A relatively small but determined group of university students braved cold winds in Frankfort Thursday to protest proposed cuts to higher education. Their goal was to catch the eye of state lawmakers.
Governor Matt Bevin is proposing a 13.5 percent cut to higher education over the next 28 months.
Students bearing signs expressing concern about the cuts gathered on the capitol annex steps. Max Geib is a student at Murray State. “This is my first semester, what a wonderful time to jump in,” said Geib.
Huddled at the top of the steps was Joni Napier, an Eastern Kentucky University student from Breathitt County. She’s concerned the cuts could impact the amount of financial aid offered by schools. “Where I’m from, it’s a poor county and not a lot of kids have access to a quality education like I’m getting,” explained Napier. “So I feel like since I’m here, I have the duty to ensure that for the future.”
Nathan Smith is a senior communication major at UK. Smith lives in in Lawrenceburg, attends school part time and works full time. “If they cut university budgets, where’s that money gonna be made up at?" smith asked. "It’s going to be made up in tuition. Somebody like me who’s working paycheck to paycheck, just to go to school, that’s not gonna work."?
Smith believes university and state government officials could sit down and work out a way to meet in the middle on ways to save money.?
