Satara Patrick
Contributed to this story
Last Thursday was the day that students and Jackson State University officials got up close and personal with the Mississippi Legislature.
JSU Day at the State Capitol had multiple purposes, according to Jean Frazier, coordinator of Community and External Affairs at JSU.
“Not only was it an opportunity to highlight our legislative priorities and corral our alumni and stakeholders, it was also a way to showcase ‘excellence in the arts’ and the university’s academy highlights,” she said.
Rep. Alyce Griffin Clarke from Hinds County District 69, said JSU’s presence at the Capitol is a good way to “educate” legislators about the university.
“It always makes a difference when legislators see individuals. So many were impressed by the kind of music they heard; they got a feel for what the university is all about,” stated Clarke.
In addition to performances by the University String Ensemble and Chorale, student leaders like Brian Wilkes had a chance to talk with legislators about some of the issues that matter to student constituents.
Wilkes, a junior political science major from Prentiss, Miss., said: “I attended this event because I’m a leader and I think all leaders should be involved in our city and local government. I think as an SGA member, I need to be involved and informed about the issues our lawmakers are handling that affect Jackson State.”
Issues that Wilkes voiced concern about are student financial aid, the rising costs of Mississippi’s higher education, and legislative proposals to cut education funding.
“If I don’t get the full amount of financial aid, I will be struggling even more to go to Jackson State. For me to be an in-state student, I’m also getting subsidized and unsubsidized loans,” stated Wilkes.
Senator Hillman Frazier from District 27 in Hinds County agreed that funding for education should not be cut, referring to a recent budget proposal by Gov. Phil Bryant.
“Under the governor’s budget, he’s proposing a 5 percent cut across the board, but at the end of the day, I still hope that funding to universities won’t be cut because we can’t afford it,” stated Frazier. “One of the challenging things is that you have a lot of people going back to universities and community colleges because of the economy trying to seek new opportunities. We have to give them the tools they need to educate those who are enrolling; therefore, it doesn’t make any sense to cut student funding.”
Education funding remained a major issue during the day, and the fate of the Mississippi Tuition Assistance Grant (MTAG) program also was a topic of concern.
Thousands of students receive the MTAG, an annual scholarships of $500 or $1,000 awarded to full-time students with a minimum 2.5 grade-point average. Created by the Mississippi Legislature, this program is designed to provide financial aid assistance to Mississippi residents attending state approved public and nonprofit two-year and four-year eligible colleges and universities.
Registered lobbyist, Worth Thomas, founder of WT Consultants was asked about the status of the proposed cuts to the MTAG program. He stated: “It will truly have an impact on the student population in Mississippi and that’s something that all leadership is definitely concerned about for the sake of our students and institution.”
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