|
Students lobby in Raleigh for funding |
|
|
|
Thursday, 01 March 2007 |
by SARA HAYNES
Intern News Reporter
“I think we were successful … I was able to raise my voice and let it be known what Appalachian is up against and where it will be going in the future. It made me feel like I can go about in the world and make a difference if I make a stand,” Jamarl D. Clark, a senior communication major, said on the way back to Boone from Raleigh Tuesday.
Clark was one of nearly 15 students who traveled to the State Capitol Tuesday to lobby for more funding for Appalachian State University.
While
the students had all sorts of affiliations – Student Government
Association, service groups, sororities and others – each felt they
were representatives of Appalachian as a whole.
Teaming up with Vice Chancellor for Student Development Cindy A.
Wallace, Chancellor’s Office Chief of Staff Lorin A. Baumhover and
other administrators, the students helped host a luncheon for
legislators with ties to Appalachian. The students also spoke about the
importance of a new building for the Reich College of Education.
University of North Carolina system President Erskine Bowles made an appearance at the luncheon.
The trip was part of SGA President Forrest S. Gilliam and Vice
President Whitney E. Baker’s platform when running for their positions
last year. Gilliam said he and Baker chose a date, but Nathan H. Smith,
director of Governmental Relations for the SGA, put together
“all the logistics and information.”
“This trip, for me, means a time for students to tell legislators just
what we need and a time for legislators to see the involvement and
proactive nature of students here at Appalachian,” Smith said. “This is
only the beginning of our efforts.”
After the luncheon, students split into pairs and visited the
legislators from their home areas to lobby for the approval of funding
for Appalachian.
Although they were given a walk-through of what to expect while
lobbying, some students did not expect the large number of minority
legislators.
“As a student of color coming from a university with a small minority
population, it was motivational to see so many African-Americans in
positions of leadership,” Kandace R. Davis, a junior sociology major,
said. “It made me want to bring that same leadership back to
Appalachian.”
Sarah M. Buchanan, a senior communication major, summed up the
motivations of the group as a passion for Appalachian and a desire to
make a contribution to the university.
Students found that the senators and representatives they met with were
very receptive to the idea of a new College of Education building at
Appalachian.
“Overall, I thought it was an excellent experience,” Will D. Windley, a
sophomore management major and SGA treasurer, said. “We will see the
results of our work when they break ground on a new College of
Education building.”
Sen. Steve Goss has put forth a bill asking that Appalachian also
receive $4 million in restitution for the money used to purchase land
for the new education building.
Some students who went on the trip met with students in Plemmons
Student Union’s Table Rock Room Monday and taught students how they
could help gather support for the budget without even leaving Boone.
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Show/Hide comments