Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Jeffrey LaMonde Freeland junior Matthew Sous, left, speaks with Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw, Wednesday morning in the State Capitol. Sous was one of five Student Government Association members who traveled to Lansing to meet with legislators to lobby for equal funding of higher education. [Click to enlarge]

Lansing - The Student Government Association put a face on higher education funding Wednesday morning at the State Capitol.

SGA members traveled to Lansing to lobby for higher education and equal funding for the state's 15 public universities. The five-member group met with individual legislators to persuade them to include higher education funding when looking at the budget.

"I'm glad you're here, because when you come here it puts a face on issues," said Sen. Glenn Anderson, D-Westland.

The day was a long one for Lauren Elias.

"I've accomplished more in the first six hours of the day than most students," the Lake Orion freshman said.

Elias set up appointments with legislators from her hometown, including Rep. Jim Marleau, R-Lake Orion.

Elias said Marleau related to what she had to say and already agreed with her.

"He understands the issue with the budget," she said. "He thinks the only way to continue to better ourselves is to allow ourselves to even the playing field."

Legislators are currently looking at a proposal that would fund the three largest research schools - University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Wayne State University - separately from the other 12 universities, including Central.

Several senior CMU administrators have spoken out against the split-funding proposal.

Mike Zeig, Sterling Heights senior and SGA president, said he feels the legislators have received the students' message.

"The more students they hear from, since they're going to be hearing from other student groups as well, the better chance we have," he said.

Kentwood junior Scott Urbanowski, Freeland junior Matthew Sous and Mount Pleasant junior Jaclyn Thompson constituted the rest of the group.

The students handed out CMU T-shirts on hangers to the legislators in effort to get their point across.

"What better message to have a big CMU T-shirt with a message that says 'don't leave us hanging, we matter too,'" said Kathy Wilbur, vice president of governmental relations and public affairs.

Wilbur said they were told that one of the T-shirts they handed out was hung up in the caucus room.

Students are the best advocates for CMU, Wilbur said.

Zeig said the issue is ongoing, and lobbying should be as well. Ideally, the legislators will fund all universities with an increase, he said.

"We need to keep on throughout the winter and the spring months so that it's not just last-minute lobbying, but that they hear from us all year and know that we care more than just the week before the budget comes out," Zeig said.


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