Shoreline Community College Students Rally Against Education Cuts

Overcoming outrage with action, students at Shoreline Community College, with the blessing of the school's administration, took a break from their studies and took it upon themselves to advocate for the cause of higher education in Washington state on Wednesday.

“When I walked in today it was so impressive to feel the buzz,” said Shoreline Mayor Keith McGlashan, as he addressed a crowd of over 200 Shoreline Community College students. “I was very impressed to find out that this was all student driven.”

McGlashan was one of the featured speakers at the SCC event, Wednesday afternoon, focused on raising student awareness about the looming higher education budget cuts in Washington state and encouraging the students to rally for funding.

Earlier last month, Gov. Christine Gregoire outlined more than $1.5 billion in state cuts to health care, social services, prisons and education. Gregoire proposed more than 160 individual cuts, the largest being a $166 million decrease in the higher education budget.

According to the 2010 Washington State Budget Guide, expenditures for higher education represent 14.7 percent of all budgeted funds and 9.5 percent of the state general fund.

The event, which was organized and run by students, offered open workshops that covered topics such as advocacy speaking and writing effective messages for political action.

The mayor, who sat in on the workshops, stressed the importance of SCC to the city and expressed his concern over the education cuts and the subsequent effect they would have on the college.

McGlashan encouraged the students to join the Nov. 28 Statewide Day of Action Rally in Olympia, to tell their personal stories and voice their opinions as legislators return for the start of the special budget session.

Another speaker at the event, Madeleine McKenna, last year’s University of Washington Student Body President, said that community colleges were an “integral part of the higher education equality system in our state.”

Higher education spending in this state includes funding for six public universities, and 34 community colleges and technical schools.

Madeleine McKenna, who is the daughter of Rob McKenna, the Washington Attorney General and Republican contender for governor in 2012, said that community colleges needed to be funded just as much as four-year universities.

“Thank you for being engaged in that cause,” she said to the crowd before introducing a video of her father sharing various statistics and solutions regarding the state’s higher education troubles.

In response to the students who voiced criticisms of Rob McKenna’s politics, a host speaker reminded them that his campaign made an effort to be present at the event. His main opponent Democrat Jay Inslee’s campaign had not.

The event ended with an open mic discussion during which students were able to give closing remarks and advice about the upcoming Day of Action Rally. They advised their fellow students to, among other things, contact their local and state representatives, understand that some cuts are inevitable and present their own ideas and solutions rather than making demands.