Kaylynn Kaps
News Reporter

Paying for college is very expensive and has only become more so over the past few years. Even though Mesa State’s tuition is considerably lower than many other Colorado schools, it is burning a hole deeper into students’ pockets.
That is why ASG President Nick Lopez and ASG Distinguished Chief Justice Apollo Garcia are taking a stand to make sure students have access to an affordable first-class education through a new statewide, nonprofit organization called the Sustainable Higher Education Initiative.
Recently, the Fee Allocation Committee noted that over $1.5 million of student fees were going to clubs and organizations on campus. FAC members were able to increase funding to Mesa State clubs and organizations by $170,000 without any raise in student fees.
In Colorado, higher education is being funded at $550 million. In 2006 higher education was funded at $602 million.
Because of an additional $1.1 billion deficit for the state, some projections estimate that in the 2012 legislative session, funding for higher education will have to be cut an additional $100 million bringing funding to a level not seen in a decade.
“We can point fingers as much as we want at the legislators in Denver, but the truth of the matter is that there is a shared responsibility on the shoulders of both us the voters and our elected officials,” Lopez said on Friday.
The decrease in funding for higher education is seriously affecting colleges and students across the state. According to Mesa State’s tuition plan, the college does not plan to increase tuition by more than nine percent, providing that state funding does not decrease more than 10 percent.
Lopez said the Colorado Commission of Higher Education, the state, legislature and Joint Budget Committee will have their hands full with many statewide issues, including higher education.
Not only is MSC taking a financial hit, but their main concern are the students.
“I have been approached by many students who continue to struggle with being able to pay for their education,” said Lopez. “Some of our students must take on additional jobs, in order to continue their education. Parents have been known to take out large loans and second mortgages. It should be difficult to get a degree in higher education, but it should not be this difficult.”
The Sustainable Higher Education Initiative is an organization apart from ASG, whose main objectives will be to not only ensure that current funding levels of higher education, but to create opportunities in which Colorado’s higher education funding levels can move from last nationally, to the top third in the nation.
Katie Schultz, director of communications for ASG said, “They are doing this because they see that we’re continuing to get cut by the state and they want to provide a revenue for higher education in the future, not only for current students, but for future students as well.”
To take part in the Sustainable Higher Education Initiative, contact Lopez at njlopez@mesastate.edu or Garcia at agarcia@mesastate.edu.
“We believe that together, institutions of higher education alongside their communities can and will come up with common sense fiscal solutions,” said Lopez.
u
kkaps@mesastate.edu
Kaylynn Kaps
News Reporter

Paying for college is very expensive and has only become more so over the past few years. Even though Mesa State’s tuition is considerably lower than many other Colorado schools, it is burning a hole deeper into students’ pockets.
That is why ASG President Nick Lopez and ASG Distinguished Chief Justice Apollo Garcia are taking a stand to make sure students have access to an affordable first-class education through a new statewide, nonprofit organization called the Sustainable Higher Education Initiative.
Recently, the Fee Allocation Committee noted that over $1.5 million of student fees were going to clubs and organizations on campus. FAC members were able to increase funding to Mesa State clubs and organizations by $170,000 without any raise in student fees.
In Colorado, higher education is being funded at $550 million. In 2006 higher education was funded at $602 million.
Because of an additional $1.1 billion deficit for the state, some projections estimate that in the 2012 legislative session, funding for higher education will have to be cut an additional $100 million bringing funding to a level not seen in a decade.
“We can point fingers as much as we want at the legislators in Denver, but the truth of the matter is that there is a shared responsibility on the shoulders of both us the voters and our elected officials,” Lopez said on Friday.
The decrease in funding for higher education is seriously affecting colleges and students across the state. According to Mesa State’s tuition plan, the college does not plan to increase tuition by more than nine percent, providing that state funding does not decrease more than 10 percent.
Lopez said the Colorado Commission of Higher Education, the state, legislature and Joint Budget Committee will have their hands full with many statewide issues, including higher education.
Not only is MSC taking a financial hit, but their main concern are the students.
“I have been approached by many students who continue to struggle with being able to pay for their education,” said Lopez. “Some of our students must take on additional jobs, in order to continue their education. Parents have been known to take out large loans and second mortgages. It should be difficult to get a degree in higher education, but it should not be this difficult.”
The Sustainable Higher Education Initiative is an organization apart from ASG, whose main objectives will be to not only ensure that current funding levels of higher education, but to create opportunities in which Colorado’s higher education funding levels can move from last nationally, to the top third in the nation.
Katie Schultz, director of communications for ASG said, “They are doing this because they see that we’re continuing to get cut by the state and they want to provide a revenue for higher education in the future, not only for current students, but for future students as well.”
To take part in the Sustainable Higher Education Initiative, contact Lopez at njlopez@mesastate.edu or Garcia at agarcia@mesastate.edu.
“We believe that together, institutions of higher education alongside their communities can and will come up with common sense fiscal solutions,” said Lopez.
u
kkaps@mesastate.edu