College students advocate for more higher education funding
Students from campuses across the state rallied for increased funding for their colleges and universities Tuesday during 2019 Higher Education Day at the Capitol.
A group from Northwestern Oklahoma State University was among those who spent the morning urging lawmakers to restore money for faculty and programs. Higher education's state funding has been cut by $274 million in the past decade.
Hayden Graham, of Broken Arrow, said he is concerned about the reduction of faculty at NWOSU due to declining appropriations. Fellow student Aleysa Franz, of Alva, said she supports more funding for the concurrent enrollment program that allowed her to earn 20 college credits while still in high school.
“It provides students a lot of opportunity,” Franz said.
Graduate student and mom Alicia Green, of Enid, said her message to lawmakers is increased funding for higher education will make it more affordable for students. Green already has $30,000 in student loan debt and expects to have more by the time she finishes her master's degree.
Another student she knows had to drop out of college for two semesters to earn enough money to re-enroll, she said.
Gov. Kevin Stitt's proposed budget doesn't include an increase for higher education.
“That's very unfortunate,” Green said. “If he looks at what we do after we graduate, we become good citizens and taxpayers.”
Speaker Pro Tem Harold Wright, R-Weatherford, said students from Western Oklahoma State College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University visited him Tuesday morning.
Wright said legislative leaders look favorably on higher education's request for funding increases in two areas — concurrent enrollment and faculty salaries.
Colleges and universities are struggling to keep top faculty because they can't pay competitive salaries. They are seeking an additional $38.7 million for faculty raises.
“They've had a tough time,” Wright said. “Common education competes regionally, but universities compete nationally.”
Higher education is seeking an additional $3.5 million to fully fund concurrent enrollment next academic year. State appropriations currently cover 87 percent of the tuition waivers, and the colleges have to cover the remaining cost.
“I don't think it's fair to expect them to pick up that cost,” Wright said. “It's an unfunded mandate.”