Collegiate Times

You might ask, “Why should I get involved, no one listens to the youth voice?” Wrong. College students carry some of the strongest messages when they visit the General Assembly. On Hokie Day we didn’t go shooting off these numbers to our representatives in hopes that they would see the big picture — that is President Charles Steger’s job. We showed them the big picture. Students came from all parts of the state to tell their stories of fewer class offerings, classroom shortages, fewer university part time jobs, standing-room only in classes, tuition increases turning into part-time and full-time jobs for students, and how all these are having a negative impact on families. While families already struggle to put their kids through school, tuition increases are just another burden put on their shoulders. What is so great about the Virginia General Assembly, unlike other state assemblies or congresses, is that it is a citizen legislature, which means it only convenes session for two months a year at most, and the rest of the year the elected officials go home and resume their lives as normal citizens instead of working year-round. This is important because they have a real connection with those they represent and they know their demographic and concerns from constituents are that much stronger.

Fifty students cannot represent the more than 25,000 who are enrolled at Tech. We all have our stories about how the shortfalls of the general fund have affected us and they need to be shared. Write a letter to your representative while he is in Richmond, call, or visit. After session, go to his district office to talk to him about higher education; some of these men and women have not been in college for 15-30 years and if they were at a public university their school was receiving a lot more funding than is the case now. It is important to carry the message that higher education still holds an important place in the commonwealth of Virginia. Tech produces the most high demand graduates in the state and our instate enrollment goes up every year. Tech is doing its part to produce the most educated college graduates along with some o0f the best opportunities a school can offer. Now it is up to the state to do its part and invest in education.

Brittany Anderson
SGA Director of Government Affairs

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 9 issue of the Collegiate Times.