WEBVTT

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the state education in southern Arizona

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a conversation calling for change is a
crisis

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we are an absolute crisis for not just
education before our economy

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for the success of our community propose
cuts to higher education

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what it could mean for struggling
students any

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increase in2ition it just it would be
hard hit

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to stay to stay in school this

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is airs on a week

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hello and thanks for joining us will get
to those proposed budget cuts in just a

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moment

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but first a time to talk about what many
describe is an education crisis

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here's a medic you sick from the United
Way of Tucson

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in southern Arizona

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so man if you would tell us a little bit
about the collective impact process

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which

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is a big title but how would you
describe it to people who are at home

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watching this and wondering

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was just me absolutely it's really about
bringing together

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multiple sectors ever community just saw
a really complex

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complicated social issue and so for what
we're up to now is using the collective

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impact model to improve educational
outcomes for children

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and not just that one grade level but
really looking at the whole spectrum

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from a child that time a child is born
all the way until they are ready to

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ensure their career

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if you would describe what is the issue
with education in this particular

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community

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I mean that this thing there isn't just
one issue it's really complicated

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and first and foremost we can separate
the effects of poverty from

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educational outcomes for children and
let's face it our community is a low

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income community and with that come a
lot of issues around

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family stressors a high percentage of
children in the foster care system

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kids just not having the resources they
need to come to school

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healthy well dressed and ready to learn

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and so when we look at improving
educational outcomes

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surely there will be things that will
wanna start doing during the school day

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most if it is making sure that kids have
the supports they need

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outside of the classroom oftentimes

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skeptics will look at this model and say
it's another media

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it's another discussion people coming in
from around the country

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to analyze what's wrong in this
community so how do you encourage people

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to understand it this is a step

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a baby step albeit but a step in the
right direction absolutely

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and frankly than the stairs at

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I hear them I there's been a lot of
efforts in our community

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a have meetings and then the follow-up
just hasn't been there

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I'm I say to them that's no reason to
give up

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what else are we can detail and when I
look at this model and I see it working

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in other communities

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I know that we can do it here and why I
feel that this is

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going to be successful as we've re: got

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the right leadership in place

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who supporting it and Lillian to sustain
it and take action immediately following

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this

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this big meaning that we're having we
have a roadmap basically

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how to organize ourselves based on
what's worked in other communities

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and really it isn't about having
outsiders

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come in and tell us what we're doing
wrong and that were awful and all those

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things

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it's quite the opposite we have a lot of
amazing programs

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here we have some really amazing schools
we need to do is start

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being able to articulate are those thing
so amazing

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where those small pocket some success
happening look at it

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open it up figure out how do we scale
that up make sure

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every kid has access to all those
supports that make them successful

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it sounds like there's a lot at stake
here if they're really passionate about

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being part of that

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solution really care about education

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there's one thing all have to do. and
thats remove blame from the conversation

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for too long our community

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and in fact the nation has blamed

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the k12 system for its failures

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or we blame parents for not being

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at as participatory in their child's
success and we blame

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we point are fingers at everybody else
and really

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if things are going to change the
community has to

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be accountable for all its children not
just one sector of the community

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this is about the juvenile court system
working in partnership with

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the public health system with the foster
care system

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with K-twelve with early childhood
educators with higher

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add with philanthropists with the
faith-based community

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all of us taking away blame

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and also not ever having to take credit

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for I'm you know an individual agencies
efforts while they may be great

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when we focus so solely on the credit
that actually excludes others from being

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apart

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other solution and scaling up to work
and so if we can remove

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lehman also remove credit to a certain
extent

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I think we'll get a lot farther in the
process

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like to attend the community interactive
next week log on to our website

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easy p.m. dot org for more information
moving on now to the governor's proposal

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to cut state funding to higher education

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an estimated seventy five million
dollars from

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arizona's three universities the Arizona
border regions met this week in Tucson

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here's vice chair J Hiler

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five million is only the governor's
proposal there's an entire legislative

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budget process that has time for that
number could move in either direction

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and so a there's a long way to go here
this is a long way from over

