Students flock to capital

The open forum will take place this afternoon (Wednesday) at 3 p.m. in the ATT theatre. All people who are planning on attending have been asked to bring questions and come prepared to talk to the president and others.

They packed into school vans headed to the state house in Montpelier to spread a message: Lyndon State College students want to speak out about lack of state funding.

Over 50 LSC students, as well as a few from Johnson State College and Vermont Technical College traveled to the state house to speak with legislators about the growing deficits plaguing the Vermont State College system Wednesday.

Legislators attending the events included representatives Gregory Clarke, Dick Lawrence, Peter Peltz, and Howard Crawford, as well as State Senators Phillip Baruth, Bill Doyle, Kevin Mullen, Ginny Lyons, and Sara Kittell.

"It's very important that you folks, as part of your education, speak up. Ask the questions. Make us accountable," said Clarke.

"You have every right to know where we're coming from," said Lawrence, "And we want your support as well."

"I'm proud of my choice of my college, however I'm very concerned of the future of the school," LSC graphic design and digital media major Jillyan Newell said.

LSC is currently facing a deficit of roughly $700,000 for fiscal year 2013, leading the administration to consider faculty and staff cuts. Students at LSC held a sit-in last week to show support for those who may be let go in the future.

Students voiced concerns regarding the quality of education being effected by budget cuts, as well as job opportunities for students at college.

Rising costs for students was also a hot topic during the meetings with members of the senate and education committee.

"Money shouldn't be a problem for our education," LSC student Isaac Tanney said.

The budget problems LSC are facing are also found in other colleges.

State Auditor Tom Salmon pointed out that the state is trying to distribute money to the state colleges as well as the K-12 grades, and struggling to make funding stretch to everything.

"There is a tug-of-war between K-12 and higher ed," he said.

"We need more money, and that's all there is to it," Vermont Technical College student council chairperson Michael Collins said, adding that higher enrollment alone will not help the financial issues plaguing colleges.

"Every year, I get a pain in my stomach because tuition goes up and I have no one to sign on anything for me," LSC student Dan Haycook said. "I fight so hard for my education, and for funding to be the issue for me to not be able to get that education is distressing."

The legislators said the number of students coming to speak was impressive.

"You just being here today is making a big impact," Salmon said.

"It does make a substantial difference," said Peltz.

"I think the important thing is this is just the start of a conversation that we need to have and I think we've come in numbers, we've come in force," Student Government Association President John Kleinhans said. "It's awesome to see students coming together over one common goal."

Some ideas for continuing efforts include an e-mail campaign between students and legislators statewide.

Although he says the meeting in Montpelier was successful, Haycook is currently organizing a silent protest for next week. This is a follow-up to last Tuesday's sit-in.

"We're going to continue our efforts to make sure our faculty and staff don't lose their jobs," he said. "Our spirit hasn't burnt out at all, and we have minds of our own, and thoughts of our own, and we're going to express them until they're heard."

Haycook and his fellow protestors are currently gathering signatures for a petition for a vote of no confidence in President Carol Moore. Last week, the SGA voted to move on when the petition was presented.

Currently a Facebook group describes the event as a silent protest taking place from Monday until Friday of next week.

"These are very very serious decisions and they must be data-driven," Moore said of deciding where to make reductions. "These are not willy-nilly decisions."