I expressed some concern and displeasure about the overall size of the finish-out and the budget.

None of us like to raise tuition rates. But public funding on a per-student, inflation-adjusted basis has continually declined over the past 15 years.

It's time for us to get serious about it.

We know that we have a big responsibility to the parents, to the students, and to the public taxpayers to make sure that our students are having the opportunity to graduate in a timely fashion.

If we have to look at new revenues, so be it. The fact is, higher education in general doesn't have a lot of advocates out there pounding on the table. We have to do a better job. But getting people to get out and advocate and stand up and take some hits and confront maybe some of their friends — it's hard to do sometimes.

It is always difficult. At what level do you accept anecdotal evidence? We have enough that it's a concern for us.