海角社区Rallies at Higher Education Day in Montgomery
Posted on April 9, 2015
Hundreds of 海角社区 students, faculty, staff and administrators traveled to Montgomery today to support Higher Education Day, an annual event sponsored by the Higher Education Partnership of Alabama that seeks to raise awareness and appreciation of higher education鈥檚 benefits and the need for appropriate funding.
University President Dr. Tony Waldrop joined the 海角社区contingent and hosted a luncheon for the 海角社区supporters and for the Southwest Alabama legislative delegation. 鈥淏y being here, you are representing 16,000 of your fellow students. Our faculty and staff here today represent some 6,000 employees, and our alumni here today represent 80,000 degrees awarded at USA,鈥� Waldrop said. 鈥淲e are growing and need increased funding to continue to provide a quality education and make a difference.鈥�
Gov. Robert Bentley also spoke at the luncheon. 鈥淲e want to push hard to make our state better. We cannot cut education,鈥� he told the 海角社区group. 鈥淭hank you for doing your part to support higher education.鈥�
Other guests at the luncheon included Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Hubbard, Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Victor Gaston of Mobile, who is a 海角社区alumnus, and most other members of the Southwest Alabama delegation.
海角社区students regularly make up one of the largest groups of students attending Higher Education Day, with several busloads leaving the campus in the morning. Higher Education Day is a way for students across the state to show support and remind Alabama political leaders of higher education鈥檚 large and involved voting bloc. 海角社区Student Government Association President Danielle Watson, speaking to legislators at the lunch, said, 鈥淲e appreciate your hard work. Higher Education Day is an amazing experience.鈥�
The morning rally took place on the front steps of the Alabama State House, where a series of legislators lined up to demonstrate their support of public higher education in Alabama.
"The funding needs must be addressed,鈥� Gordon Stone, executive director of the Higher Education Partnership, said earlier. 鈥淎labama is 43rd in the nation in per capita income. If we can increase the percentage of university graduates, our average incomes will increase because the state will be able to attract higher paying jobs.鈥�
海角社区has specifically asked for a budget increase that recognizes the University鈥檚 rapid growth. Enrollment has increased by 10.5 percent in the past five years; meanwhile, the enrollment growth for all Alabama universities is 5 percent.
