Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is about to discover what many parents already know: few things are more persistent than a college student asking for money.
Starting today, college students across Kansas will be phoning, e-mailing and writing the governor’s office asking Sebelius to send their universities more money for repairs. According to the Kansas Board of Regents, the state’s universities have a maintenance backlog of $727 million, including $44.7 million for Emporia State University.
“When I look at $44.7 million, I think ‘We need to get started,’” ESU president Michael Lane said.
ESU student Courtney George, the legislative director for the Associated Student Government, said the students were hoping to get Topeka to put up a down payment. The regents have asked that at least 25 percent of the backlog be funded by the state.
“We would like to see this issue taken care of,” George said. “It’s time that something was done about it.”
Today and Wednesday, students at all six state campuses will telephone or e-mail the governor’s office to ask for her support. Potentially, George said, the number of students calling could be in the thousands.
In addition, student senators from each campus are writing letters to Sebelius while the rest of the student body begins to pile up the postcards. ESU alone hopes to collect 2,000 postcards from its students to be presented to the governor on Dec. 14 along with cards from every other university.
The action is being coordinated by the student body presidents and legislative directors of all six universities.
A report last October said that about half of ESU’s deferred maintenance needs came from four buildings: the William Allen White Library, King Hall, Roosevelt Hall and the Health, Physical Education and Recreation building. Lane said the top priority for work this summer is the roof of the physical education building.
Students wanting to take part in the campaign can contact 341-5881 or e-mail George at legisdir@emporia.edu.