| Show Ineffective lobbying cheats higher education in Utah HE Utah State legislature is in session THE 1 During the coming weeks politicians will decide the fate of a successful state system system system tem of higher education As usual the wheel will get the grease The Utah Education Association the largest teachers teacher's union in the state has directed vast quantities of money into making its cause as visible as possible Such an act solicits support from the community whose voting power could encourage politicians to support their cause As the presses forward with its vigorous lobbying lobbying lobbying lob lob- program its successes have been rewarded with favorable legislative support Another group of educators working toward increasing state budget commitments commitments commitments commit commit- ments to education is the Utah Faculty As As- The Faculty Association comprised entirely of teachers from the Utah System of Higher Education USHE is vying with for education monies to be used specifically for USHE and its functions The Faculty Association under the direction direction direction tion of President Curtis contacted contacted contacted con con- another group of educators the Utah Association of Academic Professionals to join forces in acquiring funds for fort forthe t- t the USHE The two groups in cooperation are failing in their task While this new cooperative has directed its strongest efforts toward incorporating students into the struggle of ten students polled none knew that such actions were even being taken let alone that as students they were to play an integral role in the campaign These two groups have not taken substantive steps on their own college campuses campuses campuses cam cam- to insure their futures as educators The realities of political lobbying state explicitly that money talks and reactionary sniveling walks While both bodies have limited funds for their own activities neither group has had the resources to carry the funding battle to the legislature with a major lobbying crusade as the has done Although discussions in meeting sessions sessions sessions ses ses- ses- ses between the two groups have meandered around the crucial issue of cash the groups have not as yet developed an adequate fund raising program While the has inundated the press with information the cooperative has not taken similar aggressive steps to publicize their position In fact the groups have failed utterly to inform the voters with the exception of the efforts of University of Utah member Claron Nelson Nelson has produced six radio messages for KALL and various local sta sta- sta- sta These efforts while well intended are far too late to make a substantial difference in the outcome of the legislative vote The two groups arrived on the scene of the Utah budget battle a day late and a dollar short Instead of making proactive commitments to their cause they have whiled away their time in unproductive caucuses in which they overemphasize irrelevancies irrelevancies irrelevancies ir- ir relevancies and ignore In a recent meeting the two groups dedicated dedicated dedicated dedi dedi- a full hour of discussion to the appropriate appropriate appropriate ap ap- ap- ap color of their ribbons of mourning a reactive measure taken to express express express ex ex- press displeasure at the legislatures legislature's tight- tight handedness with respect to higher education While Faculty Association President President President dent Curtis is to be commended on his attempts to unify the two groups and develop a vigorous lobbying program his fellow Association members and the should be ashamed of the political travesty they have established in an attempt to improve improve improve im im- im- im prove the impoverished system of higher education in Utah The wheel will get the grease in inthis inthis inthis this session of the Utah State Legislature While the efforts of the have placed legislators in an education state of mind the Utah System of Higher Education will only benefit from trickle-down trickle funds because because because be be- cause of the lack of assertive effort of the Utah Faculty Association and the |
