it came down to legislators who are cutting budgets in California, which forced the board of trustees to raise tuition.

Attendees raised questions to the group of administrators regarding issues with classes, PeopleSoft, aid and the tuition increase.

Jeronima Echeverria, interim provost and vice president of academic affairs, said that class sections get cut every year, and, in actuality, the same number of classes are being offered this year as last year.

Paul Oliaro, dean of students, said that PeopleSoft has become a great asset to the school, and that more than 80 percent of students used PeopleSoft to register for classes.

Oliaro also said there has been an increase in the amount of financial aid available, and that more students are beginning to utilize scholarship dollars to pay for school.

Mark Aydelotte, university spokesman, said that the school’s unique challenges would add to the need for financial support.

“Many of the students who come to our campus are first generation college students,” Aydelotte said. “Our students aren’t coming from privileged families.”

Both administrators and the student leaders stressed the fact that students need to get involved to really make a difference in the battle against the increase of tuition.

Gibson offered three pieces of advice to students. “Go out, register to vote and vote,” he said. “Contact your legislator, and get involved.”

Aydelotte agreed. “What you say to a legislator is worth 10 points,” he said. “What I say is worth one.”