If there was ever a need for an Indiana CSPAN station that college students could watch, this would be the time.
The chance Ball State University students will have to pay more because of reductions in state funding could be indirectly decided as the Indiana state legislature begins a special session today to determine its budget.
With Gov. Mitch Daniels having already proposed a 5.4 percent budget cut to Ball State, the situation is not a bright one for university. School officials started preparing for this budget crunch by issuing a hiring freeze in December, but the of reality of these economic problems could more quickly hit student's pockets than a night at the Village bars.
The easiest way for Ball State to make up the money it is losing from the state is a to partake in a time-honored tradition: increasing tuition rates.
Each year the Board of Trustees has usually increased the rate it costs students to get a college education. These increases, though, have previously come without about a 5 percent decrease in state funding.
It is not a foregone conclusion that the university will increase tuition. Ball State could make up for the lack of state funding by laying off school employees or not filling positions left by retiring faculty members.
However, the decision between being short staffed or raising the cost of tuition might not be a hard one for the Board of Trustees to make if history has taught us anything.
Everyone looses in these situations with a struggling economy. Some people, though, will be bigger losers when the new state budget is released.
A bunch of old Hoosiers debating about a budget is not the most exciting thing to follow this summer. It is much easier to ignore these at times confusing discussions and only focus on entertaining items.
The results these budgets cuts will have an effect on everyone in the state - whether a Democrat or Republican, a freshman or graduate student.
If the proposed cuts pass through the state legislature, Ball State will have to make difficult decisions to make up the difference, as it is losing a good chunk of its funding.
When that time comes everyone needs to be informed, and that starts right now on the first day of the special session.
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