College students from across the state rallied at the Capitol on Monday to condemn a legislative proposal to hack $300 million from higher- education funding.
“We refuse to have a state budget balanced on our backs,” said Jack Wylie, 23, a senior at Metropolitan State College of Denver and director of legislative affairs for Associated Students of Colorado.
The state needs a college system that can churn out a workforce to meet demand for well-educated labor, he added.
“At a time when we should be investing in Colorado’s future, we are burning it to the ground. We, the students, are calling on the General Assembly and Gov. (Bill) Ritter to join up and find a solution to this crisis.”
About 100 students from eight public colleges attended the rally.
The Joint Budget Committee has proposed slashing higher-education spending by half as it works to close a nearly $800 million budget shortfall next year.
Sen. Al White, a member of the committee, told the students the cuts to colleges could be avoided if Pinnacol Assurance, a quasi-governmental agency established to provide workers’ compensation insurance to employers, would give up $500 million it holds in reserves.
If the agency gives up the money, White, R-Hayden, said, schools will make it through the year unscathed.
Pinnacol’s board has rejected lawmakers’ request.
But some students said they are leery of sparing the higher-ed budget by siphoning money from Pinnacol. Stripping Pinnacol’s reserves would be a temporary fix, said Adam Davenport, president of Associated Student Government at Mesa State College. The state’s constitution needs to be amended so that the government can keep surplus funds from good years and use them to avoid draconian cuts when times are tough, Davenport said.
In a statement, the state’s Commission on Higher Education expressed its “deep concern” over the cuts.
“Reductions of this magnitude will fundamentally undermine the competitive position and economic future of the state,” the commission said. “More importantly, the proposed reductions will have tragic consequences in closing the door of opportunity for thousands of Colorado students at a time when job losses are driving more students to return to higher education.
“To backfill this loss of State support would require up to a 68 percent increase in student tuition rates — an increase that would prohibit many students from pursuing higher education studies.”
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
