Stop the cuts the ISU way
March 3, 2011 32 Comments
Another day to rally the troops at the Iowa State House is coming up on March 7. This time it will be Iowa State University sending college students to attempt to pressure Iowa legislators to “Stop the Cuts”. As you will read in an e-mail shared in this post ISU will be providing bus transportation, free meals, and other perks to attend the rally. Students who don’t know how to lobby may also attend a “lobbying training day” prior to attending Regent’s Day.
The original e-mail sent to ISU students:
Dear ISU Students,
The time has come to make the Iowa Legislature listen to your needs.
Currently, the legislature wants to propose a 10% budget cut to the
Regents Universities. A 4% increase from Governor Branstad’s already
hefty 6% cut. We as a University quite simply cannot endure a cut of
this magnitude. Programs and services will have to be cut.Here is what you can do to put a stop to this: Get involved! On
Monday, March 7 we will be holding the annual Regent’s Day at the
Capitol with UNI and Iowa. On this day we will be lobbying
legislators to “Stop the Cuts” to education. We would like to
encourage you to attend this event. If you do not have transportation
available to the capitol, a bus will be provided. Simply
arrive at the west side of Memorial Union at 10:00 am on that day and
be prepared to sign a waiver allowing you to travel. In order to make
as big of a statement as possible, please try to wear ISU red! If you
plan to attend this event please RSVP to ddebower@iastate.edu .We highly encourage any clubs interested in participating to put
together a “club fest” sort of display to show legislators that we are
making a difference in the state of Iowa. If your club would like
to get involved please email me at jbruning@gmail.com or call me at
712-420-2551.In addition to Regent’s day, the week of February 21-25 we will be
holding a post card campaign. Keep an eye out around campus for
tables with ISU Ambassadors handing out post cards that you can fill
out and send to your legislator asking them to support Iowa State.On March 4th we will hold a lobbying training day. If you and/or your
organization is interested in lobbying I highly encourage you to
attend this event. President Geoffroy, Ann McCarthy (the Government
Relations Director) and local legislators will be present to provide
you with insight to the situation, facts, and suggestions for
effective lobbying. It will be held in 268 Carver. An RSVP is not required.Finally, talk to your parents. Ask them to write to your hometown
legislators and attend open forums to protest the cuts to higher
education. Legislators are more likely to listen to their voting
constituents.If you are an out of state student, contact Representatives Kraig
Paulsen, Linda Upmeyer, Greg Forristall, Jeremy Taylor, or Nathan
Willems or Senators John Kibbie, Michael Gronstal, Herman Quirmbach,
Brian Schoenjahn, or Shawn Hamerlinck. All of their contact
information can be found online at
http://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/senate.aspx andhttp://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/house.aspx.
To find who your legislators are for in-state students visit
http://www.legis.iowa.gov/Legislators/find.aspx.
Again, we encourage you to contact your legislator and attend Regent’s
Day at the Capitol. Feel free to reply to this email with any questions
regarding this event!
Do your part, help Stop the Cuts!
GSB WEBSITE:http://www.gsb.iastate.edu/ambassadors/
BUS INFORMATION:
Buses and lunch will be provided.
Instructors have been informed by the President’s office of this event and are instructed to be lenient with students missing class. Ask permission first though!Buses will leave at 10:00 am from the west side of the Memorial Union and arrive back at 4:00 pm.
There are 100 spaces on the bus for ISU students so make sure to get signed up right away!
Please try to wear ISU red!sign up at www.gsb.iastate.edu and invite all of your friends!
ISU is promoting and encouraging students to get involved with potential budget cut decisions and doing so in a one sided way. Iowa State College Republicans have attempted to raise their concerns with how the March 7th event is being promoted. Members of this group have worked to have voices that support budget cuts to have an equal voice. As evidenced by the following e-mail their efforts have not been successful in going “up the chain.”