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and no one knows exactly where it's
going to end up at the end of the

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process

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how would you describe the situation
thus far at least the discussion the

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conversation you're having

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while the situation is dire the

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the state isn't difficult fiscal
circumstances all its policy leadership

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is left to deal with those circumstances
and it

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puts a very high demand on creativity

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vision wisdom a I don't think that

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there is a great deal with them in
cutting deeply into Arizona's higher

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education structure

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it's already been cut substantially the
last time the statement through this

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several years ago

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and so I think they have to tread very
carefully in

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in how they go about doing that this
time as I pointed out yesterday

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arizona's universities are not
government programs

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their complex institutions that deliver
very concrete benefits in a highly

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competitive environment

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and that environment does not stop

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for Arizona's particular set of
circumstances and difficulties

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and so what our policy makers need to
understand

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is the impact if the decisions they make
on the ability of these universities to

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compete in the continue to fulfill their
constitutional mission in their state

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focused a value proposition for the
people of Arizona

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had other numbers actually play out we
heard from students today her concern

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that these cuts will trickle down

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to their pocketbooks well a ultimately
of course

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such cuts do trickle down if you want to
use that term

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the I I think the the people that the
legislature most need to hear from

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are the moms and dads who have to raise
a family

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in Arizona I spent a lot of my time

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in government service in my life

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life and in in in trying to lead the
development of public policy for our

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state and my touch tone throughout all
that time

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was to make Arizona one of the best
places anywhere to raise a family

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I think that's a really good frame to
keep things in

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raising a family in Arizona requires

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access to high-quality affordable state
university system

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I have five kids of my own they are all
so far

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accessing that state university system I
i understand.

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the perspectives deeply love the
families of our state

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I came to Arizona myself as a student

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to attend one other state universities
in 1978

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and so I feel deeply the importance of
these institutions to the state's future

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I feel deeply the importance love an
affordable high-quality

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university system to raising a family in
our state which is something that should

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be valued very highly

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by our legislators under Governor and I
know it is valued

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but I'm not sure that they quite
understand the nature of their decisions

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at this stage at this juncture

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on the ability of these institutions to
compete

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and if they can't compete they can't
deliver for the public

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earlier we heard press incline describe
the relationship with

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the Legislature's tenuous would you
agree with that

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I yeah I don't think that I would reach
for that word

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a I think the context were in currently
is obviously coloring everything which

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is the state is devoid of money

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a to sustain existing budgets

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it's so a in time to such scarcity

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everything becomes tenuous a and so

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everybody is searching for words to
describe how they feel

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about the present difficulties at the
end of the day

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how anybody feels doesn't really matter
what matters is

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the the ability to raise families

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in Arizona and the ability of a mother
and father

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to plan for the future of their children

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and to bring that future in the clear
view

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for them so that they they understand
what it's going to require

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and and that everyone can have a vision
for working out their future here

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and so that's really how I that that's
the context in which I think about these

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issues

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and and so the legislature is in a
difficult spot

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a and there really isn't much to be
gained by sitting around

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casting aspersions at them what's
necessary is to try to make them

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understand the impact

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their decisions

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Eileen Klein is the president of the
Arizona border regions

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she said the board is trying to work
with the legislature

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but describe the relationship is tenuous

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so we're at a different point I'm and
the relationship between the state and

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the public university system

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think maybe in days past was almost
taken for granted that universities

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would be funded and it was understood

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with the value proposition is that
higher education and

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it's clear that we have a new generation
of legislators who have

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multiple competing demands for general
fund resources

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and that public universities have to
make the case about why

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a higher education needs to be a
priority for the state of Arizona and

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funding from the state general fund

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you down said cuts are in fact coming
it's not something that you were

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expecting

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we're asking that they be minimal at
this point how realistic do you think

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that request is

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so our request have the reductions that
we believe are eminent

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they be kept proportionate that
universities not because

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disproportionately

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and with respect to other parts the
state government budget

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unfortunately public universities are
one of the last

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remaining areas %uh the state budget
that are that's not protected by either

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voter mandate or constitutional
protections even though we are

