Rumors abounded about why. Some described a mystical equation that included the time it takes to traverse campus multiplied by the wind chill to the third power, and whether or not someone who had to make the figurative hike from one corner of campus to the other would make it without turning into an ice cube.

Others said UW-La Crosse would only cancel if local UW-System schools did. Today that was true.

Compared with snowstorms in years past, last night’s accumulation does not set records, but when the University is scraping by to stay financially solvent, a snow day effectively becomes another de jure furlough day.

In the face of a foot of snow and incompetent drivers, forgoing a little chunk of change may be worth it.

I hadn’t been sure what encouraged the view, but it might be because students so freely vote themselves higher tuition fees.

There was little dissent from Student Senate or students in fall 2007 when the Board of Regents approved the measure. That same year, students voted themselves an extra $7 segregated fee to institute the Green Fund, and allowed a chunk of money that was intended to fund a strength and fitness center adjacent to the new stadium to pay for the stadium itself. Last month students also thought it would be a good idea to pump even more cash into Academic Initiatives. No wonder presidents of other schools salivate over our student body’s open pockets.

Now consider that students at UW-Eau Claire overwhelmingly voted against a proposed $1,5o0 tuition hike Thursday. Seventy percent oppose the “Blugold Commitment,” which would phase in the higher tuition over the next four years, much like the Growth, Quality, and Access plan approved in 2007 at UW-L. On Tuesday, UW-EC’s student government will vote on a resolution that supports the proposed fee hike, which will und0ubtedly fail. Read the UW-EC Spectator’s coverage here.

Meanwhile, students at UW-Superior face a $211 increase over the next year if a similar referendum is approved by students this week. Part of that fee hike would fund “Inclusive Advocacy,” their version of UW-L’s Academic Initiatives. The UW-S Stinger has the story.

UW-River Falls voted approved a $36-per-semester increase in 2007, chump change compared to the $120 segregated fee students pay for AI.

This isn’t a complaint for having to pay for services used; indeed the value of a public education probably surpasses the $25,000+ it costs to get a Bachelor’s degree. The issue is students’ willingness to say “hell, why not?” to an extra couple of bucks every year for services that aren’t crucial to the university’s survival.

If it’s not because students here value money less than those on other campuses, it must be something in the water. Let’s get that checked out.

-Nik

The request was forwarded to the Office of Administration and Finance, which traditionally handles such inquiries.

This will be my own private sounding board, a forum to hype up all the fun new things our publication is doing, and the place to distribute official statements.

If you’ve got any thoughts or comments, drop me a line, nnelson@theracquet.net.

-Nik Nelson, Editor in Chief