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| A college students' group protesting in downtown Raleigh against suggestions that proposed cuts for the state's public universities could include closing some UNC system campuses. Photo:WRAL/AP |
Why?
Let's begin with Gov. Pat McCrory's proposed budget that would cut an additional $139 million from UNC System schools.
It’s just a proposal but the cuts would make getting a higher education that much harder for students.
The cuts come after an already steep cut of $400 million to the system in recent years.
Sen. Pete Brunstetter, a Republican from Forsyth County, is the co-chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He said in an interview with WRAL that he and his colleagues are concerned over “how the money is spent and thus want to trim duplicative programs across UNC campuses.”
That means the system could very well consolidate its campuses, possibly resulting in the joining together or the closing of some of its 16 campuses across the state.
Lawmakers insist this won't happen but it will definitely put further, unneeded stress on hard working college students regardless.
McCrory also proposed a 12.6 percent increase in out-of-state tuition which could deter out-of-state students from coming to North Carolina for school.
The cuts will have a detrimental effect on UNC system schools and will probably trickle down to local public school systems as well.
And as if that wasn’t enough. McCrory’s pals in the legislature are cooking up yet another bill that could hurt students.
Senate Bill 667, better known as the “Equalize Voter Rights” bill, could limit the ability of college students to vote where they live.
The bill would remove the state income tax deduction for dependents who register at an address other than their parents. In other words, parents of college students would be punished with a new tax simply because their son or daughter registered to vote at school rather than home.
This would, in a roundabout way, serve as a poll tax on college students, therefore pressuring them not to vote altogether. If it’s not convenient, many students would likely become apathetic about voting.
College students typically lean Democrat so this bill would cut out a key demographic, just what those boneheaded Republican lawmakers want.
These proposals before the General Assembly are direct attacks on college students. It’s time for the people of North Carolina to wake up and realize this is a slippery slope.
We need to fight to give students across the board a chance and a voice.
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