As if tuition wasn’t high enough already, Bucknell recently raised it to over $80,000! Instead of becoming enraged at the University for charging students more in one year than many schools do in four, perhaps students should think about the multitude of reasons why Bucknell could use the extra cash.

For one, the recent uptick in tuition can largely be attributed to the growing popularity of Cafsgiving in recent years. Bostwick will completely run out of food next Cafsgiving if the tuition doesn’t rise. If you don’t believe me, then go look at Bucknell’s Cafsgiving post on Instagram. Students literally waited outside the caf five hours before the event even started; it was like Black Friday but instead of clothing and flatscreen TVs, it was turkey and mashed potatoes that were sought after.

Also, the student body needs to be aware of how expensive those blue and orange Adirondack chairs are. Bucknell recently purchased a new shipment of them and they’re certainly not cheap. They must be in pretty high demand, too. If you’ve ever seen a stolen Adirondack chair in an eight-foot-wide dorm room like I have, you would know exactly what I’m talking about.

The last and perhaps most important reason for the increase in tuition is to pay for the salary of Bucknell’s janitors. You may be wondering, is the salary of a janitor seriously worth a $5,000 bump in tuition? The answer is yes, and here’s why. 

Each week, an average of 25 Exit signs are ripped down from Bucknell’s ceilings. Every custodian employed at Bucknell threatened to go on strike if they were not given a $20,000 bonus. After falling from their ladders and risking injury because of a select few drunk students, they decided they had had enough. Muhnee Hurt, who recently fell from his ladder and fractured his kneecap repairing a sign, shared his opinion on his injury: “Though I will never walk again, at least I’ll never have to repair another Exit sign.”

So the next time you get angry at Bucknell for the increase in tuition, think about all the various ways Bucknell has to distribute their money. Think of Bucknell without the Adirondack chairs to lounge in on a sunny September afternoon. Think of Bucknell without Cafsgiving – the only holiday when it is socially acceptable to gain five pounds in one night. And lastly, think of Bucknell without Exit signs. Without them, would students even know how to leave their own dorms?

We wouldn’t survive without these assets on Bucknell’s campus. So, instead of resenting Bucknell for the tuition increase, perhaps we should take a moment to be thankful for President Bravman’s decision.