Raising Their Voices, Washington Huskies "Bark" Against Budget Cuts

Funding battles can be bloody. This fall, students in the U.K. warred against university leaders and the police after protests against dramatic tuition hikes turned violent. University of California students led their own protests against drastic fee increases.

In Washington State, students are picking a different tactic: lobbying their legislators. The Daily of the University of Washington reports that students are brainstorming a battle plan against higher costs. Student leaders have created BARK Against Budget Cuts, a group that will travel to the state capital to fight future funding cuts.

With flash mobs, letter-writing campaigns and meet-and-greets, student leaders are hoping to reach legislators before budget decisions are made. It's less dramatic than days-long sit-ins, but it's sorely needed to protect the Husky Promise, a UW program that covers tuition for in-state students who meet income requirements.

That promise depends on federal and state aid, both precarious commitments given the economy and recent indecision in Congress over the future of Pell Grants (Congress acted to fully fund the aid program for now).

“We want to fight the idea that it’s easy to cut [funding to the] UW,” said UW student Evan Smith. A student government senator on campus, he told the student newspaper that when legislators are forced to balance the budget, they are quick to cut higher education.

Too often, students are left out of the loop when it comes to funding cuts and tuition increases. Young people can be some of the best spokespeople for education - props to UW for figuring out a game plan before bad budget news comes, not after the fact.

Photo credit: ngader via Flickr