No Frontier’s Statement Concerning Tuition Increase

 Dear AUB community,

As many are aware, the AUB administration raised tuition for the 2013 student body by 6%. These acts are discomforting when considering two factors; the administration formally agreed to nothing more than a 4% increase each year and students were not given so much as an email to inform them.  Furthermore, these acts have been met with blame- shifting, stating the increase is due to a raise in financial aid and inflation.  Justifiably, the legitimacy of the decisions made are under scrutiny. No Frontiers is concerned if the administration is actually serving its students when disregarding them in such matters. With the same reasoning used for 2010’s dramatic increase, we are questioning if this argument holds true and is justifiable now. In response, No Frontiers is currently mobilizing with other student groups and clubs. Collectively, we are demanding two things 1) tuition to be decreased to last year’s rates by next semester and 2) transparency in where student money is being spent. Strategies include an on-going petition with over 3,000 signed names and current negotiations. So far the climate is positive. 

However, we realize the issues of tuition increase and lack of transparency have been an on-going struggle and are not unique to AUB. We are in solidarity to all demanding dignity within an academic context. Because the administration is consistently unclear in translating this information to the public, No Frontiers, along with other independent student movements, student clubs, faculty and alumni are committed to gathering information and diffusing it in a tangible way. It is an ironic reality that such a progressive institution does not offer this information to students, forcing them to provide an alternative data source as a counter to what appears to be structured exploitation. Regardless, whether such acts are due to incompetence or deliberate deception, we are committed to advocating for student rights and will keep the public posted on future advancements. 

Best,
No Frontiers