Last Friday you all received an email from one of the ISU Ambassadors, it was a mass email sent to everyone at the university. I have included that specific email below, but what it is advocating for is to have students go to the Capitol this coming Monday (March 7th) and lobby against the legislatures budget cuts. Please read the email below and see what you think; I personally was offended by the email. I do not need an ISU Ambassador telling me how to think, and I would hope you feel the same way. In addition it is not in the job description for the ISU Ambassadors to take a partisan side, and that is directly from their website (see link below). I contacted Jessica Bruning, who sent the email, and asked her confronted her about it. I said the best thing for her to do was send an additional email apologizing and inviting the other side of the issue (those who support budget cuts) to join them. She declined that idea and sent me up the chain to the person who is in charge of the Regent’s day at the capitol. This person contacted me and we had a long discussion mainly about the word “partisan.” She said the email was non-partisan because it did not use the words “republican” or “democrat.” I told her that was not the definition of the word, but she said we need to “agree to dis-agree.” She ended our last phone conversation by hanging up on me. Now take in mind this is a high ranking University employee. I then contacted the GSB President and he of course did not agree with my side, and ended the conversation by telling me “he didn’t have time for me.”
It should be evident from information I have shared that mass e-mails to college students are being used to influence and promote an agenda and point of view. As a taxpayer and voter I support the ISU College Republicans in their efforts to have their voices heard. I urge other Iowans to “Do your part” and add your voices in the debate over budget cuts to the Regents Universities.
Okay, let me get this straight.
ISU is upset that state funding is getting cut.
So they spend money to bus students to Des Moines.
They spend money to feed the students while they are in Des Moines.
Does anyone else see the absurdity of this situation?
This is a project of the student government, so it’s democracy in action. You should be proud of them. Student govt is financed by student fees, not tax money, so there is nothing absurd about it.
Is it ironic that ISU did not make a peep when Gov. Culver slashed their funds? ISU is not only a State funded Institution, but a Federal Land Grant University as well, putting much stricter laws into effect when doing ANYTHING like this as “University Sponsored”.
@Jerry-would you be equally proud of other schools, state and federal agencies and services participating in the same type of behavior? As individuals or individual groups the students can organize and make their feelings known – but when the government funded entity getting the money (or the lack there of is this case) gets involved, it crosses an ethical line; Especially when students with an opposing view are NOT given the same chance to make us “proud”. (i.e. imagine what could happent if the Dept of Defence, Social Security Administration, State DOT, or any other agencies and services deployed this type of activity? That is why the laws/regulations against just such activities).
Please elaborate on what law is being broken here. There have been lots of court cases on the use of student government fees. I am giving the ISU Ambassadors the benefit of the doubt unless you can present a stronger argument.
I bet there are mighty few students who want to see the school budget cut. You should get one of them to post here. That would be interesting.
@Jerry – I’m an ISU Alumni, my wife is employed there. I know the cuts will hurt, and the University (as well as the federal agencies, where I’m employed) will try and make it appear as if their “customers” (students) will suffer, thus making you think the university is concerned about your costs. I assure you, this is NOT the case. ISU wastes enormous sums of money daily. I’m sure even you can see that “on the surface”; but when you get below the surface it is really bad. There are several Departments who had multiple people recieving “Dean Salaries”, for years after no longer being a Dean (Department Head). One Dept, a couple years ago had 4 such positions and acting Department Head at the same time!
When the College of Veteranary Medicine, added it’s new addition, money was very tight. What did that Administration do? Stopped funding student positions. Much to the anger of the Vet Med Staff. These student positions where vital, as the students helped care for animals, as well as outside customers coming to the Vet College for Animal Tx. One of the professors actually donated part of his own salary to keep some students working…has anyone ever told you about the mess and extra money that are pumped into newly constructed buildings that DON’T WORK; or some of the VERY extravigant trips that are billed to the university by Staff? Before every July 1 (end of State’s Fiscal year) any employee who has an annual budget is expected to use whatever remains in their budgets, needed or not…to assure that the State sees they must need more!
Saddly, the same University that claims to “care” so much about it’s students, also will not hire Alumni standardly (even though the state of Iowa is concerned with the brightest students leaving?), preferring to hire (both in merit and professional positions) individuals who have graduated from another university, in order to attract potential students and others from there.
