Shouting from a loud speaker, marching bands and the smell of barbecue filled the air in Montgomery's city streets last week.
Representatives from Alabama's 13 four-year universities gathered on the stairs of the State House for the 13th Higher Education Day Rally March 4.
"It is outstanding to bring young people who are enrolled in our higher ed. institutions to the state capitol," said Sen. Quinton Ross, "to basically lobby for the issues they are concerned with, No. 1 being funding."
Ross said as a former SGA president at Alabama State University he understood the importance of getting the word out and having a voice heard by the state representatives and the senators.
The Higher Education Partnership invited advocates from the state's universities to attend the rally and voice concerns to state politicians.
"We are the grass-roots organization," said Gordon Stone, executive director of Higher Education Partnership, "which includes faculty, staff, students, alums and all the believers and supporters of our universities."
The crowd rallied for fair funding with the slogan "Leave Your Mark," which asks them to make a difference by making an impression on the state's representatives.
"Leaving your mark is really simple," Stone said. "We ask these students to remind elected officials, leave their mark, write them a letter, make a phone call, take the time to make contact with one of these elected officials and let them know that they want to continue the tradition of leaving a mark."
The on-going PACT program issue and where funding should come from was also a topic of discussion at the rally.
"We want to see the PACT program fixed," Stone said. "But we don't want to see it fixed on the backs of other students who may not have invested in that." Stone said he wants PACT to maintain its funding, but he recognizes universities did not cause this problem.
"By capping tuition, we set a dangerous precedent," Stone said, "that could ultimately hurt us for years to come if the legislature, every time it is a difficult situation, caps tuition."
More than 2,000 people were expected to attend the rally in the state's capitol.
Auburn had its biggest turn-out at the Higher Education Day Rally to date. "We brought seven buses to Montgomery, full of students," said Sarah Darby, SGA's director of legislative relations. "We don't have an official head count, but it is around 300 to 315, which is the most Auburn has ever brought."
Darby said the amount of students from Auburn doubled the record of past attendance at the rally and it was the biggest Higher Education Rally Day in the event's 13-year history.
"The point of the day is to come to Montgomery to be with our legislators," said Jacob Watkins, former SGA president, "and let them know how important the funding for higher ed. is, as far as the money in the education trust fund and how much we need that fair funding to continue operating the University and not have these huge tuition increases we have seen lately."
The day began with a parade at 10 a.m.
The University of North Alabama marching band led the rally of participants from all 13 public colleges in the parade. It traveled from the Cramton Bowl area of Montgomery to the front steps of the State House where Stone spoke with enthusiasm and animation about the future of higher education institutions. "It is a marvelous experience," Stone said about speaking, "because you know you are representing the voices of Alabama's future leaders. You're representing people who have a dream and hope for tomorrow."
The day ended with students eating free barbecue and potato chips for lunch at noon.
"Each year the higher education rally seems to improve," said Donald Ladner, administrative assistant to the clerk. "It is a real attention-getter for the members the way it is conducted. It is not a hohum protest; it is indeed a rally."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
