Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1997)
News The Clackamas Print Wednesday, February 26,1997 Lobby Day: students rally for tuition freeze Continued from page 1 Many students were quick to agree they too would have trouble raising the extra money. “I represent the average student; I will be graduating with $20,000 in [school loan] debt,” said St. John, who came back to school 23 years after dropping out as a high school student. “I don’t want to flip burgers the rest of my life. I think people need to have this opportunity. At Portland State, we have one-third of the student population who are over the age of 35. We need the retraining and the education, not only for industry, but I personally need it for my self-esteem,” said St. John. St. John touched briefly on the issue surrounding child care for student parents before introducing Senator Eugene Kim (need his official stats). “We hear everyday from people who want money, but I think we realize, as leaders of the Oregon Legislature the importance of higher education,” said Kim. “I have been in hundreds of conversations with leadership where we have said that we will freeze college tuition.” Despite the fact that many students were missing classes to attend Student Lobby Day, they received a warm welcome from Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. “I’m glad to see so many people here at the Capitol fighting for what they believe in. )foi^bave an opportunity- today tajalkitpyour, senator or representative on a number of issues and really make a difference,” said Kitzhaber. The governor said the lawmakers recognized students have much to gain and much to lose by the decisions to be made descended upon lawmakers, during the next few weeks. Student a representatives “I support your efforts and K included Chantal Angot. Jacob will do all that I^can,” s^id %Boenisch, Josh Bruegmam Mike Kitzhaber, pausing to, let tnib^gfeudle, Jay Clark, Justin enthusiastic crowd acclamation Anderson and Laney Fouse. Nancy Caudle joined the,group to die down. “In order to do that, there are a provide support from a taxpayer’s couple of things that have to perspective. Since their nextoippointment happen. First, we must make sure that a college education is was not until 1:15 p;m., the group affordable in the first place. That’s from Clackamas attended the why I’ve proposed and included Senate’s regular session. On tap in my budget, a tuition freeze. In for the sixty-ninth legislative the last few years, tuition has gone assembly was a measure to up 80-percent and that is not designate milk as Oregon’s state beverage. acceptable,” Kitzhaber said. When the vote canie down, “The second thing we must do is to make sure that those students only one .senator opposed the who are at least able to afford it measure with a resounding “no.” don’t face challenges in their It so happened, the first stop for personal lives that prevent them the afternoon was the office of from succeeding,” said Kitzhaber Randy Miller, a Republican from about his proposal to include District 13. Miller’s assistant expansion of the Oregon Health pulled him from a Senate hearing to hear the group’s message. Plan to include students. Prior to getting down to the “The Oregon Health Plan expansion is under attack. The issues of higher education, the tuition freeze is under attack. Both students wanted to know why are potential victims. Both could Miller voted “no”. “I voted ‘no’ during that great be sacrificed to finance a tax refund at a time when we should be moment in, time when we created investing in Oregon’s future,” said the official state nut,” said Miller; “At that point, I was at a deadline the governor. He left students with a and I had so many friends in powerful message: “If you believe contention that weren’t listed on informaleducation, if you believe the bill... I just could not possibly in retaining the special quality of choose among them.” That legislative session place that makes Oregon the way it is today, then tell that to your adopted the filbert as the official representative. Tell that to your state nut. “More importantly, the reason senator.” ^Kitzhaber pulled out Jas own, I voted. ‘no-’. then and voted ‘no’« m^Sr artdWalkid'bVef'tosign the' tofday,, was’’ thdt e very ttfn&r [someone] introduces an idea into freezer. Three main issues - the Oregon this process ... it costs the Need Grant, child care for student taxpayer money. I calculated that parents, and the Oregon Health it costs the taxpayers