When it comes to issues involving money, all we ask for is transparency. Being inexpensive is great, but we’re reasonable and realistic, so we’ll settle for transparency.

It’s possible tuition might increase approximately 3 percent to meet inflation. The increase would mean undergraduate students would pay $8 more per credit hour. Resident students would be paying $261.60 per credit hour and non-resident students would be paying $708.70 per credit hour.

It’s frustrating to have to pay more money, but it’s even more frustrating when students enter as freshman expecting to pay a certain price only to watch that price increase.

Missouri should consider pushing the grandfather clause, which would guarantee students who enter the university, after agreeing to pay a certain amount, would graduate from the university paying the same amount. Tuition could increase, but only for incoming freshman.

Although the last thing we want to do is pay more money, we understand it is necessary for the university to find the funding it needs to function, but we want to know why exactly we have to pay more money and what the money will go toward.

The increase is a result of both inflation and cuts in state funding. Inflation we understand, but the cuts in state funding we don’t. Governor Jay Nixon said that college affordability is a top priority, but he doesn’t seem to be putting his words into action.

Nixon said if schools froze tuition rates he would increase funding to those schools, but it never came. In fact, the state cut university support by 8.1 percent when MU increased tuition beyond the inflation rate last year.

This is confusing given Nixon’s goal of increasing Missouri college-degree holders by 25 percent by 2020, a goal made more difficult if the cost of college is increasing.

So the university is being punished for doing what was asked of it, and students are paying for it — literally.

If students are paying for it, students should see the benefits. We ask that the money be put to good use, that professors who deserve raises get raises, and that the buildings that need renovation get that work done. We understand budgeting is a difficult task, and we’re not asking for a miracle, just a better job.