I wish the Administration at ISU really put the student first, but the fact is they don’t. Heck, they even build buildings BEFORE they have or know where the funds will come from to operate those buildings! Do your home work on waste at ISU, and do not believe everything someone tells you – especially if they say they are doing it to “help” you. Follow the money trail…
I don’t doubt bureaucratic waste. Corporate bureaucrats are the same way, as I know from personal experience. And I agree that college tuition is over-priced compared to a generation or two ago.
At my house we have a saying with regard to schools or other institutions: “The needs of the institution come first.” Yes, ahead of the needs of students.
I see you have dropped your claim that the student group is doing anything illegal. So it looks like we are done arguing.
I am not an ISU student, but I have many friends that go there and I support the College Republicans. I am the chair of College Republicans at Morningside College in Sioux City. No one will come forward and say, “yes, please, cut my budget.” But it is something that needs to be done currently. After visiting with State Auditor Dave Vaudt this past Tuesday I got a better understanding of the budget cuts and what needs to happen. He said why not have everyone hurt a little bit rather than someone hurt a lot. Education is 60% of the state budget with medicare/social services another 20%. If you say you won’t cut anything from either of those, that leaves only 20% to work with. This is when one person hurts alot. These budget cuts that are happening are essential in reeling in the power and control of state government. Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate are working hard to make sure we have a sustainable government that has money to pay for what they say they will. I support the budget cuts and the ISU College Republicans this coming Monday, and I wish I could join them at the state house to let our leaders know we support them.
Just a second, Ashley. You really think “Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate are working hard to make sure we have a sustainable government that has money to pay for what they say they will.” ?
Why have they passed a 20% personal income tax cut if they are short of money? They also want a corporate income tax cut and property tax cuts for business. How is that a way to make sure everyone suffers a little? It looks to me like they want some to suffer so others can benefit. If they want everyone to suffer, they should cut programs across the board as Culver did, and raise taxes across the board as well.
@jerry – No, I have not dropped any claim about the possibility of ethical and/or regulatory rules breaking here. I do not have the time to look it up right now. However, a very large ethical/legal question has been raised concerning ISU Ambassadors not remaining impartial (non-partisan) on a huge divisional issue in our government – and in fact doing the opposite of what the position description says, by choosing sides and supplying the means and methods for that side; while at the same time getting it’s monies to promote a particulair point of view, from a student activity fee, that the University collects from ALL students, and using that to represent only part of the student’s views. You crossed a very fine line when you did that (took sides). Perhaps you knew that and are walking a “tight-rope”; but my guess is your advisors, who knew better, did not give you ALL te information, as their agenda is probably more important then a “Student Ambassador”.
Impartial is not the same as non-partisan. Since Republicans are free to oppose budget cuts, advocating against budget cuts is not partisan.
Advocating that students vote for Dems on the grounds that only Dems care about students—-now that is partisan.
2003 alum –
Solution: Cut professor pay and high ranking folks in the administration 15-25% – they still will live well (some get paid well over 100,000) – higher education is being killed because of ridiculous pay. Then, other salaried workers (janitors, secretaries) will do just fine.
Listening to the college student on WHO. He is doing a great job explaining his point of view. What a guy. Jan M will help get the word out so the Jerry’s of the world will have more to say, I am sure!
Wonder if I could sneak in to get trained to lobby? This whole thing is over the top. Have to give credit to the students who are speaking up. They are patriots.
Shock!!….the democrat-liberal-leaning university (public) employees want more money…and are “fighting” for it….just like WI teachers union members and every other public employee in the country. What’s wrong with that, Jerry, we have plenty of ink and paper in DC….just print more of the stuff and….problem solved….and we can all go back to our desk!
So very sad….but so very very real.
I’m very impressed with Logan and his followers who “GET IT” and are willing to “sacrifice personally” for all the right reasons.
Here we are……”Ames”!!!! The town built with public employees on tax-funded payroll. [Sorry to sound so hard on good ole Ames]. Do you know what the percentage of public employees is in Ames and then in Story County ? I wonder how it compares (percentage-wise) to Polk. Just some thoughts.
As I said Jerry, you are walking a “tight rope” here. Have you looked up Partisan? See below. Let’s just ask the question; “Would you sponser or support a student club who wanted to protest only one side of the abortion issue, or The Gay Marriage issue? Why or why not, using your definitions and thought process you would have to.
