At a public college, students are not only receiving an education but are also stakeholders. By paying tuition and mandatory fees, we fund the opportunities provided through extracurriculars that mold our college experience.
With that, it is especially troubling that the pool of money provided to student organizations has continued to dwindle, despite the administration reporting an increase in enrollment.
It simply does not add up.
Since the student assembly budget meeting, The Equinox has been inquiring about the decrease in funds allotted to student activities from the mandatory fees paid by each student. With enrollment going up for the 2025-2026 academic year, we would expect the pool of money all student organizations pull from and base their budget requests on would also increase.
The Equinox has met with multiple administrators regarding finances, and we have not been receiving concrete answers. Instead, we are passed from one administrator to another in a cycle of referrals, with no one willing or able to clearly explain where the money has gone or why the pool is smaller.
While we are currently awaiting answers that will hopefully provide greater clarity, we still feel the weeks of searching with no answers found reflect a lack of transparency on the part of college administration.
We believe this lack of transparency is detrimental to Keene State College as a whole. Our administration must be fully transparent with everyone, as we are a public higher education institution, and students deserve to know how their money is being used. If it is not solely to benefit our college experience, where else is it going?
When college administrations fail to communicate openly with students, it fosters an environment of mistrust and frustration. Transparency is especially vital in a public college like Keene State because students are not only active participants in campus life but also financial contributors. Without clear communication, students are left feeling excluded from decisions that directly affect them.
We understand that college budgeting is complex, but transparency is not.
If there are changes to be made with finances, students should be informed and involved in those conversations, especially when the funding in question comes directly from our own pockets.
In a public college, open communication and shared governance are not optional; they are foundational.
As a governing body, student assembly members were responsible for building and upholding the bridge connecting the student body to the administration. In order to make financial decisions fairly and without bias, they must be informed about why there is less money to allocate to student organizations on campus.
When students requested further information from assembly members regarding budgets being cut significantly compared to last year, student assembly was unable to provide an answer. They cannot do their job without the resources for the community they represent.
If we are seeing that enrollment has increased, why are we not seeing it reflected in the pool of money from student fees? It is clear that we are missing a large piece of the puzzle, but we continue to receive little information regarding it. Without definitive answers, we are only left to assume, which does more harm than good.
The discrepancy we are receiving has become frustrating. Keene State should make it a priority to foster a positive relationship with its students. A relationship thrives on trust, and both sides must effectively communicate with one another to function. Students are doing their part by asking questions and demanding answers.
As we wait for answers, The Equinox hopes our administration will do its part and provide complete transparency moving forward.
