There’s been a lot on the bill for student activists this year at the State Capitol. With the economic downturn in full swing, students like ’08-’09 vice president Kyle Cady have been working hard to make sure you don’t lose out on the opportunities you deserve.

One main issue on the roster for students lobbying in Salem this year has been the fight to make sure cuts in funding for higher education remain minimal. “We have been advocating for students down in Salem by lobbying the legislator to get our state back on track in these difficult economic times by providing access and affordability to a quality post-secondary education,” says Cady. “Our current goal is to make sure if that additional funds are discovered or generated that it is directed towards higher education.”

Some recent wins have included the passage of the Safe Schools Act, which provides legal framework to define bullying and its consequences on a uniform level for all institutions in Oregon. “We have been supporting Basic Rights Oregon by helping to pass Safe Schools, an update to the K-12 anti-bullying policy, through the house,” says Cady. “This is an accessibility issue for students, as the safer students [feel] in K-12 the more likely they [are to] go on to college.” Though they have been working hard to accomplish their goals, the students have been met with some challenges in their work to make Oregon higher education better, and are trying to be realistic in the face of adversity.

“With a $3.8 billion dollar deficit, it has been difficult to get Oregon to prioritize higher education, even when it is the buildings blocks to get Oregon back on track. Also, tuition equity has been difficult in getting passed through this session due to opposition.” Tuition equity is a piece of legislation that would enable high school students with questionable documentation status to qualify for in-state tuition by fulfilling several simple requirements, one of which would include working towards full residency status.

While Cady would like to see more student involvement, he understands the difficult position many Oregonians are in at the moment.

“We know that everyone is in a bind right now and that no one wishes higher education ill. It is a matter of making it a priority and also addressing the underlying fundamental issues that have brought us to this unfortunate situation.”

Cady also has plans for the summer to get people more involved in the effort to preserve and improve our education system:

“Students will be active in the Capitol till the end of the session, through meeting with key legislators and potentially [there will be] more organizing efforts on campus to show support for higher education.”