somewhere Plan - were on the minds of seven between $24,000 and $30,000 for students from Clackamas as they every day we are here,” said Associate Student Government President Mike Caudle started the chant, “Education is important!” Caudle’s speech focused on need grants, child care and funding the Oregon Health Plan for students. /------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------- LANEY FOUSE, Editor-in-Chief (ext. 2576) BRAD ZIMMERMAN, Managing Editor (ext. 2576) KARIN REDSTON, Co-Feature Editor (ext. 2309) CHRISTINA MUELLER, Co-Feature Editor (ext. 2309) JON ROBERTS, A &E Editor (ext. 2309) BRENDON NEAL, Sports Editor (ext. 2578) JOHN THORBURN, Assistant Sports Editor (ext. 2578) CINDY HINES KURFMAN, Copy Editor (ext. 2309) JOEL CORESON, Photo Editor (ext. 2578) ERIN BENNETT, Business Manager (ext. 2578) MAIRIN-ANNE MOORE, Assistant Business Manager (ext. 2578) Photo by Laney Fouse Governor John Kitzhaber addresses an enthusiastic crowd last Thursday during Student Lobby Day. Miller. He figures, of the average six hours a day the senators spend in hearings, the costs associated amount to about $3,000 per hour. Miller figured the process was about $8000 to $ 10,000. Under the current distribution formula of a little over $4000 per student, he asked himself, “Was this activity worth two students? I said ‘no’ and that’s what this is all about.” The senator spent several minutes^dis^iis^jng h^jy itl]e issues with the Clackamas students. Perhaps the most important message he impressed upon them was the need to free up money for educational spending. He challenged them to find the savings in other current programs and transfer it into what students believe are better priorities. “There are real examples, like the proposal to do away with the Oregon Liquor Control Commission. It is suggested that it would save us a $ 100 million per biennium and $60 million every biennium thereafter,” Miller said. He also pointed out the savings involved in letting Oregonians pump their own gasoline, building less prisons, and privatizing the Department of Motor Vehicles. “Our budget here is exactly like your budget at home - -there is only so much money coming in,” said Miller. The round of visits continued well into the afternoon to include Representatives Roger Beyer, Ron The Clackamas Print 19600 S. Molalla Ave., Oregon City, OR 97045 (503) 657-6958 ext. 2309 cccprint@clackamas.cc.or.us BRANDY GEHRKE, Cartoonist (ext. 2309) Staff Writers/Photographers/Production: Andrew Beck, Maggie Bragg, Kim Harney, Joel Shempert Linda Vogt, Advisor (ext 2310) JoAnne Gale, Secretary (ext 2309) Adams, Jane Lokan and Larry Sowa’s Chief of Staff Trish Conrad..: ■ i At Adams’. 'Office,: students received word from the Chair of the Subcommittee on Education that they had provided some of the backfill left by Measure 47. Although there were details still to be worked out, this was good news for community college students. “What they have given us is fair and reasonable based on What’s happening in the state. That $9.8 million probably translates into about $300,000 for Clackamas,” said College President John Keyser. “We are in a tight budget time and we know we’re going to have to slowly make adjustments in our budget. We’re trying to do it in such a way that it doesn’t disrupt what students need and what people expect of the college.” Keyser was concerned students may be confused about the political backdrop of what they heard in Salem. The tuition freeze covers the state system of colleges and universities. “When the governor and others talk about freezing tuition, a lot a people will sweep the community colleges into that. So I am sure students will have questions about it if we [Clackamas] raise tuition,” Keyser said. The kicker revenue, if not refunded, will be used to freeze tuition for resident undergraduates. The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased, professional manner. The opinions expressed in The Clackamas Print do not necessarily reflect those of the student body, college administration, its faculty or The Clackamas Print advertisers. Products and services advertised in The Clackamas Print are not necessarily endorsed by anyone associated with The Clackamas Print. The advertising rate is $4.50 per column inch. All signed letters to the Editor will be considered for publication and must be submitted by 1 p.m. the Friday prior to publication. The Clackamas Print is a weekly publication and is distributed every Wednesday except during finals week.
