Representatives of five of the nine democratic candidates for president tried to get student votes last night at Centennial Hall with their candidatesÎ plan to make college education affordable.
Frank Costanza, representative of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, said that Dean plans to increase financial aid funding to ensure that students will be able to afford tuition.
"Loans and grants will be available for every student that wants to go to college," Costanza said. "That program will cost over 10 years the same as what we spend over one year in Iraq."
North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, represented at the forum by UA junior Jeremy Tor, has a plan to make the first year of college free for each student willing to work 10 hours per week.
"The plan is called ÎCollege for Everyone,'" said Tor, a junior majoring in political science and Spanish. "Edwards will also provide full scholarships for students willing to work as teachers in underserved areas or in the Department of Homeland Security."
Others plans for funding higher education included Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's $4,000 tax credit for parents who pay their children's tuition and Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman's plan to add $2,000 in Pell Grants for each student.
"My dad has set a big goal to have 90 percent of high school graduates go on to a university, community college or the military," said Rebecca Lieberman, daughter of Joseph Lieberman.
The representatives each made an effort to convince the more than 150-person audience that their candidate had the best chance of defeating President Bush in a nationwide election.
"When choosing a candidate to support, I looked at which candidate could appeal to the largest base of people," said Arizona Rep. Ted Downing, representing Kerry. "The White House is our objective, and to win it you need a broad base."
Costanza dismissed critics who doubt that Dean would be able to defeat Bush in the national election.
"I've been told Dean is unelectable. Yet each time an Republican incumbent president has been unseated in the past century, the challenger has been a governor," Costanza said. "It's hard to speak out against a war when you voted for it in the Senate." In a recorded phone message played at the forum, House Representative from Ohio Dennis Kucinich talked about his adamant opposition to the war in Iraq.
"There was no reason whatsoever for the U.S. to move against Iraq; in fact, it was a violation of the Geneva Convention. It was wrong of us to go. It's wrong of us to stay," Kucinich said. "I don't think there's another issue more important to America and to the world right now."
The forum was organized by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the Arizona Students Association.
Alistair Chapman, ASA student lobbyist, said the event is specific to the UA campus and not part of a national tour.
"We were unsuccessful in getting actual candidates to come, but they were really willing to send representatives," Chapman said. "We do a lot of events to encourage students to be educated voters."
ASA members were also on hand at the forum to register students to vote.
"We've had a few sign up. We also had voter registration at Catfest and Battle of the Bands," said Alexis Coury, ASA director and marketing senior.
Coury added that ASA is holding a contest among UA clubs to see which club can register the most voters. The contest features a cash prize of $250 for the winning club.
ASA lobbies for students at the state Legislature and in Congress on issues such as tuition rates, but does not have any affiliation with the Democratic Party.
"Students need to know the candidates stance on education. We'd do the same thing if there was a Republican primary coming up," Chapman said.