Members of MSU’s undergraduate student government are right to throw their hats in the ring to lobby for adequate levels of state funding.

ASMSU’s Academic Assembly approved a resolution Tuesday to lobby for increased state appropriations and against a proposed tuition increase cap. Assembly members plan to begin their efforts at the Capitol after the release of Gov. John Engler’s budget, expected by Feb. 7.

The state’s 15 public universities could have a 1, 3 or 5 percent decrease in state funding, said state Sen. John Schwarz, R-Battle Creek, and chairman of the Senate Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

Last year, a 1.5 percent funding increase from the state was met with 8.9 percent tuition increase at MSU.

We hope assembly members do a serious job representing students’ interests with state lawmakers by rolling up their sleeves, putting up a worthy fight and forgetting about personal ambitions that may cause some to prefer networking with politicians.

The representatives should do all they can to ensure tuition can be kept as affordable as possible while maintaining the prospects for a quality education.

ASMSU is on the right track by lobbying for more money from the state. It is members’ duty to look out for the interest of fellow students.

They’re also right to lobby against a proposed constitutional amendment to limit tuition increases to 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Such a proposal is dangerous to the quality of education, especially in times when the state is not keeping its funding increases at the rate of inflation.

This semester, while students charge shoes, CDs and other nonessentials, they should keep in mind the tuition hike that may await them in the fall.

Remember that while some could care less about tuition rates, the future of others may depend on them.

The MSU community should do all it can to encourage ASMSU and support it as members begin their lobbying effort and set out to prove students can create change.