Oakland University’s recent joyous announcement of increased enrollment has some of us rolling our eyes.

 

One thing we’ll say about the university’s media relations team is that they are darn good at their jobs. In the press release revealing a 4.1 percent enrollment increase for the fall semester 2009, emphasis and praise was placed on the record growth (read article on page 7 of the campus section).

 

When reading a well-written press release, this does seem like nothing but good news. The general fund budget of the university was balanced with the 9 percent tuition increase this fall, and among other things, an across-the-board salary freeze. And the budget counted on the increased revenue that would come with a projected 1 percent more students paying tuition. 

 

More students means more revenue. Revenue is always good. 

 

What raises our eyebrows about all this extra cash flow is that we can’t get any information as to where it’s going to go. And by our calculations, there’s a lot of it to be concerned about. 

 

By no means are we here at The Oakland Post economists, master budgeters or mathematicians. But we worked some of the figures provided to the board of trustees on tuition rates, the financial aid plan, the enrollment growth numbers released — all found on oakland.edu — and did some basic algebra. 

 

We found that the actual tuition revenue for this year will be roughly $185 million, well over the projected $172 million with the originally proposed 11 percent undergraduate tuition increase and projected 1 percent enrollment increase. 

 

Subtract the nearly $4.7 million in estimated financial aid through the freshmen guarantee, and the net revenue is at about $180.3 million. That’s about $8 million more than what was hoped for with the larger tuition hike and a smaller student body increase. It’s about $11 million more than expected with the actual 9 percent tuition increase and the record enrollment.

 

We realize that we shouldn’t jump the gun on account that state funding is still undecided. OU’s budget was passed with the assumption the state will cut 3 percent of its funding. And OU officials are concerned about additional cuts. 

 

But from what we know, there has been no talk in Lansing about reducing our funding by a double digit percentage, which is what would have to happen for OU to not have a surplus in these circumstances.

 

We’re disappointed that there has been no open communication about what a likely surplus could mean for OU, its students, staff and faculty. It seems unlikely that the administration hasn’t at least thought of what they might do with any extra funds. Will it go back to the students? Reinvested in the university? Spent frivolously? 

 

If you ask us, we vote for raises for those who deserve it, like the OU police department and, heck, even the media relations department. 

 

Just as long as it’s not spent on another useless SAIL emblem in front of the Oakland Center that looks like a glorified helicopter landing pad. 

 

Where would you like to see any extra funds go? It appears the administration is open for suggestions.