S.C. college students lobby for school funding, conservation
By Drew Daniels
Edited by Nick McCormac
Posted March 20
They have little political experience and even smaller budgets. If college students were to wine and dine legislators, it would be over a dinner of Ramen noodles.
But despite their lack of deep pockets and their youth, more students are showing up at the State House en masse to get their voices heard.
It's not hard, said University of South Carolina senior Greg Bajan. "By showing up and talking to someone, it gives our legislators an opportunity to speak with students who are affected by certain issues."
With the State House complex across the street from USC's campus, legislators have heard a lot from students lately. USC's student government is helping students with training as they push for issues like retaining university funding and money for land conservation despite budget cuts.
As part of the training, students were paired with the university's paid lobbyists. A month later, more than 100 students from USC's Columbia, Aiken and Beaufort campuses; Clemson University; and Coastal Carolina University talked at the State House about school budgets.
Gov. Mark Sanford has proposed reducing statewide university funding by $147.2 million, or 22.4 percent, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, according to the state Higher Education Commission, although the Senate restored some recent cuts using federal stimulus money.
Clemson student body President Callie Boyd said after talking to legislators that she felt students did a great job getting their opinions heard, but she was unsure whether their efforts will mean more money for colleges and universities next year.
Bajan and 20 other USC students also went to the State House to seek money for the S.C. Conservation Bank, which buys land to keep it from development. The $6 million the conservation bank would have received was instead used to buy fuel for school buses.
The students, Sierra Club members and Conservation Voters of South Carolina appeared at a Fish, Game and Forestry subcommittee meeting to make the case for more funding.
Sen. Yancey McGill, who chaired the subcommittee meeting, said he was pleased to see so many college students come to talk with legislators. But, "We really can't push much money around," said McGill, D- Williamsburg.
However, after listening to students and conservation organization members, the subcommittee decided to see whether it could give some money back to the conservation bank.
Sierra Club lobbyist Cary Chamblee said the mood lightened when the 21 USC students entered the meeting.
"Lawmakers really brighten up when students come in to talk to them," Chamblee said. "The committee specifically asked if there was anyone in the USC group that wanted to address the committee, because they wanted his or her opinion."
Bajan, an Eagle Scout and avid outdoorsman, seized the moment to explain how important South Carolina's natural land is for him and why money is needed to preserve it.
"I grew up loving this state's beautiful outdoors, and if we lose funding it may not be around for future Boy Scouts," Bajan said.
John Ramsburgh, president of the Sierra Club's S.C. chapter, said he hopes testimony like Bajan's will sway legislators' future votes.
Ramsburgh helped form and lead the students through subcommittee hearings and lobbying at the State House. This was the first time for most of the 21, and Ramsburgh said it was exciting to show them how easy it is.
"We wanted to introduce the conservation leaders of tomorrow to the democratic process," Ramsburgh said.
In 1971, students from the University of California-Berkeley formed their own lobbying organization called the National Student Lobby. In the association's first 10 years, it secured over $8 million for the university.
The lobby merged with another student organization in 1978 to form the United States Student Association, the country's largest student lobbying group.
"What we do is teach them it's not such a scary process," said Courtney Weaver, the association's legislative director. "They have the right to go in and fight for their cause."
USC senior Christina Wilder said she was surprised how approachable the legislators were.
"I had fun talking with them," Wilder said. "Conservation is a cause I believe in, and I was glad that talking with lawmakers wasn't stressful."
USC students will gather again this March 25 to press for increased higher education funding at the annual Carolina Day at the State House. More than 250 students, alumni, faculty and staff spoke with legislators last year.
For Bajan, having a say is what's most important.
"It encouraged me to know that I have the power to influence my state representatives and tell them what is affecting our college and statewide communities," he said.
