'Lansing Blitz' will try to fill Capitol lawn with students Thursday
Students from across the state will travel Thursday to the Capitol in Lansing to rally for higher-education funding.
The movement is dubbed “Lansing Blitz,” and takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is organized by the Student Association of Michigan.
“It’s students advocating for increased state appropriation for universities in Michigan,” said Colleen McNeely, historian and legislative affairs chairwoman, senator of the Student Government Association and Brighton freshman.
McNeely said to her knowledge, every public university in the state will participate.
She said the Office of Government Relations and Public Affairs will provide free bus rides and leave at 8 a.m. from Lot 63.
“We will arrive at 9 a.m., meet up with legislatures until 10 a.m. and then the rally is from 12 to 2 p.m.,” McNeely said.
Students also can receive an absence slip from the Office of Government Relations and Public Affairs to miss class Thursday, she said.
McNeely said as state appropriation goes down, tuition goes up, a trend consistent throughout recent years. She said the more people that attend, the more of an impact participants will have.
McNeely said SGA is part of the SAM, the organizers of the event.
Not only will it be fun, it is a great way to engage in civic events and rare chance to meet with a legislator, McNeely said.
Nashville sophomore Chris Caldwell said he hopes for good attendance.
“I’m a music theatre major, and the way Gov. Granholm is replacing the (Michigan) Promise with tax cuts if you stay in Michigan to work after school, (it) doesn’t work for people in the arts,” he said. “Our state is leading the nation by cutting funding for the arts by 80 percent in 2009, from 7 million to 2 million. So how does this benefit my theatre friends and I, when to really have a good career, you need to move out of state?”
Brad O’Donnell, College Democrats president and Clinton Township junior, hopes to make an impact Thursday.
“I hope we shake things up and I hope legislature can see students are not indispensable and we’re not a demographic they can take for granted,” he said.
To secure a seat on the bus, students can sign up online at rally.mistudents.org.
