“Stop eating our education,” was the opening announcement by a group of students that held a rally in front of the Student Union on Feb. 12, spreading news of proposed budget cuts on the University by the state. The participating students, mainly art majors, formed the group “Stop Eating Our Education” almost two weeks prior during a discussion of future budget cuts and the affect those cuts would have on their department.
“This is our responsibility as students,” Elise Hotard, art junior from Mathews said. “We must stand up for our right to an education.”
The group of students borrowed the paper mache shark from the front of Talbot Hall to use as a center point to their cause. The members present helped lift and carry the artwork from under the Talbot stairs to the Student Union where they set it on the walkway for added impact.
Students wondering why this half of a shark was being carried across campus soon realized why when a group member powered up a portable P.A. system and made the first announcement to the crowd.
The group asked the crowd to contact their state representatives, senators and the governor to voice their sentiments against the state cutting the higher education budget.
“We’re having this rally to raise awareness and to show everyone how the budget cuts affect us all,” group leader Rachel Lecompte, art senior from Houma, said. “Our goal is to get everyone to e-mail their state representatives and Gov. Bobby Jindal directly. We want to spread the word, but we want to do it respectfully.”
Lecompte said the group started two weeks ago and quickly grew in support and members after it was added to the networking Web site Facebook. She said in a matter of days the membership grew to 187.
In front of the Student Union, the group started passing out flyers asking students to “stop the proposed budget cuts of 15 to 28 percent on higher education” and not to be “apathetic.”
Apathy is often a factor when students use their freedom of speech. According to Aaron O’Neal, associate professor of speech, there was a time of “distrust” in the ’50s and ’60s when people were afraid to speak out. But those times have changed and he, for one, is glad to see the students exercising their right to free speech.
“The importance of free speech in a free speech society is that students need to feel that they can speak out,” O’Neal said. “It is of tremendous importance.”
Eugene Dial, vice-president for student affairs and enrollment services, said this rally was a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn.
“It’s a laboratory experiment,” Dial said. “We encourage students to come forward with the issues they feel passionate about. We welcome not only comments about this issue, but any issue the students may have.”
He said if students feel strongly that these budget cuts are not necessary then they should feel empowered to contact their representatives and make it known.
That’s just what students like Hotard plan to do. She said since Louisiana already ranks low in education, this new series of budget cuts will only emphasize the image of how little Louisiana cares about its students and their future.
She said that these budget cuts stem from changes in Louisiana’s constitution that, over the years, has been edited to make education and healthcare the only two state funded resources where budget cuts can be made.
“Let’s change the (state) constitution so that higher education and healthcare no longer have to bear the brunt of the budget cuts,” the group’s flyer reads.
O’Neal said because the budget cuts have been a controversial issue, the University’s next speech forum topic will be on the possibility of Nicholls moving to a four-day class schedule. The speech forum will be held March 9, from 7-8 p.m. with tryouts on Feb. 26, from 2-4 p.m. in room 102 of Talbot Hall.
