Virginia Delegates Bob Marshall, Charniele Herring, Vivian Watts, Scott Lingamfelter and Tom Rust will be at the Johnson Center Cinema Tuesday at 6 p.m. for Speak Up or Pay Up, a forum for the discussion of educational budget cuts.
“We want students to have an opportunity to engage in direct conversation and to advocate for lower tuition,” said communication major Nathan Dorfman, a George Mason University senator.
“Once the delegates know who we are, they will be more likely to help us,” said Melissa Jackson, another Mason senator.
In 2011, SB720, a bill which would authorize universities to “charge either a fixed tuition or a variable tuition based on ability to pay,” will be presented to the Virginia General Assembly, according to the Virginia General Assembly website.
Higher education has been a part of many of the delegate’s platforms, Dorfman said.
Both Delegates Watts and Rust believe in making in-state universities accessible to Virginia students. Rust is “leading the fight to make in-state universities affordable and accessible for Virginia students,” according to his official website. Watts “believes a portion of any tuition increase should always go into increasing the financial assistance available to students,” according to her official website.
The forum will consist of two segments. In the first half, members of the student government will ask delegates to answer a prewritten question within a certain amount of time. In the second half, the floor will be opened up to students and staff.
“If the event is successful, we will plan an official lobbying day for students in February,” Dorfman said.
The event will also be catered, with food provided afterwards.
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