Show Quality of Education to Suffer By John Nielson Editorial Editor A coalition of advocacy groups that support quality in higher education education education tion held a press conference at the State Capitol last Thursday Feb 20 The purpose of the press conference conference conference confer confer- ence was to address budget cuts affecting the states state's colleges and universities Most of the presentations presentations presentations presenta presenta- at the press conference came from students that will be directly affected by reduced budgets in Utah's higher education system The American Federation of Utah Teachers a teachers teacher's union organized the press conference Paul D. D Henderson Executive Director of Utah AFT opened the conference by introducing the speakers and the reason for gathering gathering gathering gather gather- ing at the State Capital Gregory Hayes President of Utah AFT addressed the audience first and pointed out that the quality of education education education edu edu- cation in Utah will suffer because new roads not education have become the priority for funding within the state government Hayes also proposed an increased gas tax to pay for road improvements so that education budgets Continued on Page 2 S i t Ed to Suffer t Continued from Page 1 f would not be cut Damond Watkins a University of Utah student represented the Utah Council of of- Student Body Presidents in his address Watkins said that students student's tuition has increased over percent in the thelast thelast thelast last ten years and that the tuition increases suggested by the Board of Regents for next school year are not enough to fund some of the mandatory mandatory mandatory manda manda- tory school programs Since the recommended increases arent aren't enough for these programs it it- itis is likely that tuition would be r j increased more to fund them Watkins said that students are the scapegoats of poor public policy and he urged the states state's legislators to take a good look at what they are doing to the education system was represented by two students at the press conference Amber McDermott Executive V Vice ce President of urged everyone involved in higher education from students and faculty to state lawmakers lawmakers lawmakers law law- makers to obtain and maintain quality education Eric Olson the student lobbyist for addressed the audience next Olson actually spoke at the conference as a representative of the Utah Intercollegiate Assembly of Students another group to which he belongs Olson stated that highway improvement is good but that we need higher ways in education He also urged students and faculty to take an active role in the process of obtaining higher ways Olson concluded concluded concluded con con- by saying that education costs money but so does igno igno- rance Neal Jeppson Student Body President of Taylorsville High School was the final student speak speak- er Neal related his personal ence with applying to college and trying to figure out ways to pay for it He also made the observation that the Legislature has already decided that the only way to fund highway reconstruction is to cut education He then said that often the only way to find a solution to a problem is to take another look at atthe atthe atthe the problem from the outside and he suggested that the group assembled assembled assembled assem assem- bled at the press conference could act in this capacity for Utah law law- makers Senator Ed Mayne was the concluding concluding concluding con con- speaker Mayne is President of the Utah CIO and an ardent supporter of higher education education education tion in the Senate Mayne praised the education system of Utah citing the well-trained well educated work workforce workforce workforce force that exists in Utah for the states state's strong economy Mayne criticized criticized criticized crit crit- Utah lawmakers for turning their backs on education |