Students to lobby against tuition increase at Capitol

by Jeremy Hunt and

Anna Hampton

Daily Lobo

ASUNM is busing students to Santa Fe today to lobby the Legislature on issues that affect students.

Erin Muffoletto, ASUNM's lobby director, said about 50 people signed up to go to Santa Fe. About 12 students went last year, she said.

"Basically, it's a day where we have a lot of student volunteers go up and lobby UNM's priorities," she said. "We get the general consensus of what you want changed on this campus."

Brittany Jaeger, president of ASUNM, said UNM Day at the

Legislature is fun for the lawmakers and students.

"We give away our cherry and silver beads, and the legislators love it," she said. "Legislators push people out of their offices to talk to us."

Jaeger said a diverse group has signed up to lobby.

"People who have no affiliation to ASUNM are going," she said. "We feel like it's a really broad group of students."

Jaeger said the most important thing they will lobby for is a 0 percent tuition credit.

"That's a priority of all the university presidents in the state," she said.

A tuition credit is when the Legislature doesn't fund all of the University's priorities. Tuition must go up to compensate for what the Legislature doesn't fund.

Last year, there was a 3 percent tuition credit.

"It's like a mandated tuition increase," Jaeger said. "Us students are taking on 3 percent of what the state should be paying for."

Muffoletto said another important issue to students at UNM, and across the state, is the Lottery Scholarship.

"The money for the scholarship is supposed to run out," she said. "With this, it will go on far longer."

A report from the New Mexico Department of Higher Education states the Lottery Scholarship fund will have an $18 million deficit by 2011 if changes aren't made to the allocation of funds.

Senate Bill 364 will require 30 percent of revenue from lottery sales to go to the scholarship. About 24 percent goes to the scholarship fund.

For the first time, ASUNM will lobby for its seven-year-old priority to install lights on Johnson Field, Jaeger said.

"It's a safety concern for the University. I'm sure if any students have walked on that field, especially dorm students, they know that you can't see five feet in front of you," she said. "The lights that I'm lobbying for are not just recreation lights, but they would remain on as safety lights."

Jaeger said they will lobby to get funding for a building for the College of Education. Students shouldn't be the only ones paying for buildings on campus, she said.

"That's actually a University project," she said. "Students are paying for all the buildings that are going up."

Muffoletto said not many students lobby because it takes a lot of time.

"It's hard for students because it takes a whole Friday," she said.

Despite the inconvenience, Muffoletto said more students need to participate in UNM Day at the Legislature. The more students get involved, the more the Legislature will do for the University, she said.

"I can only do so much as one person," she said. "If you can't make it, write a letter to your legislator."

ASUNM legislative priorities:

Continuation of the Lottery Success Scholarship

No Changes to Lottery Success Scholarship except for Senate Bill 364, which would return 30 percent instead of 24 percent of lottery revenue back to the scholarship.

Zero percent tuition credit

Tuition credits force the University to raise tuition. Although a 0 percent tuition credit does not prevent an increase in tuition, it makes it less likely.

College of Education

Renewal-Phase II

$8.5 million to complete College of Education building renewal process.

Building repair and

renewal funds

Funds to be used for the renovation, repair and remodeling of buildings and infrastructures at UNM.

Life Safety Code compliance

$5.3 million for equipment such as sprinklers and fire alarms.

Lighting on Johnson Field

$700,000

Source: Erin Muffoletto, ASUNM's lobby director