Speak up

Higher education costs are continuously rising. Our tuition is increasing, and textbook prices keep climbing.

Due to our current economic situation, tax revenue is down and our state budget is tight. As you may have already heard, IU must cut its operating budget by approximately $4.9 million and reduce its budget for renovation of buildings due to a decrease in funding expected from the state this year.

It seems that as college students many of us believe we have no voice in the legislative process and therefore no control over policies affecting our education, such as the amount of state aid given to IU. 

That belief is not true. We do matter to our legislators. As their constituents, we are important to those who represent us because we elect them. However, for them to listen, we must first speak up.

This is where Hoosiers for Higher Education comes in. The primary goal of the organization is to help its members connect with public officials about issues related to higher education. Hoosiers for Higher Education helps rally support for policies and funding that help ensure that IU continues to be a leading research and educational institution.

This school year, I spearheaded a bill with IUSA (SB 394), sponsored by Senator Vi Simpson, to implement a sales tax holiday in Indiana aimed at decreasing the cost of school supplies – particularly textbooks. The bill recently failed due to the budget crunch, but the process brought to my attention the importance of student activism at the state level.

As IUSA director for legislative and governmental relations, I served on the Hoosiers for Higher Education Student Advisory Board. IUSA assisted the organization in recruiting efforts for their most important event, the annual Statehouse visit, which took place Feb. 17. The Statehouse visit was crucial in raising awareness about the importance of higher education in Indiana and the initiatives of the University.

I was happy to see a record turnout at the General Assembly on the Statehouse visit day. The atrium was packed with students, alumni, faculty and friends of all IU campuses. However, I was disappointed to see that although IU-Bloomington has by far the largest student body, other campuses had significantly more representation at the event.          

With student presence at the General Assembly our legislators respond more positively to higher education policies. There are many competing interests at the General Assembly, and the tight budget means the competition for funding is intense. Therefore, IU student presence and activism in the legislative process is critical to the success of Hoosiers for Higher Education and the future of IU.

I strongly encourage all students to become involved with Hoosiers for Higher Education and to consider attending the Statehouse visit next year. Visit www.gov.indiana.edu/hhe for more information on how to become a member.