Popularity contested

Finally, the popularity contest that is the ASUA senatorial race has concluded. Now my Facebook news feed can be saved from the constant “”vote for (insert name here)”” status updates and group invites. Once again, I can hear about that horse stable somebody built on FarmVille or those fantastic heart gifts. No longer do I have to be told to vote for someone because they’re a “”great person.”” I can once again walk down the halls of my dorm without hearing a candidate whining about an editorial that was critical of his campaign “”platform.””

However, I must congratulate the winning candidates; you have all done a superb job of pulling the friend card and showing masterful use of social networking. Your three-word campaign posters and irrelevant witty slogans, like “”sax appeal””, were most effective in taking you “”Myles”” and capturing the vote of the mundane. Their undying allegiance to your campaigns is incredible and concerning, all at the same time. Again, I say congratulations on recognizing that this race was about who could accrue the most hits on his Facebook group page. Now, the real challenge has arrived: representing 40,000+ students. I hope candy-coated platforms of Gandhi quotes and “”ABCs”” have something under that chocolate shell.

Mason Storm Byrd

Political science freshman

Professor says

In the face of unprecedented increases in tuition and fees for the coming year, it is urgent for students at all three state universities to unite to resolve the problem at its source: the Arizona legislature. Marshall Vest, director of economic and business research in the Eller College of Management, has shown that the present budget shortfall, which threatens the stability of the universities themselves, would be almost completely eliminated if the state income tax had not been cut from the rates in effect in 2000 to their present level. In other words, no tuition and fee increases would be needed, nor other cuts in state support and services (parks, K-12 education, etc.) required, if tax rates were simply restored to their 2000 level.

With elections for state legislators coming this fall, the opportunity is at hand for students to reverse the tuition increases beyond next year by uniting to work for the election of candidates who support education and are willing to restore taxes to their 2000 level. While individuals can do little, if each in-state student at all three universities were to convince parents, parents’ friends and alumni acquaintances to become active in insisting that candidates for the legislature be willing to support education by eliminating tax cuts of the past decade, the combined efforts would have a tsunami effect in changing the budgetary situation in the state for the next fiscal year and beyond.

As Patrick Henry famously said, “”United we stand, divided we fall.”” The solution is simple. Concerted student effort can save the future of education in the state in one election. With Spring Break at hand, the time to act is now, before it is too late.

Rudy Troike

Professor, English