WASECA — A long-standing goal of the Minnesota government has been to cover two-thirds of the cost of a college education, with tuition accounting for the other third. However, this is a fleeting reality now that students already pay around 50 percent. With MSU facing a $7 million budget cut in 2010-2011, tuition increases could increase as much as 15 percent. On top of the increasing cost of tuition students are also facing the downsizing of their education. Last spring the university cut 79 1⁄2 positions. That’s one out of every 10.  

This, however, is not an isolated incident. Across the state and across the nation, the future of higher education is becoming increasingly more problematic. We believe that food, shelter, quality health care and education are the fundamental aspects of a healthy and functioning society.  What does it mean when we put price tags on that which should be guaranteed to all individuals in an egalitarian society?  Should we not be leading the way in liberty?  Why do we deny these necessities to those who desperately need them?   

The rising cost of tuition turns the two-way street of educational reciprocity between the individual and society into a dead end street. When we cut the quality of education being provided, we bring harm to our whole society. Education is so important because if we remain ignorant of the harm of ever-increasing tuition, one day soon we will wake up in a nation in which the wealthy alone will be able to afford education, which provides them with disproportionate power and privilege.  

If we want to live in a more equitable world, education must be available to everyone on an equal playing field.  On March 4 of last year, students and educational workers across the country stood up against budget cuts. Students, faculty, and workers took this call to action to heart and successfully walked-out, rallied, blockaded, and occupied their schools in order to send the message that they would not allow budgets to be balanced on their backs. It is these actions that we drew inspiration from for our student occupation, and it is these fellow students, faculty, and workers with whom we will show solidarity in our upcoming actions.

 Oct. 7 will bring another chance to show national outrage against the downsizing of public education and we encourage all students to organize and stand up for public education. Universities all across Minnesota are planning actions and we are calling for everyone to take the day off and rally in support of education.

We must defend higher education at all costs, and if we are not willing to fight then we are doomed to inherit a broken educational institution.