As Spring Semester looms, students are turning to their wallets, scholarships or parents to get the thousands of dollars needed for tuition. But a few are trying to get that number dropped to zero — for everyone.
Students at the U and across the nation are demanding reductions in the cost of education, spurred by rising student debt and politicians such as Bernie Sanders. Ian Decker is leading the local push for free college tuition. Decker, a political science student at SLCC, is actively involved with several political movements at the U.
“Every semester the tuition is hiked up three to four percent — that’s $300,” he said. “We’re trying to put a stop to that and eventually try to roll the tuition back.”
The student movement demands tuition-free public college, cancellation of all student debt and a $15 minimum wage for all campus employees. Locally, Decker wants to take slow steps toward free tuition because of the Utah’s conservatism and feels a freeze, where tuition cannot be increased, is something the government might consider.
Decker is a member of a U group called the Revolutionary Students Union. He says at SLCC most people just want to get in and get out, but the U has students who care enough to fight for change.
On Nov. 12, students at the U rallied for tuition-free education in coordination with a nationwide protest known as the Million Student March, inspired by Bernie Sanders. Scott Wood, a senior in philosophy and leader of the U’s Socialist Alternative group, organized the local march.
“Students have a tremendous amount of power; it’s just a matter of exercising it, getting out and making your voices heard,” he said. “Nothing is going to change without that one step.”
The rally had 50 to 70 people in attendance, who marched from Presidents Circle to the Union. Students wore a red square on their clothes, a symbol that represents similar movements across the world.
The movement has received significant criticism. The big question is where they will get the money to fund tuition-free college.
“It’s not an issue of money. That’s a scare tactic,” Wood said. “If you look at the federal budget, it’s enormous, and the additional cost to make higher education free is actually pretty small.”
Wood and Decker said money could come from the military budget, among other places, but critics remain skeptical. Many argue that with a deficit of $435 billion the U.S. cannot afford to hand out free college diplomas.
Despite a lack of reception from school administration, the movement plans to keep fighting. They will hold a rally at the Utah State Capitol for a tuition freeze on Jan. 23 at 1 p.m.
@mbatman72