I was at Flow in Hamra on Monday night when I overheard an AUB student urging another AUB student not to attend classes on Wednesday, in protest of the rise in tuition fees planned for fall semester of this year.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I understood, there used to be this rule at AUB called the 12 credit rule. And under this rule, a student at AUB would pay the same tuition whether or not they took 12 credits (a full time course load), or 18 credits (an uber full time course load).
I sat there in amazement as I listed to conversation, having paid for every single credit I took in University..I then turned to the AUB students and said, “I understand how this could be upsetting, but you guys do understand that everywhere else in the world, you have to pay for every single credit you take at University, right?”
To which they replied to me, “Yeah, we know, but still! There are millions of dollars in donations pouring into AUB from former AUB alumni and successful businesses. Entire buildings and schools are named after these people to commemorate their donations. So WHY do they need to increase our tuition rate, as if AUB isn’t expensive enough? AUB can’t even tell us where our money will be going!”
They have a point. At least when my university raised tuition fees, they gave us a very detailed justification. It’s the least that AUB can do.
I had no idea that the protest would result in this (see below), a week before finals at AUB!
Empty classrooms at AUB..photo credit: Mind Soup blog http://www.moudz.blogspot.com
and this…
American University of Beirut is now American University of Bourgeoisie! photo credit: Farfahinne http://www.farfahinne.blogspot.com
Learn more about the tuition protest at AUB by visiting Mind Soup’s blog and Farfahinne’s blog.
AUB students are refusing to attend class until the tuition increase is revoked. I wonder what this means for their final grades.
What is your opinion about the protests at AUB, do you think they’re justified?