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constitutional entities

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so it winds up leaving the universe is
in a place where there

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almost the first choice now are the
first option policymakers

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go to you and we want to reverse that we
want to make sure that the funding for

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public higher education

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is respected and that certainly in the
short term is the state has some

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challenges

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we recognize some reductions must be
made but they can be outta proportion

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and likewise as the state budget begins
to grow again universities need to be

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included in that funding supports was
revenues come back

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we need to see additional funds provided
to the public universities

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there is no way we can achieve at the
update objectives

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around economic growth and

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opportunities for all individuals if we
don't have a strong public higher

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education system

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what is the plan moving forward may be
immediately and I say that the next year

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so

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so immediately our goal is to work with
policymakers to make sure that the

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budget reductions are kept to a minimum

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so its its not so much that the 10
percent

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represents an enormous hardship
certainly tough choices will be made the

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challenge with the ten-percent proposed
budget cuts

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are that they come on top of already
having lost over four hundred million

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dollars

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in state revenue over the past several
years and ultimately that has resulted

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in some very painful cautious to
students and to their families

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it's simply not sustainable so in the
short term the point is to keep the

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budget reductions to a minimum

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to make sure there aren't limited
duration and that the university

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leadership has the flexibility

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to implement the cuts in a way that will
be at the least amount of harm to

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students

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at the same time the border regions will
be evaluating tuition proposals over the

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next several months

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and working very hard to make sure that
tuition doesn't

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doesn't become the backstop for the
state's fiscal challenges

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today you heard from some other student
primarily graduate students talking

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about how

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if this continues as it is they won't
have these opportunities in the future

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so it's certainly an enormous concern
about

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what the budget cuts will be on students
and I think sometimes when people think

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they're cutting universities

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sounds very very they're sure they think
they're cutting institution

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the reality is that our universities are
made up a faculty

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and our students and today we heard some
very impassioned pleas from students

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to make sure that the budget reductions
didn't impact their opportunities to

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have work study

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to make sure that the impacted and keep
them from getting the classes they need

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to graduate and to make sure that the
cuts don't result

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and tuition increases we have students
who

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explain to that it it may just be you
know $10 more per cent or just the

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latest cut but ultimately that cut may
be the one that keeps them from

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continuing

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that's the last thing we want to see so
I was pleased that students were

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invigorated

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committed and we need them to service a
foundation of a call to action for our

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state to start rowing around public
higher education

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how do you ensure to those students that
yes we heard you

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and we are doing something about it so
we have

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increase actually our student engagement
overall with the Board of Regents and

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throughout the spring

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we're making sure that our student
government leaders have time

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before the border regions to really talk
about the quality of life for students

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we have dedicated

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hearings around tuition and then
ultimately we're going to range from so

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some other opportunities to sit down in
here from the students

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importantly as the university's go
through the exercise at determining how

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reductions will be made they will be
reaching out to our campus community

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stakeholders including our students

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so that their voices can be heard in
this process

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the University of Arizona may take up to
a $21 million dollar cut from the state

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senior vice president for academic
affairs and provost

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Andrew Comrie says regardless the
university's mission

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will continue

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we're on

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concerned that these cuts are not going
to you would like which Chris is invest

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more in higher ed

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that said we understand that the state
and the governor have

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big challenge and we're prepared to do
our part we like to do only a part in

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that more than that of course

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and then what we're gonna do is do
things that we've done in past budget

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cuts

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but the spirit behind that is too
invests really in

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the things that we our best that in our
core activities you know we have we have

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couple are really basic jobs one is
we're going to turn out the best

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students we possible can we have to
teach and educate

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and then we have to create knowledge we
have to discover stuff that's our

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mission is to use to produce knowledge
that that will that will release a drive

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society forward

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so every on every financial decision

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frankly with its a cut or its investment
is always made in that light

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and will do the same here so the
students were here today they may be

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listing your comments and say

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how do you keep on with the mission will
making such significant cuts who ends up

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picking up the tab if you will

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so i'm good news for the students and
many than others cuz

