Students at Colorado State University-Pueblo are fighting for more funding after learning that the state of Colorado might fall from its ranking of 48th down to 49th in higher education funding. Associated Students’ Government members have been preparing a campaign to get more funding for not only this campus, but also other campuses in Colorado.
Leading the campaign is ASG Vice President Gene Wilson, a junior political science and Spanish major.
After finding out about the state of Colorado’s rank in funding, Wilson said he was angry and frustrated that Colorado is already underfunded but also empowered to make a change.
“At this point I’m not very confident because the governor already proposed his $20 million cut. As of this year I don’t see us getting more (funding) but if we continue to get this campaign moving, we’re going to put in the governor’s ear that students here are listening,” he said.
Wilson said that ASG’s first major step will be to gain awareness.
“We want the students to know exactly what is going on,” he said.
He said most students are unaware that tuition increases come from the states and that it’s been forced upon the campuses. He said he wants the students at CSU-Pueblo to feel as empowered as he was to make a change.
The next step in his campaign is to let the students know that they can contact representatives at ASG and let them know that students don’t agree with this.
The third step, he said, includes leaders on campus are contacting representatives, passing bills and resolutions in ASG to let the governor know that they don’t agree with the cuts in funding for higher education.
Tabling for this issue began on Feb. 17.
To learn more about the campaign, students can get updates on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CSUPuebloASG/.
Correction: A previous version of this report said Colorado has fallen from 48th to 49th in terms of higher education funding in the U.S. The state might fall to this ranking if Gov. John Hickenlooper proceeds with a $20 million cut to higher education funding.