Definition of PARTISAN (Merriam-Webster)
1: a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person; especially : one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance
2a : a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy b : a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines
World English Dictionary
partisan or partizan 1 (ˌpɑːtɪˈzæn, ˈpɑːtɪˌzæn, ˌpɑːtɪˈzæn, ˈpɑːtɪˌzæn)
— n
1. an adherent or devotee of a cause, party, etc
2. a. a member of an armed resistance group within occupied territory, esp in Italy or the Balkans in World War II
b. ( as modifier ): partisan forces
— adj
3. of, relating to, or characteristic of a partisan
4. relating to or excessively devoted to one party, faction, etc; one-sided: partisan control
[C16: via French, from Old Italian partigiano, from parte faction, from Latin pars part ]
par•ti•san1 /ˈpɑrtəzən, -sən; Brit. ˌpɑrtəˈzæn/ Show Spelled
[pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; Brit. pahr-tuh-zan] Show IPA
Here’s a story of an anti-abortion student club going to court to win the right to exist like any other club.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/05/AR2007110502000.html
And this is relevant how?
We are not dealing with the existence of a student club Jerry. We are discussing the partisan actions undertaken by the student government at the encouragement of the university’s administrators.
This is a really slippery slope you are on Jerry…We all, through the Constitution, are given certian rights. However, just because a person has a right that doesn’t mean someone else must pay for that right. The right to “Bare Arms” is a good example. I can own a gun, but I can not expect someone else (especially someone who disagrees with that right and wants it to change) to pay for my gun.
We each have a right to peacefully, assemble and protest…however, isn’t it ethically wrong to expect others to pay for your right to do that (especially if they disagree with your view)?
Q: “isn’t it ethically wrong to expect others to pay for your right”?
A: Others pay to protect your right to private property. Their property taxes (paid via the rent) support the property protection systems at the fire station, the police station and the county recorder’s office.
Jerry,
Are you purposefully being obtuse?
You know as well as I do that the examples that you have given are different from the situation that is going on in Ames.
You provide examples of taxpayers providing the necessary protective services to maintain civilization. And for the most part, all members of society can agree that these are necessary services.
At ISU however we have the opposite. We have a student government, at the behest of the school’s administrators that is using student funds to promote a political viewpoint that is not universally shared by the student body.
“at the behest of the school’s administrators”
Do you have evidence for that?
No viewpoint is ever shared by 100% of any large group unless they came together specially to further that viewpoint, as you acknowledge with your caveat “for the most part.”
For the most part, students will oppose cuts to education.
How about this Jerry. This was what we were told by Logan.
I contacted Jessica Bruning, who sent the email, and asked her confronted her about it. I said the best thing for her to do was send an additional email apologizing and inviting the other side of the issue (those who support budget cuts) to join them. She declined that idea and sent me up the chain to the person who is in charge of the Regent’s day at the capitol. This person contacted me and we had a long discussion mainly about the word “partisan.” She said the email was non-partisan because it did not use the words “republican” or “democrat.” I told her that was not the definition of the word, but she said we need to “agree to dis-agree.” She ended our last phone conversation by hanging up on me. Now take in mind this is a high ranking University employee. I then contacted the GSB President and he of course did not agree with my side, and ended the conversation by telling me “he didn’t have time for me.”
Are you accusing Logan of lying?
No, I’m not. But I don’t know who is Jessica Bruning or who is the “high ranking” one that is in charge of Regent’s Day and also hung up the phone. If it’s called Regent’s Day, surely the event is legit! (Maybe the Regents don’t know?)
Also I don’t think the students are being “used” improperly as you suggest. And the College Repubs could just have all signed up and filled the 100 seats on the bus if they wanted to do so.
You are so agitated because Cut Party goals are not popular in real life. It’s easy to say “cut gov down to size” in the abstract, but when the cuts get specific, people object.
In re-reading this post, I see it is an annual event. Did the CRs object last year, too?
To be perfectly honest, I don’t know if the ISU College Republicans protested last year.
And actually the ISU ambassadors rebuked the ISUCR’s suggestion to invite opposing viewpoints.
