Roughly $2.1 billion a week is spent to fight the war in Iraq.
President Bush proposed about the same amount in cuts to education funding, which includes higher education, during this year's State of the Union speech. This proposal is one of the largest cuts ever made in education funding.
Despite 11 straight years of increased enrollment in universities around the state, more than $300 million over the past five years has been cut in higher education funding. Thirty years ago, universities relied heavily on state funding, which made for lower tuition costs. Recent federal and state budget cuts have caused tuition costs to skyrocket as universities lean heavily on tuition dollars, forcing students and their parents to dig deeper into their wallets.
ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, proposed four initiatives in January to help students communicate with lawmakers about college expenses. The money to fund this project comes directly out of ASMSU's budget. Finances are currently available for one initiative.
What a student says:
"Our voting block is the most under-represented and unheard group. The legislation that passes affects us more, and our age group chooses not to care. We should be the ones that care the most."
Joe Zichi, political theory junior
What an expert says:
"State general funds are now at the 1998 level. That means in 1998 they had more money to spend in the total budget than they do today. That's kind of scary, in terms of a growing demand in higher education. You get more students coming in and less state dollars coming in. Guess what goes up? Tuition."
Michael Boulus, executive director of Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan
What lawmakers say:
"We've got to stand up and fight back. I really think this is about fighting for our way of life, and we're not going to have the future we want if people are not going to be able to afford to go to college. And if they do go people should not worry about paying them back for 50 years."
Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.
"(Lowering tuition costs) is very high on my list. But too many voices could cloud the issue. We want to hear from the students — constituents or otherwise. As far as tuition costs go, that's driven by the universities themselves. We can't mandate to universities they have to have their tuition at a certain level."
State Rep. David Farhat, R-Muskegon
What ASMSU says:
"Going right into someone's office and talking to them is the single biggest way to make an impact. Being there right in their face is the best way. At the very least it will make (legislators) aware, and at the best it will make them put it at the forefront of their agendas."
Andrew Bell, vice chairperson for external affairs for ASMSU's Student Assembly
The initiatives:
Advocacy Week: From Tuesday through Thursday, ASMSU officials will campaign to educate students about the importance of higher education funding. Students will be bused to the Capitol to speak with legislators about lowering tuition costs. Funding is available for this project.
Expanding VoteSmart MSU: The VoteSmart MSU Web site used for the Nov. 8 East Lansing City Council election will be reconstructed to include more about state races, issues and candidates. The project requires new software and would make election information more accessible to students. Finances have not been allocated for this project.
Letter-writing campaign: This initiative depends on the expansion of the VoteSmart MSU Web site. The new software, CapWiz XC, would allow students to create a modifiable form letter to send to lawmakers concerning higher education funding. The software is expected to cost between $7,000 and $8,500. Funding is not yet available.
State Economic Summit: The summit is an on-campus event where lawmakers and business owners will speak with students about the state's economy. Legislators and business owners from around the state will be invited. A date for the summit has not been determined, and funding is not currently available.
