University students turn out to protest budget cuts

by Jim Cross/KTAR (January 28th, 2009 @ 12:34pm)

Policy >>

Comments:9

Thousands of university students descended on the state Capitol Wednesday to protest suggested budget cuts and tuition increases.

Twenty-six buses from the University of Arizona arrived about 11 a.m., and students went right to work making noise.

"It's just ridiculous. I can never finish college," said Nicole West, who attends Arizona State University.

Her fellow ASU student, Allison Chudy, chimed in: "This is ridiculous that our tuition is going to go up so much. One-thousand person classrooms, and all of the teachers that are going to get fired."

Chudy added, "My parents are always telling me the college fund's running out and this is ridiculous."

Northern Arizona University student Tim Wienand said students from all three state universities "need to come together."

"It's what we've got to do," Wienand said. "We've got to stand up for ourselves, we've got to stand up."

The president of the Arizona Board of Regents, Fred Boice, and ASU President Michael Crow joined the students and asked for their help in struggling through the loss of millions of dollars in the current recession.

Crow said the nation is in crisis and that students need to hunker down.

"We need you to help us weather this storm," Crow said. "We need the universities to stay focused on the students. We need you to fiscally work with us to work our way through this dynamic situation at the moment."

Some state lawmakers want to return universities to 1989 funding levels, wiping out two decades of progress, Crow said.

Crow and the students say they should not have to pick up the check for fixing state budget deficits estimated at $1.6 billion this fiscal year and as much as $3 billion in fiscal 2010.

"I just don't think it's right that they're going to take the money from education," said one Arizona State University student before the rally.

Another said state lawmakers "should find a way to take care of it themselves and fix their errors rather than taking from the community, which is the students."

Budget options include cutting some $600 million from ASU, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University budgets over the next 18 months. University presidents and the state Board of Regents said Tuesday that the university system could absorb $100 million in budget cuts, but no more.

Erin Allsop from ASU said lawmakers need to understand the students' view.

"We're the future, and without school and without us, what is the future going to hold?" Allsop said. She said students hope "to help them understand that this is a serious issue."

She suggested other ways to reduce costs besides slashing budgets and raising tuition.

"Maybe close down the MU (Memorial Union), save some money for power and stuff like that," she said. "I know that's not an ideal thing to do, but you have to cut somewhere."

One student said, "We already pay a wicked amount of money to go here, from out of state and stuff."

Another said tuition is "pretty expensive, especially for out-of-state, compared with other schools."

Last 4 Comments

• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Okay I'll b the bad guy here.

  Jgmilly

  I think it's good that the students are standing up and protesting. Everyone has brought forth the salary argument, which is good. Salary cuts could be made. But for people who agree with Jshope and think schools can charge students anything they want are crazy. Just think about your college days and how many phone calls home you made to get more money from mom and dad. Think about the endless crates of ramon noodles you consumed during your stay at the dorms. Think about how tight the economy is right now, and then present your case again. It sounds stupid to say the schools can charge what they want for whatever they want and its all the students responsibility. I tried taking an extra law class just for fun but couldn't because that one class they charged me 3,500 hundred for. Then when I told them I would rather not pay that much and I'll go to a different school at a differnt time they tell me I still owe a balance of 45 dollars for sitting down with a councilor and asking questions~! Thats crazy. I'm writing my picket sign right now.

  724
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  It's a shame that...

  trahe

  It's a shame that students are protesting from such a weak foundation and incorrect information fed to them by the Board of Regents who want to retain their salaries and status.

  687
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Short Sighted University Funding Cuts

  grainofsand

  I remember attending a California university in the early 1970's. Ronald Reagan was governor. A lot was happening then, including student protests against the Vietnam War and civil rights. An incensed Ronald Reagan called these idealistic students communists, then proceeded to cut university funding by 10 percent. However the California legislature did not approve the proposed draconian cuts. In hindsight we see many new technologies were promoted and developed by some of these 1970s students, many out of California. We have the personal computer, cell phone, GAPS, internet, and new pharmaceuticals and medical instruments. These technologies helped grow our economy and make the United States a nation of prominence and envy. We will never know the scientific and economic impacts had Reagan succeeded on his draconian university cuts. In an ironic twist, these targeted universities may have educated the very students who later helped President Reagan in his Star Wars military program. Reagan thought, if you want a world class university system, let the students pay for it! University funding is an investment. Who knows, the next cancer cure, a life saving drug, or a technology breakthrough may come from an Arizona University.

  675
• 0 Reply Abuse Vote

  Who Pays?

  Jshope

  If the students don't want to pick up the check, and the taxpayers cannot, then programs and discretionary spending MUST BE CUT! The audacity of students telling taxpayers that we must supplement their education is galling.

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