As the legislative session approaches, textbook affordability, tuition and student regent votership top the list of the Texas Student Association, a group of student representatives from 13 state universities.
“Our organizational goals are to create a permanent structure that will allow us to continue lobbying for students beyond this legislative session,” said Sam Dike, the association’s co-chairman and the University of Houston’s student body president.
The organization met last weekend at Texas A&M University to further fine-tune its goals. They met at UT in July.
“Textbooks are huge,” Dike said. “I heard someone say they were paying $800 to $1,000 for books, and I thought that was absolutely ridiculous. That’s like paying for a whole other class — or two classes, depending on where you go.”
UT Student Government President Keshav Rajagopalan represents the University in the association.
He stressed the importance of simplicity and addressing issues that are unanimously reflective of the entire state. He said a tuition freeze may not be the ideal method to ease financial stress at all public universities and that focusing on the availability of financial aid may be beneficial.
“Many people graduate thousands and thousands of dollars in debt,” Dike said. “We have to stop for a moment and look at some other options we have.”
Dike said the organization ultimately has until January to fully examine and agree on issues.
“We’re in a great place in terms of student advocacy, and I think that’s been the highlight of the summer meeting and [last] weekend,” Rajagopalan said.
Dike said he does not envision any unusual difficulties in accomplishing the association’s goals, though the legislative process will take some time.
“If we can show them that there’s 500,000 students behind these proposals, we can get things done,” Dike said. “It’s all about mobilizing effectively.”
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