by Caleb Fort
Daily Lobo
Several students are in Santa Fe today talking with state legislators.
The event, organized by ASUNM, is part of UNM Day at the Legislature. Several campus departments will showcase their programs to state officials as part of UNM Day.
Brittany Jaeger, president of ASUNM, said it is a good opportunity for students to make an impact during this legislative session.
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"I think a lot of the time UNM students think they don't have a voice and think they can't change things," she said. "But they truly can, and I hope that students know that."
The event is open to all students, not just members of ASUNM, she said.
Jaeger said about 15 students signed up for the event, not including ASUNM senators. The bus carrying students to Santa Fe left at about 7 a.m.
One of ASUNM's top priorities is to convince legislators to keep the Lottery Success Scholarship unchanged, she said.
Jaeger said she was not aware of any immediate plans to change the scholarship this year, but future changes are less likely if students show continued support for the current format of the scholarship.
Students will walk around legislators' offices and hand out foam stress balls shaped like monkeys, with the phrase "Don't monkey around with the Lottery Scholarship" printed on their backs, she said.
The stress balls cost around $200, which came from student fees.
Students handed out similar stress balls during last year's session, she said.
"It was a big hit last year and we plan for it to be a big hit this year," she said.
Jon DeYoung, lobby director for ASUNM, said little things like stress balls help get the students' message to legislators.
"It's just a way of getting our point across," he said. "We're trying to show that students are involved and care what happens at the state level."
Last year ASUNM successfully lobbied against a proposed decoupling of the scholarship, meaning the award would not increase as tuition increased.
The other priority is getting a zero percent tuition credit from the state, which means the University would not have to raise tuition to balance its budget, she said.
Later in the session she and other student lobbyists will give bags of peanuts to legislators that say, "Tuition credit isn't just peanuts to us," she said.
Students will also give away breakfast burritos to legislators on UNM Day, DeYoung said.
Student lobbying is a good way to safeguard the future of education in New Mexico, he said.
"It's very effective - they need to know that people care what they're doing up there," he said. "They need to know that students care what they're doing with our money."
Student Hannah Seyer had not heard about the trip, but would go if she did not have to work, she said.
Not enough UNM students take an active interest in the Lottery Success Scholarship and other educational funding issues, she said.
"It's so easy just to come to school and then leave," she said. "A lot of people assume it will just be taken care of, but that's not necessarily the case."
This will not be the only opportunity for students to meet with legislators and discuss their concerns, Jaeger said.
She said any student interested in future trips to Santa Fe should leave their name and e-mail address in the ASUNM office.
UNM has 11 priorities on the legislative session this year. Several University executives and administrators have been at the Roundhouse since earlier this month lobbying to help fund several different programs on campus.
