KRISTIN ELVES\

Tiffany Podbielski, co-director of the Arizona Students' Association and political science senior, left, oversees voter registration for architecture freshman Robert McKinney last night. ASA plans to use the student registrations as part of its lobby against the proposed 4 percent budget cuts for the University of Arizona.

Wednesday October 10, 2001

Three state universities to ban together to protect UA funding

Student lobbyists from the three state universities plan to lobby against state-mandated budget cuts larger than the 4 percent currently on the table.

The cuts, which will chop $13.8 million or more from the University of Arizona's 2002 budget, come in response to a shortfall in state funding which was announced early last month. The state Legislature will open a special session Nov. 13 to decide how large the statewide cut will be.

Denny Marta, Arizona Students' Association co-director and an interdisciplinary studies junior, said the UA, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University are trying to stay on the same page in anticipation of possible cuts, and will lobby to the Legislature against anything larger than a 4 percent cut.

"I think they have no choice but to listen to students because we are the force of the university system," Marta said.

Also united in the cause are the UA Parents' Association and the UA administration, Marta said.

"I think this is a unique circumstance," he said. "Right now we are all trying to work together. It's going to be a fight."

Tiffany Podbielski, co-director of ASA and a political science senior, said student lobbyists from the three universities will meet Oct. 19 to decide how they will tackle the increase.

"The university is willing to contribute our fair share," she said. "And ours is 4 percent."

"This is already going to hurt us," she added. "Further cuts could have detrimental effects."

Podbielski said the cuts could potentially make the fight against tuition increases harder.

ASA's stance on tuition increase, which is generally opposition, will be decided once the impact of the cuts is fully realized. Until then, ASA will conduct surveys and forums to determine how students would respond to tuition increase.

Carolina Carrillo, a business management senior, said she would be against a tuition hike.

"I don't think raising tuition should be a way of getting funding," she said. "Students shouldn't pay the price for what the state can't afford."

Danielle Sadowsky, a liberal studies sophomore, said she had not heard about the budget cuts, but said students should not be held accountable for the states' shortfall.

"I don't have a scholarship," she said. "This would definitely affect my family."

ASA members said they hope to educate students on the budget cuts.

"Politicians listen to their constituents," Podbielski said. "We want to be able to say to the Legislature 'these students are registered to vote.'"

ASA directors are registering students this week and next in the lobby of the Student Recreation Center.

Anyone interested in registering to vote or volunteering to lobby against the budget cuts should contact ASA at 621-2782. For more information, visit ASA's Web site at http://clubs.asua.arizona.edu/~asa.