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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS • FOUNDED 1922 • INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA VOL.
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APRIL 24, 2024
reflector.uindy.edu
UIndy raises tuition costs for 2024-25 year
goes towards financial aid for students, and that financial aid is the biggest ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR expense item in the university’s budget. Graycarek said for the 2023-24 year, it is expected that roughly $61 million The cost of full-time undergraduate dollars of the total budget will be spent tuition, meal plans and standard room on financial aid and that the overall cost rates will all increase at the University of of tuition for undergraduate students Indianapolis for the forthcoming 2024will be $35,448. He added, however, that 25 academic year, according to an email most students will end up paying much sent to all students from the Office of less than this. the President on March 18. Graycarek said higher or lower tuition Beginning in Fall 2024,the university’s does not translate to a better or worse Board of Trustees approved a plan to college experience. According to their increase the standard room rate by $128 websites, local private rival colleges from $6,564, according to the email. The such as Marian, Butler and DePauw all 14-meal plan will increase by $180 from charge tuition prices higher than UIndy. $6,160 annually, full-time undergraduate Marian University tuition will increase will charge $40,664 by $1,032 to $35,488 for the 2024-25 and university fees I think the experience a c a d e m i c y e a r, will increase by $32 to $1,752 annually, UIndy gives students at that Butler will charge $46,570 and according to the price is pretty phenomenal.” DePauw will charge email. $57,990 per year, According to according to the Executive V ice universities’ respective websites. President of Finance and Administration “We didn't, as an institution, feel Rick Graycarek, this constitutes roughly a 3% increase in costs across the board. like we were pricing ourselves out of the market,” Graycarek said. “... I think the Graycarek said the Board of Trustees experience the university gives to students decided a 3% raise in costs would be a at that price point is pretty phenomenal.” minimal increase to help cover the cost Graycarek said he encourages any of managing operations at the university. student who is struggling financially to “We have to figure out how we manage the operation of the university, seek assistance provided through the Financial Aid Office and Student Success which has rising costs, and do it in a way Office. Advice is also available at the that is entirely mindful of the primary Student Counseling Center. population that we're serving, which “It's really, really important for you, is students and figuring out what's the as a student, all of our students and the balance,” Graycarek said. “It is a lot of university, that when you leave here, you money, and I'm not saying it's immaterial leave with a degree in hand,” Graycarek because $1,000 [the raise in tuition] is a said. “Because that's the value right? lot of money for students to bear.” That's why you're here … we want you Graycarek said the majority of revenue to be successful here and beyond.” generated from tuition and other costs
By Brid Peoples
Graphic by Breanna Emmett
SGA collaborates with dining hall staff SGA begins working with dining hall in order to meet student needs, wants and improve sustainability By Olivia Pastrick
MANAGING EDITOR & NEWS EDITOR The University of Indianapolis Student Government Association has recently begun a partnership with UIndy Dining. According to SGA Dining Representative and sophomore exercise major Jona Hogle, the goal of this collaboration is to improve the quality of the service at UIndy Dining and make students feel that they have a sense of home on campus. Hogle said he personally reached out to Executive Chef Taylor Hignite about things he wanted to see changed or ways in which UIndy Dining could meet his food accommodation needs. After that, SGA invited Hogle to volunteer and work with them in order to build a true collaboration. “Aside from myself, [SGA] was working on food sustainabilit y proposals and working with UIndy Dining to make sure that we could limit food waste, and we could try and find a way to redistribute food waste or food that would be wasted to people around Indianapolis who could be in need or food banks or food rescues and so on,” Hogle said. Hogle said SGA and UIndy Dining have been working with an organization called Second Helpings, an Indianapolis-based hunger relief organization, to learn more about what UIndy can do to help with food insecurity and food redistribution.
While UIndy Dining oversees the bulk of this transaction with Second Helpings, Hogle said students can always reach out to SGA if they would like to volunteer to help. “At the end of the day, if we have extra food that we didn't use, that is still in perfect condition, or say, food that can be repurposed, they [Second Helpings] will come maybe once or twice a week … and we will package the food in cases and in boxes which they will pick up and they can take back to either give out to people who need,” Hogle said. Resident District Manager Amy Dugan said UIndy Dining has worked to tackle the food insecurity issue in Indianapolis before, but that it was stifled during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Dugan, now that SGA has stepped in to help tackle this issue with UIndy Dining, they want to continue this project. Hogle said SGA has been working throughout the year to build connections on campus with entities like UIndy Dining. He said in addition to working on sustainability proposals, SGA has also been working with UIndy Dining to extend the hours and provide better options for students. Hogle said that if, for example, a student does not get out of class or practice until after the dining hall is closed, their only option would be Streets Grill. Hogle said he hopes with extended dining hall hours will come more opportunities for students to eat
INSIDE: OPINION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2, 3 SPORTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4, 5 FEATURE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ENTERTAINMENT . . . . . . . . . 7 NEWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
balanced, healthy meals consistently. “I know students who have class late at night from 6-8:50 [p.m.], they come back and all they can eat is chicken nuggets and fries,” Hogle said. “If we have to do that every single day of the week, it's not very nice. So extending the dining hall hours is a big priority so that student-athletes on campus
can have more of an option. We can build healthier eating habits, and a great sense of community to come out and eat late at night, rather than stopping at seven.” Dugan said UIndy Dining has always wanted a strong relationship with student government as well as the student body. She said by working
with SGA, she hopes they will be able to bridge the communication gap between students and their wants and needs and connect them to UIndy Dining in order to create change. “We’ve always had a relationship with the student government,” Dugan said. “I think that this year it became > See Dining on Page 8
Photo by Allison Cook
SGA Dining Hall Representative and sophomore exercise science major Jona Hogle presents plans addressing dining operations on campus with Executive Chef Taylor Hignite, Director of Operations Philip Zernia and Resident District Manager Amy Dugan.
2024 SENIOR SEND-OFFS
GREYHOUND RETURNS AS COACH
A THIRST FOR SUCCESS
Graduating editorial staff of The Reflector bid farewell to UIndy and the newsroom. Check out Pages 2 and 3 to read their goodbyes!
There is a new hound in town! Men’s basketball names UIndy alum Scott Heady as next head coach of the program. Read more on Page 4.
UIndy student sells lemonades, teas and more through his business, Chris’s Yummynade. Flip to Page 6 to read more about his journey!
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