Last week, KRIV Channel 26 reported our university returned $2.4 million dollars to a state agency. This money was supposed to go to students for grants. Students lost out on $5,000 grants they could have used to pay their tuition, books and living expenses. UH claimed it had allocated all the grant money to eligible students, and because no other students were eligible, It returned the $2 million- plus dollars to the state; however, KRIV Channel 26 reporters found 43 students who should have received grant money. It has yet to be determined how many more students did not get their $5,000 grants because of the University’s action.
The grant money fiasco is just one shocking example of actions by University staffers that harm low-income students. The uncaring attitude toward students who can least afford tuition should not come as a surprise for those who closely follow news reports about UH.
Earlier this summer, the board of regents voted to raise our tuition by almost 6 percent. In the article "Fall semester brings tuition increase" (June 3, News), former Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Donald Foss told The Daily Cougar, "I think students will be able to handle it." My family cannot handle a 6 percent tuition increase, and I am sure I am not the only one who cannot afford to stay in school because of skyrocketing tuition and inadequate financial aid. I do not expect UH to solve my family’s financial challenges, but shouldn’t students expect it to at least distribute the money it receives to those who qualify?
Unfortunately, the University’s practices that negatively affect poor people are not limited to students. Our school pays janitors so little they are under the poverty line for a family of two or more. Food service workers are in an even worse situation because they don’t have access to the benefits the janitors do. Administrators have said Aramark employs the workers, but how does that relieve UH from responsibility to ensure they do not further poverty? Other universities have ethical provisions written into their contracts to ensure subcontractors treat their employees fairly.
If that’s not enough, we learned in "Students decry UH ties to Darfur" (April 24, News) the Coalition for Responsible Investment-UH revealed the University endowment holds shares valued more than $6 million in China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec), which helps finance the Sudanese military. Sinopec is one of the "highest offenders" in Darfur, according to a Sudan Divestment Task Force report. The University actually profits from misery by associating with companies that do business with countries involved in genocide.
In "UH narrows its focus to the future" (April 24), the Houston Chronicle reported that when a student questioned President Renu Khator in a public forum about what action she would take on those investments, she refused to answer. Obviously, the term ‘socially responsible investing’ is Greek to our officials.
A university is a place of knowledge. Students come here to get skills necessary to get a good job and provide for themselves and their family. Yet when we learn the University does not care about low-income students and pays workers so little that they live below the poverty line, how can we have pride in our school?
Dr. Khator was hired to improve our University’s academic reputation. One of the ways she seeks to accomplish this is to increase school spirit. Khator said alumni, students and school supporters should support Athletics events because that will help bring us closer to first tier status. Ivy League schools focus on academics, not sports. Our school should cease practices that harm those in the lowest income bracket. Instead an active commitment to fair treatment for students and employees will not only benefit the affected parties, but also prove UH is serious about improving its reputation.
UH was founded to give working class students a chance to receive a higher education. By shutting out low-income students the administration has disregarded the problems this university was founded to address.
O’Brien, a history Ph.D candidate, can be reached via [email protected].
