Save UDC!

End of Open Admissions, 137% Tuition Increase at UDC
Amidst Recession and Mass Layoffs
by Marco Murillo

In a city where longtime residents have seen their community institutions either transformed, sold off or simply terminated, the University of the District of Columbia is next on the chopping block. The Board of Trustees will vote on February 11th, 2009, to decide whether or not to go through with a tuition increase. Many UDC students are native Washingtonians whose current tuition is around $3,300. It would increase immediately in September 2009, to $7,000 per year for students in a 4-year program.

Students and faculty are outraged at the potential hike. For many, UDC is the only viable collegiate institution where working class individuals can further their education.

"What do the people that think they had a way out do now?" expressed returning student Christina Cameron. "They are not thinking about us. They did not ask us."

The tuition hike accompanies another unprecedented outrage: the end of the corner stone of UDC: open enrollment. District of Columbia Public School graduates will now need to obtain a 1400 on their SAT and a 2.0 grade point minimum to gain admittance. As school President Allen Sessoms said coldly, “[We] will no longer have open admission. The community college takes care of that.” The “community college” in question is called, Southeastern University. Located in South East i D.C. where the demographic is mostly Black. UDC is in white upper North West. This stinks of resegregation for thousands of black and latino students. Is President Sessoms sending a subliminal message that we should all stay where we are? While students are outraged, there is some confusion about fighting back.

"Although I understand student opposition," explains Senior Journalism major, Ra-Jah Kelly , "it's important that we understand that all we want is better services."

It's true. We do all want better services, but what the University of the District of Columbia is suggesting will not mean better services. Proof of that are the buy outs proposed of long time faculty members, which the faculty union strongly opposes.

The school president says all the cuts and tuition hikes are because of budget shortfalls. But in an economic climate where banks are getting bailed out by the billions. In a hostile economic climate where banking elites like Citigroup can buy a new $50 million private jet with bailout money from Washington's "golden parachutes," it's inconceivable that some of this capital cannot be allocated to UDC.

"Students need to come out in hordes!" proclaims English composition professor Sahibzada.

We need to fight back and solidierize with all those who oppose this disproportionate proposal.

There is a rally this Thursday at 2pm on the second floor of building 38.

Come make your voice heard on Tuesday, February 10, at 10:00am in front of UDC where students will be “sleeping in” in front of the school until 7pm the following night!