COLUMN: “THE FUTURE OF OUR STATE” – STUDENTS RALLY AT CAPITOL

Picture this: it’s a beautiful, warm day in Salem, Oregon. The sun is shining, the trees are blooming, and college students determined to facilitate change for the betterment of ourselves, our state, and our nation are gathered at the state Capitol Park in front of Salem’s historic Capitol building to protest budget cuts against higher education.

Knowing that an updated two-year state revenue forecast was set for release to state legislators on May 17, the Oregon Student Association took to the Capitol on May 11 to demand that the Legislature adequately fund our public universities and community colleges.

I had the honor to attend with several of my Associated Students of Mt Hood Community College (ASMHCC) colleagues, and here’s how it went down.

For some background information, public universities and community colleges are asking Oregon state legislators to pass several bills. House Bill 3089 aims for “hunger-free campuses” and addresses food insecurity among college students. HB 3121 seeks to reduce the cost of textbooks and other resources that have exponentially increased in price over the years.

HB 2263’s goal is to create a task force dedicated to improving options for affordable, accessible student housing. Last, but certainly not least, HB2263 would create a task force focused on building accessible, affordable childcare for student-parents.

On top of these asks, public universities and community colleges are asking for increases in state funding. “1.05 to thrive” was the public (four-year) universities’ motto when they demanded $1.05 billion in the Public University Support Fund (PUSF) from state legislators. Community colleges won’t settle for the short end of the stick either, and are calling on legislators to approve $855 million in the Community College Support Fund (CCSF).

Oregon students and college faculty aren’t ready to stop there: We’re also asking to increase money available through the Oregon Opportunity Grant – a state-funded educational grant that has helped marginalized and disadvantaged students further their education and better their lives – from $200 million to $400 million. The final ask is that state legislators renew the Oregon Tribal Student Grant of $40 million.

These are no small asks but are necessary for students and college faculty and staff across Oregon to reach their fullest potential.

Our day began at the Mt. Hood campus where six of my ASMHCC colleagues and I met with Doctor Abio Ayelia, MHCC’s Student Life director, for a car-pool commute to Salem. We were greeted by several Oregon Student Association volunteers and assigned to different groups.

Ayelia and I were assigned to Group No. 5, along with Associated Students of Portland State University (ASPSU) President Kierra Wing and ASPSU presidential candidate Tucker Luft. During the day we met one-on-one with House Rep. Lisa Reynolds (an Eastern Washington County Democrat), as well as staff members for Rep. Dacia Greyber (D-Southwest Portland/Beaverton), Sen. Chris Gorsek (D-Gresham/Troutdale/Fairview), and Sen. Kate Lieber (D-Southwest Portland/Beaverton).

As we met with our state legislators, Ayelia opened up about his experiences of having to stay late on campus to provide food boxes to students in need, sometimes as late as 7 p.m. He recalled having to personally deliver food boxes, too. During our meeting with Rep. Greyber’s chief of staff, Ayelia asked; “How can [we] learn on an empty stomach? How can [we] afford college if we can’t even afford food? Food is a basic right… When students are healthy, the rest will fall into place.” (He also pointed out that “Community colleges are the backbone of the local economy.”)

This service is the side of Student Life that Mt. Hood students don’t often see.

Due to funding cuts and the unstable state of our economy, Student Life and MHCC’s Student Basic Needs departments have been working tireless, countless hours to ensure students, their families, and our community are receiving the bare necessities – something our own government should be doing, instead.

Portland State student presidential candidate Luft said that in the end, the supported grants and funding increases would “pay for themselves.”

Throughout the day, we all highlighted the importance of both the PUSF and CCSF due to the interdependence of public universities and community colleges. ASPSU President Wing laid out the fact that 60% of PSU students are transfer students from community colleges. We also discussed the historic neglect of East Multnomah County when it comes to budget and resources. MHCC faces barriers with funding from local property taxes; it just isn’t enough to keep the college flourishing to the degree it deserves.

Community colleges specifically are often the link between rural communities (which are historically underfunded, undereducated, and often otherwise neglected by state legislators) and urban communities, allowing them access to resources and education they may not otherwise have. Community colleges are a critical resource nationwide and deserve adequate funds from all state legislators.

After the first round of meetings at the Capitol, students gathered at Western Oregon University for lunch and to hear from a few guest speakers. They described their own histories with OSA and highlighted the importance and power of student organization, stating that if we organize and demand adequate funds and resources we have the ability to make an impact not only on the state, but across our nation.

After lunch, we returned to the Capitol. During our last meeting of the day with Rep. Lieber’s staff, we asked that legislators “invest in our future by investing in education.”

To end Lobby Day, students rallied on the stone square of the Capitol Park. We held signs and banners that backed up speakers from different colleges.

Thousands of students across metropolitan Portland, and more across the state, are struggling to get their basic needs met. Higher education – and education in general –is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Students will not back down until we see progress from our legislators. Investing in higher education is an investment into the future of ourselves, our communities, and the betterment of our nation.

We ended the rally with a short, simple, yet massively impactful chant: “Higher education, the future of our nation!”