The Arizona Students’ Association is holding its 34th annual Lobby Day at the Arizona Capitol Wednesday where students from around the state will have the chance to lobby lawmakers on a variety of issues, including a recent proposal from the governor to cut additional state funding for higher education.
Students in attendance will be able to talk directly with approximately 60 legislatures about issues they feel are important, but it is expected that most of the day will focus lobbying efforts against the proposed budget cuts Gov. Jan Brewer announced on Jan. 14.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to be the students’ voice down at the legislature,” said Ashley Wilcox, Northern Arizona University’s organizer with ASA.
Arizona college students have faced a 63 percent increase in tuition over the past three years, according to the ASA’s website, and due to budget cuts since fiscal year 2008, there has been a 46 percent drop in state funding per student, according to the Arizona Board of Regents.
“We clearly understand the harsh realities of the state’s fiscal situation and appreciate that none of the choices are easy ones,” said Anne Mariucci, Arizona Board of Regents chairman, in a press release. “But make no mistake about it, this latest cut will have a serious impact on University operations, facilities, staff and offerings.”
ASASUD Freshman Sen. Daiyaan Colbert announced the formation of “ASASUD Against Cuts to Higher Education” at the last ASASUD Senate meeting. This initiative will try to combat the proposed cuts through educating students about the cuts, talking directly with lawmakers and lobbying the legislature to reconsider the cuts.
“This is a prime opportunity to show students that we are here for them and they are our first priority,” Colbert said.
The initiative presented to the senate calls for the creation of a website, which Colbert hopes will be launched today, scheduled meetings with the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and forming committees in ASASUD to better decide how to stand against the budget cuts.
“Everyone can really rally around this … no one wants to see tuition increases, no one wants to see budget cuts,” Colbert said. “We can’t fail, we can’t. We need to succeed.”
Several officials from ASASUD will be at Lobby Day, Colbert said.
Northern Arizona University is bussing approximately 25 students to the event and the University of Arizona is also expected to have students attending.
Any students interested in lobbying can attend the 6-hour event, which begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until approximately 3:30 p.m. Lobby Day will include basic lobbying training, two lobbying sessions and observations of senate and house floor meetings as well as committee meetings.
Brewer is expected to make an appearance at the capitol during the event’s luncheon, scheduled from noon to 1 p.m.
“It’s going to take a Herculean effort to get these cuts off the table,” Colbert said.
Contact the reporter at connor.radnovich@asu.edu
