Rally at UNLV to protest proposed cuts in higher education funding

Just received this notice:

On January 22, 2009 from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Nevada’s Students of Higher Education will be rallying at UNLV’s academic mall (in front of Beam Hall) in order to oppose Governor Gibbons’ proposed budget reductions. Never have Nevada’s students been so thoroughly united in opposing cuts of the magnitude that the Governor has in mind.

The reason for the strong opposition is due to the Nevada System of Higher Education already taking numerous cuts in this biennium to help make up for Nevada’s shortfall. As students, we cannot and will not accept budget cuts from 14% and higher because we refuse to allow our academic programs to suffer any more than they already have.

As concerned citizens of this state, we are outraged at the Governor’s refusal to rework the revenue structure and to provide adequate support of Nevada’s education as mandated by Nevada’s Legislature under Article 11 of The Constitution of the State of Nevada.

On January 22 students will gather with support from the campus community and the community at large in writing letters to our State Legislature as well as (and especially) to the Governor, and we will also be reading essays collected from all three of Nevada’s southern institutions in which students voice their concerns over how the budget reductions have impacted them so far and why our institutions simply cannot stand further cuts. Currently, we are also inviting prominent leaders in the community to speak on this issue. A press release with speakers will be sent as soon as we have confirmed speakers.

This event is being co-hosted and organized by the student governments of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), College of Southern Nevada (CSN), and Nevada State College (NSC).