The Barometer Online

Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: News

Media Credit: Cory Reed San Jose, Calif. native Bryce Crawford is a freshman in microbiology at Oregon State. Crawford is considering returning to school in California due to the out of state tuition prices he faces at OSU.

The dwindling economy is beginning to affect Oregon State students. With the threat of budget cuts, job losses and tuition increases permeating the air, many students have had to make sacrifices in order to continue their college education.

Budget cuts and tuition increases are scheduled to be released next week, information that could mean a lot of different things for a lot of different students, including some out-of-state students having to transfer back to their home states.

"I'm considering other schools back in my hometown of San Jose, Calif. Namely, San Jose State University and possibly UC San Diego," said freshman Bryce Crawford, an out-of-state student who can't afford to cover the cost of OSU's tuition next year.

Crawford had made several attempts to find and apply for jobs that would help ease the budget stress, but to no avail. Oregon has one of the highest unemployment rates, a trait that Corvallis reflects.

"I've given applications and resumes to at least 20 different stores and restaurants in Corvallis and none have taken a second look at my resume," Crawford said, "This economy has truly made it hard for me to get a job. I never seem to be at the right place at the right time."

Tuition increases are expected to rise between 9.6 and 20.6 percent, while the budget is looking at a cut between 10 and 30 percent.

"My family and I can't afford to be throwing money around in dealing with my education. I came to OSU to get out of my comfort zone and experience new things while furthering my knowledge in relation to my major, not to break my family's bank," Crawford said.

But out-of-state students are not the only ones being affected by the hike in tuition. Many seniors are postponing their graduations due to costs of classes, books and overall education.

"It's extended my years in school. Fortunately, though, I'll be able to graduate soon," said Lan Ha, a senior in business management. "I'm pretty sure a lot of students deal with this pressure, like how to pay for textbooks, classes and things like that. I personally can say that this stress affects my ability to focus and get the grades I need to pass."

Students have been turning to the financial aid office for help, making inquiries based on their award information or other sources of financial support.

"We have seen an increase in students who have outlying situations in the economy that has directly affected either their parents or themselves regarding an ability to fund their education. There has definitely been a significant increase," said Doug Severs, director of financial aid at Oregon State.

"Some people don't realize that with the increase in tuition comes the stress about everything else we need to pay for," Ha said. "It adds emotional and social pressure and you get down about not being able to financially support yourself, so it kind of starts to affect your school work."



Caitlin Cagle, staff writer

news@dailybarometer.com, 737-2231

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