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Record-amount of students to lobby
 Media Credit: Blair Schlichte/Assistant Visuals Editor Shahjehan Ganny
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Many students and educators are up in arms over the proposed cutbacks in education funding. Not least amongst them are students at SCSU where tuition is set to go up 13 percent next year.
Coupled with the 10 percent increase in tuition fees for the present academic year, the significant increase has made this year's Student Lobby Day take on added importance.
As with last year, students from universities and colleges around Minnesota will be able to voice their opinions outside the State Capitol Building. The event Wednesday is being organized by the Minnesota State University Student Association and Minnesota State College Student Association.
Last year, a record number of 58 SCSU students travelled to the Twin Cities for Lobby Day. They joined several thousand other students from Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system member institutions and the University of Minnesota.
This year, the number of SCSU students at the state capital is set to break the record again.
Gordie Loewen, MSUSA campus representative for SCSU, said 95 students had signed up so far to make the trip to St. Paul for Lobby Day. SCSU's Student Government is providing transportation to the Twin Cities and its members will be giving participants tips on how to lobby effectively during the ride.
"A press conference will be held at 10 a.m.," Loewen said. " And there will be a big protest walk from St. Paul Technical College to the State Capitol Building at 1 p.m."
Shahjehan Ganny, SCSU Student Government president, said it was "incredibly important" that students add their voices to the call for an end to declining funding for education.
"Tuition will be going up 13 percent (next year)," he said. "We need to stop that trend."
Ganny said the essence of Lobby Day was to go out and show state legislators that a decrease in education funding was not acceptable.
"We need to show them that here is a bunch of people who are hurting," he said. "We need to show them that students do have a voice and can be active."
Students who want to participate in Lobby Day, but are concerned about being docked by their professors for missing classes, should not worry. Student Government members sent out a letter to faculty members requesting that students who will be lobbying be excused from their classes.
"If they (faculty members) need documents, we will provide them," Loewen said.
And it is for this reason that students need to sign up with Student Government if they are interested in going. The sign-up sheets are also important as it asks participants to list their hometown so that Student Government members can make appointments with their corresponding legislators.
At the capital, MSUSA members will be handing out "hot sheets" that have current issue information for students speaking with legislators. Students can meet with legislators for 15 minutes at a time until the march begins.
Participating in Lobby Day can also earn students extra credit from some professors and volunteer hours.
Many of SCSU's faculty and staff have encouraged students to attend Lobby Day. This includes President Roy Saigo, who in a letter to the editor of University Chronicle, encouraged all members of the campus community to speak with their respective state representatives.
"For students, an ideal way of doing this is to take part in Student Lobby Day," Saigo said. "This year, our state lawmakers are facing an economic downturn as well as upcoming elections, and they will be listening more than ever to constituents as they consider how to make up for a projected $2 billion revenue shortfall.
"A good turnout on Lobby Day could have a significant impact on their decisions, since legislators are well-aware that students are the future of Minnesota. They also realize that a well educated workforce is the key to a steady economy in the future."
Saigo said state legislators should listen to students before making decisions that could lead to cuts in financial aid and further increases in tuition.
Those intending to participate in Lobby Day should sign up with Student Government at its office in Atwood Memorial Center. All those attending will meet in Atwood at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday and transportation is expected to leave at 8 a.m. Transportation back to SCSU will leave the state capital at about 3:30 p.m.
Leslie Andres can be reached at: [email protected]
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