The Student Government Association is pushing legislation through the Senate to propose, at the very most, a 2 percent tuition hike for the 2004-05 budget.

The question on the students’ minds should be: what about no increase at all?

Northeastern is a tuition-based university, which means it relies, almost solely, on tuition revenue to stay afloat. In President Richard Freeland’s State of the University Address this year, he highlighted this fact by informing the audience that, over the past five years, tuition has been raised between 25 and 30 percent. This means that the typical senior’s tuition has been raised 30 percent since he or she started at Northeastern freshman year. Read that again.

Think of the average student, or, think of yourself. Have your parents’ salaries been raised 30 percent over the last five years? Has the economy of this country improved at this staggering percentage? The answer is no, and in some cases, it is quite the opposite.

Last year when it was announced that the university was considering a 5.5 percent tuition increase for the 2003-04 budget, SGA balked at the proposed figures. Earlier in the semester, SGA President Michael Romano said he would “ensure that there are little or no increases in tuition.”

Well, 2 percent is an increase. Why has SGA started the bidding when the auction has not even begun? Students should be wary. If SGA offers 2 percent, who is to say that the university will not increase NU’s ticket price 3 or 4 percent as a counter-proposal?

Look at the university’s track record with tuition — what happened to the funds raked in from the 30 percent increase over the past five years? Is this a question of inadequate funds, or inefficient spending on the university’s part? There seem to be more questions than answers, and when dealing with money — the students money — that can be dangerous.

Most importantly, where is the fervor for this topic which has become increasingly troubling over the years?

Some may question how much clout SGA really has on this topic. Sure, SGA is essentially, “the voice of the students,” but aren’t we still just seen as children, or perhaps customers, to the administration?

If the university claims to run itself as a business, then it needs to focus more on customer service. The students are Northeastern’s customers and without them, the institution would not survive. Administrators must keep in mind that students should not and will not tolerate unsubstantiated increases year after year. If the increases continue, students will leave. This is SGA’s opportunity to advocate for students and their needs on a very important, if not the most important issue.

A phrase that is repeated over and over at this school is student-centeredness. The center students lies with our student leaders. Perhaps they should attempt to achieve the unimaginable instead of backing down.

Hear it again, 30 percent. Where would you start?