As a student of Eastern Oregon University, I am upset by the oppressive costs of my education. The responsibility of affording classes, books, and housing weighs heavily on me, amounting to thousands of dollars each semester. But the financial burdens do not stop there. The university also charges for renovations being done to school property without my knowledge or consent, along with hidden fees that one can only discover by digging deep into the system—neither of which I was ever informed about.

But I am not alone. Many students across campus share my plight; each of us struggling under the financial pressures of undisclosed fees and continually rising costs for their personal projects. This is a widespread issue that harms the entire student body.

According to a 2020 report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, the cost of attending public four-year institutions nationwide increased by 31% between 2008 and 2020 (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 2020). Meanwhile, resources that could be used to help students afford these growing expenses are being funneled into projects that the students had no say in.

It is time for Eastern Oregon University to stop imposing unsuspecting students with charges that further inflate their already substantial educational costs. Students have a right to transparency from their institution in terms of knowing beforehand the charges and changes that they are expected to settle. 

So, I urge each of you, fellow students and allies of education, to join me in calling on Eastern Oregon University to stop overcharging students for personal projects, cease underdisclosed renovation charges, and end the practice of hidden fees that only serve to economically disenfranchise the very students they are in place to serve.

Please, sign this petition and demand fairness and transparency in fee structures and charges at Eastern Oregon University, and I employ you to look at your itemized bill yourself do you see how the institutions financial decisions are affecting your personal finances.