The Young Conservatives of Texas sent a letter to University of Texas Regents Chairman Gene Powell proposing a new rule that would require open meetings on tuition discussion and to throw out any recommendations already made in closed meetings.

Tony McDonald, senior vice chairman of Young Conservatives of Texas, described current input from students as “an orchestrated charade” in a recent press release.

University tuition was deregulated by the state in 2003. This prompted the creation of the Tuition Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC), a committee that makes tuition recommendations to the university President. The committee consists of nine members, four being current students.

“We are coming from a point of transparency, “said UT Young Conservative of Texas Executive Director Michael Janusa, “We want the tuition meetings to be open so that we can know the reasoning behind [decisions] and people can have a voice.”

One of the critiques made by the Young Conservative of Texas was TPAC violated the spirit of the Hughes amendment, an amendment passed in 2011 that requires student fee advisory committee meetings to be public.

“We shouldn’t have to tell them that it is important to talk about tuition in public,” said McDonald. Holding the meetings in private does not directly violate the Hughes amendment; however, McDonald argues that since UT combines tuition with fees into a flat-rate bill, the meetings should be open.

“Tuition is a critical issue that students should follow because it has a huge impact on both their financial status and the quality of education they receive,” said Huey Fischer, President of University Democrats. Fischer also said that although University Democrats opposes the Young Conservative of Texas’ “anti-Higher Education stance” they would support more transparency in the tuition setting process.

“This year was the most open the process has been,” said Student Government President Natalie Butler, who serves as a representative on TPAC. According to Butler, College Tuition Budget Advisory Committees (CTBACs) were formed, where several student representatives could work with the deans of their respective colleges and provide input to TPAC. Butler did recognize that although major steps were taken in transparency she still sees room for improvement.

“I believe that our TPAC process is very open, very transparent, and it incorporates a wide net for input from students as well as the general public,” said Kevin Hegarty, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of UT. Hegarty also served as one of the co-chairs of TPAC.

According to Hegarty the TPAC is a body with four student representatives. Three student members are from elected student governing bodies and one at-large student. “We can’t imagine how much more representative we might be,” Hegarty said.

Despite attempts from The Daily Texan reporters to be granted access to the closed TPAC meetings, the board decided to remain private in their discussions regarding tuition. “We think that the dynamics begin to change and people become less comfortable speaking candidly when you open it to broader and broader constituencies,” Hegarty said. He also added that a reporter from The Daily Texan was allowed to enter during the last 10 minutes of the meeting and ask questions.

In response to the claim in the Young Conservative of Texas press release that student involvement is, “…merely an orchestrated charade designed to encourage gullible student government officials to back huge spending and tuition increases,” Hegarty thought it was insulting to student leaders. “These are some of the most vocal, strongest willed student of the student body. They are not shy about speaking their minds or asking for information they need to make a decision.”

Hegarty urged students to get more involved by going to their CTBACs and advocating on a college level. “CTBACs are a very strong mechanism for influencing what the TPAC and the President might make in terms of a recommendation to the Regents.”

According to Janusa and McDonald, The Young Conservatives of Texas pledge to seek help from legislators next session if the Board of Regents does not adopt their proposed rule requiring open TPAC meetings.