Paying for College - The Novel

by Kenneth Szulczyk

  ***

  That night, the Dean held a question-and-answer session with the student body at the Student Union. He planned to discuss the next year’s tuition hike or enhancement, or whatever he called it, if it helps him sleep at night.

  Drew and I came early and sat towards the back near the coffee shop. As we sipped coffee, students swarmed in as a thick, roaring crowd and even blocked our view of the platform.

  I was surprised to see this activity at the student union and searched the area for a beer keg but didn’t see one. I said, “There’s way too many people for this speech. There must be a beer keg hiding around somewhere near here.”

  Drew said, “I don’t think this is a frat party. People are always happy to be drinking beer. Here, everyone looks furious.”

  I felt the electrical charge build in the air as a violent storm of students were forming. “You know, I think this is what a revolution feels like before the mobs turn ugly.”

  The Dean arrived with a contingent of security guards surrounding him. As the Dean approached the platform, the mob heckled and hissed.

  The Dean approached the podium while the security guards spread themselves out in front of the stage. The Dean tapped the mike and then addressed the crowds, “Thank you for coming today. I know you took time out of your busy schedules…”

  Students refused to remain quiet. They kept talking, arguing and jeering that drowned out the Dean’s voice.

  When the Dean paused, the angry crowds became silent and one student screamed, “I can’t afford another tuition hike.”

  Another student shouted, “Greedy bastards.”

  Other students shouted in unison. Oh brothers, for a moment, I felt sorry for the Dean. I couldn’t work for in an employer where almost everyone hated and vilified me.

  I nudged Drew on the arm and pointed towards the exit. “Let’s go. This speech does not look like it’s going anywhere.”

  Drew nodded his head in agreement.

  We headed outside and returned to the dorm room. I just laid back on my bed to write that newspaper article while Drew listened to music. I wrote, wrote, and wrote. Finally, I examined my literary masterpiece – University Admin Hikes Next Year’s Tuition.

  The next morning, brothers, I sprinted to the university newspaper and showed it to David.

  David grabbed that paper and quickly read it. Then he burst into laughter.

  I asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Sorry, Jax. The university will never print that article.”

  “Why? I told the truth. I did not bias the information.”

  “It doesn’t matter. The administration censors the newspaper. They determine which stories are published and which ones are not.”

  “Can’t the newspaper exercise its first amendment rights?”

  “We sure can, but the university finances the newspaper, so we wouldn’t have any funds to publish the paper anymore. Besides, the professors only teach you the Bill of Rights. We don’t follow them. This is purely theoretical.”

  “But the students must know.”

  “I agree.”

  I sighed and just stared at David.

  David continued, “I’ll tell you what. I will put that story on the second page and hide it at the bottom. Then you’ll see what’ll happen.”

  “Fair enough.”

  The next morning, I jumped out of bed and ran downstairs with no shoes. I grabbed a newspaper out of the rack and tore it open.

  My mouth opened wide while I raised my eyebrows. The place where my story should’ve been was replaced with an ad for an Italian restaurant near campus.

  I shouted, “God dammit.”

  I returned to my room and called David.

  After several rings, a groggy voice, “Hello.”

  “Hey David. Guess who?”

  “Ah, I’ve give up.”

  “Jax.”

  “Hey Jax. It’s a little early.”

  “I know, but I saw today’s paper. You were right. The university did not print my article.”

  “I told you so. The university censors the press, and it will never print an article that shows the university in a bad light.”

  “But we must inform the students.”

  “The write another article, but tone it down. Then try again.”

  After class, I went to the library again and rewrote my article. I attempted to craft the prose so I wouldn’t upset the university’s censors.

  _____

  University Considering a Tuition Increase

  Northern Mackinaw University will raise tuition for its popular programs next year. The tuition increase could overshadow past tuition increases.

  Students and the university community were informed of the tuition hike via email. The Board of Trustees regrets the decision to raise tuition and recognizes this will hurt some students. But the university must remain financially sustainable.

  During an open-forum meeting last Wednesday, Dean Tremaine notified students, faculty, and other members of the university of a plan, if approved, would raise tuition about ten percent next year. Many students and attendees were upset as they listened to the Dean’ speech.

  The Dean said the university experienced unusual costs in the past years. Furthermore, declining freshmen enrollment has impacted the university’s sustainability. The administration assures us this will be a one-time increase. The state governor and legislature have already approved the tuition hike and stand behind the leadership of the university.

  The university will aggressively boost its recruitment to raise student enrollment. Enhancing student enrollment would mitigate future tuition increases. Furthermore, the university president will corroborate with other university presidents and work with the governor and legislature to boost future state funding.

  As one student stated during Wednesday’s meeting, “The university cannot continue to raise tuition. It makes it tougher for the low-income students to attend a university.”

  Another student said, “Most students receive some form of financial aid, and the tuition hike will lead to the university’s undoing.”

  The Dean reassured the students. The university will do everything in its power to reduce the burden on the low-income students. The university will contribute more need-based scholarships to help at--risk students. The Dean said, “The university will not sacrifice a single student as it raises it tuition next year.”

  _____

  Brothers, I smiled like I never smiled before when I looked at my article. Now I know how Picasso felt when he put the last brush stroke on his masterpiece. I jogged to the university newspaper and showed it to David.

  David read it. “The story is good, but you may still encounter problems with the admin. But we can try to publish the story again. I’ll place the story on the last page.”

  “Okay. That’s all I ask.”

  I had to wait a week before the next issue of the newspaper came out., but, when that issue came, I jumped out of bed, ran downstairs to the foyer and grabbed a newspaper. I flipped the paper to the last page.

