ASPSU will lobby for student voice

Recently, ASPSU has been tabling in the Park Blocks and will continue to do so midday every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday until May 5, when students will participate in a state-wide lobby day in Salem.

The May 5 lobby day is being organized by the Oregon Student Association (OSA). At that time, they hope to have at least 60 students from Portland State present in Salem, along with student representatives from all major public Oregon universities.

They will be lobbying in support of House Bill 5027, which would keep the Oregon legislature as part of the process involved in approvals and changes to various budgets within the Oregon University System (OUS).

According to ASPSU intern Erin Devaney, a lot of concerns within the ASPSU office regard the rapid rise in tuition.

If the bill does not pass, it will lead towards the decentralization of OUS and give each individual university more control over their budgets, as well as more power to increase tuition and fees without presenting such changes to the Oregon legislature.

“This will cut students out of the process,” Devaney said. “It would shift power.”

ASPSU volunteer Ryan Klute agreed.

“There has to be accountability for tuition increases and there’s no assurance that there would be any checks and balances.”

ASPSU is trying to get as many people as possible to come to Salem on the lobby day to show the strong voice opposed to removing the legislature from the OUS budgetary process.

Their tabling activities are to garner interest. ASPSU representatives at the tables also have postcards for students to sign.

These postcards will be sent or presented to representatives in Salem, to help illustrate student voices in support of HB 5027.

On May 5, students will also be lobbying for the Oregon Opportunity Grant and the Child Care Block Grant.

“It’s going to be really big,” Klute said.

Anyone interested in attending the lobby day should contact ASPSU State Affairs Director Miriam Gonzales at 503-725-5675.