Help keep funding for higher ed

Higher education is a crucial part of growth in the country. It provides businesses with a workforce that is ready and willing to perform jobs as well as learn new ones.

Big businesses were some of the strongest proponents of the public education system. They realized that access to a workforce that was well-educated could increase production and ultimately help build and strengthen our nation on both a domestic and international scale. Affordable pricing for higher education to the public is a necessity.

State funding for higher education needs to be competitive with other states' funding. Missouri is the 48th-ranked state for higher education funding. The state needs to provide a balanced tuition budget to make education affordable for all potential students.

We are journalism students at Southeast Missouri State University. Being able to continue our education is vital. Many students are barely getting by with what tuition is now. Gov. Jay Nixon met with the presidents of the public universities and proposed that if they kept their tuition rates the same as fiscal year 2009 that funding would remain the same.

We urge you to act and help us make this happen. Keeping higher education affordable will benefit everyone, not just the students.

Here are numbers to get involved. To contact your state senator, call 573-751-4806. To contact your state representative, call 573-751-3659.

Thank you for your support.

CHRISTINA CHAPMAN, MATT PASHIA, MARK BUESSE, Cape Girardeau