State House could ask for a larger budget cut

CYNDY COLE/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Eva Johnson, a sociology senior from NAU and Ronnie Ormito, an NAU history and sociology senior encourage state legislators to keep university budget cuts small at a rally outside the State Capitol yesterday. The students joined about 70 other protesters from all three state universities who attended the opening of a special legislative session that will define the size of state budget cuts.

PHOENIX - Approximately 70 students from Arizona's three universities joined student lobbyists at the opening of a special session of the state Legislature yesterday to ask that lawmakers not cut university budgets by more than 4 percent.

The Arizona Students' Association, a statewide student lobbyist group, led the rally at the State Capitol to ask that lawmakers keep cuts in state funding to Arizona universities at 4 percent, or $32,218,300 between the three universities.

The rally came as the result of Republican Gov. Jane Dee Hull's Sept. 5 announcement that she would ask the presidents of Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona to identify and possibly give back 4 percent of the state funding they had already received - approximately $13.9 million at the UA alone.

Though the students lobbying at the Capitol had no amplification system, student government presidents took turns speaking before the crowds and legislators before going into the special session of the Arizona House of Representatives.

Echoing the sentiments of UA President Peter Likins, UA students said a 4 percent budget cut would deliver a blow to the UA that will be felt in course cuts, layoffs of staff and adjunct faculty and a large tuition increase next fall.

Students from other campuses expressed similar concerns.

"There's so much potential for cool programs, but if they keep cutting the budget, (they) will be lost," said Ronnie Ormito, a history and sociology senior from NAU.

Another student said she was willing to see her university do its part to help the state financially, but no more.

"We are willing to help," said Devin Rankin, president of the Associated Students of Arizona State University West. "We are willing to do our part and cut 4 percent, but we are not willing to go any further and hurt our education."

Rankin said she already has difficulty getting the classes she wants.

Members of the upper echelons of the state government said they have heard the students' cry to keep cuts - and tuition - down.

"To make up state revenue on the backs of students is bad policy," said Jaime Molera, state superintendent of public instruction, who oversees kindergarten through 12th-grade education and serves as a member of the Arizona Board of Regents.

The rallying cry printed on students' signs and red T-shirts was "no more than 4," a phrase that has become a tagline for students seeking to avoid a more than 4 percent budget cut.

While the governor and the state Senate are both opposed to cuts that would take a larger chunk than $13.9 million of the UA's budget, the House may demand a bigger cut, Likins said several weeks ago.

ASU student Matt Morales, an international relations junior who has interned in the State Capitol, said he has heard members of the House use figures between 6 percent and 10 percent when talking about university budget cuts.

"We have some pretty serious issues here, or (university students) wouldn't be here instead of in school," said Rep. Meg Burton Cahill while looking toward a group of college students sitting in a packed gallery.

ASA members will continue lobbying to keep cuts small until the state Legislature passes a budget.

"This campaign doesn't end today," said Denny Marta, ASA co-director.