  And low and behold, I saw my story on the last page.

  Brothers, somehow I broadened an already wide smile and began reading my story.

  _____

  University Considering a Slight Tuition Enhancement

  Northern Mackinaw University is studying a slight tuition increase for its popular programs next year. The tuition enhancement will be in line with past tuition increases.

  Students and the university community were informed of the tuition hike via email. The Board of Trustees regrets the decision to raise tuition and recognizes this might compromise some students. But the university must remain financially sustainable.

  During an open-forum meeting last Wednesday, Dean Tremaine notified the students, faculty, and other members of the university of a plan, if approved, would raise tuition about five percent next year. Many students and attendees were excited as they listened to Dean’s Tremaine’s speec
h.

  The Dean said the university experienced unexpected costs in the past years. Furthermore, declining enrollment has impacted the university’s sustainability. The administration assures us this will be a one-time increase. The state governor and legislature have already approved the tuition hike last year and stand behind the leadership of the university.

  The university will aggressively boost its recruiting to raise student enrollment. Enhancing student enrollment would mitigate future tuition increases. Furthermore, the university president will corroborate with other university presidents and work with the governor and legislature to boost future state funding.

  As one student stated during Wednesday’s meeting, “The university cannot continue to raise tuition, but I am glad the university will boost scholarships for the low-income students.”

  Another student said, “Most students receive some form of financial aid. Even though I am not happy about the tuition increase, we must make crucial sacrifices to help the university.”

  The Dean reassured the students. The university will do everything in its power to aid the low-income students. The university will boost funding for need-based scholarships to help the at--risk students. The Dean said, “The university will not sacrifice a single student as it implements its tuition enhancement next year.”

  _____

  A corrosive anger tore through my body like a bullet. I screamed, “God dammit. They changed my story.” Corrupt my words, those bumfiddlers. The admin secretly employed me as their complicit smuck as if I had approved of their tuition hike.

  At that time, we didn’t know Dean Tremaine and the university admin had lied about next year’s tuition hike. The university planned to raise tuition by fifteen percent and not the slight tuition enhancement that they kept calling it. The university played charades to fool the students into accepting the excessively high tuition hike.

  I ran to Dean Tremaine’s Office, stood in front of the secretary’s desk, but she refused to let me see him.

  I pounded on her desk. “I need to see the Dean now.”

  “His schedule is full. Please come back next week.”

  I pounded on the desk again, “Where’s the Dean?”

  “I’ll call camp –“

  The Dean poked his head out the office door, “Jeanine, may I enquire about the disturbance?”

  “This student demands to see you.”

  The Dean gazed at me. Then he opened his office door wide.

  I walked into his office while he sat in his chair. I sat across him.

  He snapped, “Young man, what do you want?”

  I placed the newspaper on his desk. Then I pointed at the story.”

  He glanced at the newspaper. “It’s a news story. It looks like your story if I am not mistaken?”

  “It’s my name, but that’s not my story.”

  “Then why is your name written as the reporter?”

  “Because the story I turned in was changed by someone in the administration.”

  “That is a serious accusation. Who changed it?”

  “Somebody in the administration.”

  “You must identify the person who you say had changed your story? Do you have any proof?”

  I just stared at the Dean. He had me, and by his wide smirk, he knew it. I shook my head back in forth and mumbled, “I don’t believe this.”

  The Dean’s grin widened, “Then I have no authority to request a probe into this matter.”

  I rose to my feet. Brothers, I wanted to punch the Dean square in the nose. Unfortunately, that bastard probably would let me punch him. Then he would expel me from the university, and my college career ends. I would be working as a serf in the fast food industry for the rest of my pathetic life.

  I stormed out of the office.

  The Dean yelled, “Good day, young man.”

  I marched to the university newspaper.

  David was leaning back in his chair with his feet propped on the desk. He was reading an old paperback novel – some detective story.

  He closed the book, slid his feet to the ground and leaned forward on his desk.

  I just looked at him.

  “I told you. The admin does not play fair.”

  “They changed my story.”

  “I know. I saw today’s paper.”

  I frowned.

  “You also have fan mail.”

  “Fan mail?”

  David pointed to the long table. On the end, a paper tray overflowed with thick letters.

  I sat down at the table, pulled the tray closer to me, and started opening and reading the letters. Brothers, I felt so sick. The students blamed me for the tuition hike. I don’t know how many letters I read, but they all shared a common theme – they can’t afford a tuition hike. Many complained they already work long hours at their jobs and have little time for classes and studying. Several letters moaned about the idiots in the financial aid office. Blah, blah, blah.

  David asked, “So how does it look?”

  “It seems the students are blaming me for the tuition hike.”

  “It looks like the university set you up and made you an unsuspecting accomplice in their propaganda machine.”

  I noticed many students included their email addresses and social media contacts.

  I held one letter up and pointed at an email address. “At least we can contact the students via directly.”

  “So how does that help us?”

  Then thoughts swept through my mind. “I don’t know. Maybe we can create a mailing list.”

  “I like your thinking. Perhaps we can establish an underground newspaper. Then we can email the students directly, thus circumventing the university’s censors.”

  “That’s a great idea.”

  “As an employee of the university and director of this newspaper, I cannot officially help you with your development.” Then David held an open hand near his mouth and whispered, “But I know people who can offer assistance.”

  I nodded my head in agreement. Then I continued reading my fan mail and added their email and Facebook contacts to my phone. I knew a brutal battle was simmering between the university and me. The university doesn’t know who it’s messing with.