Al- I see you are trying to make sense to someone who has a closed mind. I suggest you move on – the man is not worth the effort. You are attempting to be rational and making your points but they are not being digested by Mr. Jerry.
I don’t have a closed mind. I just came in to challenge two things: 1)that equal sacrifice is actually the goal of the Cut Party, and 2) that the students have done something untoward. There is no evidence so far that either is true.
I see we will have to wait for Ashley to resume arguing for 1).
Jerry,
I would say that yes we do have an indication that the ISU ambassadors have done something untoward.
The ISU Ambassador’s are actively attempting to tell students what to think. They are actively attempting to squelch any opposing viewpoint. This is not the purpose of higher education. The purpose of higher education is to provide the facts and viewpoints of all sides to provide students with the opportunity to think for themselves.
Instead of honest open debate, we are seeing indoctrination happening on ISU’s campus.
Words don’t mean anything here, do they? Indoctrination? viewpoints squelched?
The student government is apparently captured by students who oppose cuts. They don’t organize the supporters of cuts, who then feel they have been squelched. The student govt gives talking points to other students, but you say that is indoctrination.
No one has to attend this event. It is routine every year. It is done by all three state schools. Nothing untoward is happening. You are just feeling the heat.
Here’s an account of it all from UNI:
http://www.northern-iowan.org/nisg-prepares-students-for-upcoming-regents-day-1.2504259
Notice it is the student government again. Student groups can do this stuff. They can form anti-abortion clubs, too. So go form your own Cut Club. Quit crying “Wolf”"
BTW, I saw at the UNI link above that the Iowa cuts are the third deepest in the nation. I guess I have been indoctrinated.
Jerry, your right no one has to attend the event. However the ISU Student Government is offering enticements to get people to attend the event. First they are paying for transportation to the event. Second they are providing a meal for the students that are attending the event. Third the school’s administration has asked the professors to be lenient in their attendance for the students to attend the event. Just look at the email that the Student Government has sent out.
Furthermore, the ISU Student Government is supposed to be non-partisan. That means not taking a side in a controversial issue. However they sure seem to be taking a side in this issue don’t they. They have refused to allow opposing viewpoints to be aired.
Time out. We are going in a circle now. Al at 3:55 pm has re-asserted points that I have already addressed. So . . . .
I’d like to take this opportunity —since we may have a lot of readers here now—to thank Al for running an honest, partisan blog. I have a story to tell.
A week ago this space was given over to state Representative Kent Sorenson for a post called “Taxpayers Last”. The post was misleading in a way that revealed a dishonest streak in Sorenson. He had taken two bits of evidence from a Wall Street Journal editorial published that same morning but had omitted other evidence also contained in the editorial. The omitted evidence was strikingly clear, but it undermined Sorenson’s propaganda.
I had read the editorial before I found the post and recognized Sorenson’s source of information. I entered my objections in two comments. After a long delay (two days?), Al published the comments.
Meanwhile at Sorenson’s own site, he had published the same post. I went there and pointed out his dishonesty. So far–a week later–he has not published any comments, His post remains on his site. He must be pretty busy. I predict he won’t allow the comments until he has bumped the post down the page with a new one to replace it.
By jove Jerry, I think you’ve got it! Although Albert’s IDF blog is not directed at republicans or democrats, it IS a Partisan Blog. He never claimed anything else…unlike the ISU Ambassadors, who claim to be Non-Partisan.
I was a little troubled by the ISU Daily’s statement today (at the end of their article):
“Bruning stated that her role is to represent the majority of the student body, and while she knows there is a minority’s opinion, there is someone else that is entitled to represent them”
That statement troubles me as it shows “mob” rule rather than the Democratic REPUBLIC form of government that ISU GSB portrays. If the Ambassadors are there only to represent the majority, who assures injustices are not done against minorities (and there are many differant minorities at ISU).
Just like last year’s Regent’s Day? College Administrators not involved? You decide –
http://www.press-citizen.com/article/20110304/NEWS01/110304016/College-students-to-ask-lawmakers-to-stop-budget-cuts-
http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_28d0b1f2-45db-11e0-b0e4-001cc4c002e0.html