It’s time to take a stand
A few weeks ago in a class, a guest speaker commented that legislators don’t usually gear their campaigns toward college students because the majority of college students don’t vote.
However, many college students refuse to vote because they believe their vote won’t matter anyway.
Well, it does. And college students need to step up and take a stand – take a stand for themselves and for their future.
The confetti from celebrating 2007 had barely settled before 2008 presidential hopefuls coordinated exploratory groups or jumped directly into a nominee declaration.
The impending presidential election poses an important opportunity for college students to make their voice heard, but another chance lies closer to home. And the opportunities directly affect college students – and their pocketbooks.
N.D. Rep. Arlo Schmidt (D-7 Maddock) and several other legislators introduced a bill in early January to reduce rates on student loans borrowed from the Bank of North Dakota.
While the bill wouldn’t affect rates on federally insured loans, the U.S. House of Representatives introduced its own bill to reduce student loan interest rates.
H.R.5, The College Student Relief Act, was passed by the House with a vote of 356-71. The next step for the bill is to be passed by the Senate.
The legislation, if approved, aims to reduce the current student loan rate of 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent by 2011.
Another bill making its way through the North Dakota House would freeze tuition for students attending North Dakota colleges and universities during the 2007-2009 biennium.
NDSU students have seen steady tuition increases over the years, with last year’s hike nearing 10 percent. An excessive budget surplus has lent itself to the idea of halting tuition spikes across the state.
It’s no secret that paying for college is an issue that weighs heavily on the minds of many students. Sixty-four percent of freshmen admitted to having financial concerns, according to a UCLA survey released Jan. 19, 2007.
The survey also found that students attending a second-choice institution had been swayed from their first-choice college by financial assistance offers and the ultimate price they would have to pay for their education.
Clearly, legislators are recognizing the plight of the college student and are taking steps to remedy it.
Now, all college students have to do is respond.
Fortunately, some are.
In the past few years, national efforts such as “Rock the Vote” and “Vote or Die” campaigns targeted college-aged students in the hopes of enticing them to participate in the democratic process.
And all is not in vain.
Since the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1972, voter turnout for people under the age of 30 steadily declined – until the 2004 presidential race.
The deputy director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement said nearly 21 million voters under age 30 visited voting booths.
The influx is encouraging, but it isn’t enough. Simply showing up for one day every other year never will be.
To truly matter, to truly exercise democracy, students need to not only vote in elections but demand more of their legislators.
Vote, yes, but hold elected officials accountable. From U.S. Sen. Kent Conrad to Student Body President Dante Miller, these people were selected to represent the public and their actions should be representative of the public.
Stop by the student government office or write a letter to a national or local lawmaker. How else will elected officials know what is important to the public if the public doesn’t make them aware of their needs?
As the student loan and tuition freeze bills make their way through their respective legislative bodies, the time is now for students to make their voice heard.
Encourage Miller, Conrad and other local legislators to stand up for students and vote for the bills.
For students who are tired of letting change affect them, now is the time to affect change.
Columnists' opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of The Spectrum