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as you know last year we put in place
the the tuition guarantee which we're

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very proud of and we do intend to
continue with

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in fact a at this meeting other whatever
reasons we announced that we actually

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gonna try to put in a guarantee for the

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mandatory fees as well so that if you
come in as a student our current

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students as applies to for example the
freshman class is here

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they come in they're not pay no matter
what happens with the budget they're not

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paying

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send more in tuition for the entire
duration there four years here

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they stick with the same price the whole
time that are guaranteed to them

17:16.179 --> 17:19.179
and we're very proud that because the
times like this that's when you might

17:19.179 --> 17:21.480
worry and you don't want to attend a
university where

17:21.480 --> 17:25.630
perhaps you get surprises year-over-year
on you're on a tight budget

17:25.630 --> 17:29.880
that can make a difference for families
so we're particularly happy that we can

17:29.880 --> 17:32.809
offer the guaranteed to students and
that will continue next year and the

17:32.809 --> 17:33.799
year after and so forth

17:33.799 --> 17:37.350
their families though who are preparing
to send their children to college in the

17:37.350 --> 17:38.159
coming years

17:38.159 --> 17:41.460
and may be wondering what will those
figures look like when I'm

17:41.460 --> 17:45.400
to send my child of so what are you
telling those people

17:45.400 --> 17:49.040
so you know the letter concerned about
cuts right now people like to

17:49.040 --> 17:52.580
look at the numbers and to make a direct
correlation situation the fortunate

17:52.580 --> 17:53.630
thing is that

17:53.630 --> 17:57.910
a tuition is not completely in directly
correlated to

17:57.910 --> 18:02.130
to overall cuts the budget we're gonna
look at everything we do

18:02.130 --> 18:06.160
on the administrative side on the
academic side everything the university

18:06.160 --> 18:10.130
and make sure that we are saving as much
money as we possibly can there

18:10.130 --> 18:13.669
you know this morning at the border
regions many we outlined how we're able

18:13.669 --> 18:14.559
to save

18:14.559 --> 18:18.200
almost five million dollars in IT costs
by

18:18.200 --> 18:21.340
by by moving the movie due out to the
cloud we've saved

18:21.340 --> 18:25.260
a millions more in physical
infrastructure by doing some smart

18:25.260 --> 18:25.780
things

18:25.780 --> 18:30.330
with their facilities and so forth will
try to do more those kinds of things to

18:30.330 --> 18:32.530
reduce the impact on the university
budget

18:32.530 --> 18:35.750
and therefore to preserve are core
activities

18:35.750 --> 18:39.600
which is you know educating and
discovering do you foresee layoffs in

18:39.600 --> 18:40.230
the future

18:40.230 --> 18:43.870
it all depends on the nature of the cuts
and at this point it's really too early

18:43.870 --> 18:45.110
to tell the current

18:45.110 --> 18:49.880
budget talk is really the governor's
proposal it still has to make its way to

18:49.880 --> 18:51.410
the legislature before we get

18:51.410 --> 18:55.750
a a final decision on what are cuts look
like we of course hope that those are

18:55.750 --> 18:56.450
going to be

18:56.450 --> 19:01.309
hell to a bare minimum because we think
but an investment tired of course is the

19:01.309 --> 19:03.190
way to really make the state prosper in
the future

19:03.190 --> 19:06.630
so even in the face of budget cuts there
is room for growth

19:06.630 --> 19:10.200
last year and this year again on the
border regions a

19:10.200 --> 19:13.320
offers up suggested policies that might

19:13.320 --> 19:17.070
ultimately turn into bills some %uh
those are about investing in

19:17.070 --> 19:20.380
and more faculty or in research
facilities that can help us

19:20.380 --> 19:24.019
you know a place to put faculty who will
attract a more

19:24.019 --> 19:28.250
more support to the state of Arizona and
we would love

19:28.250 --> 19:31.809
as soon as there is a moment in the
budget to do that for two

19:31.809 --> 19:34.929
to make those investments because the
course that's the investment will grow

19:34.929 --> 19:36.649
the university even stronger

19:36.649 --> 19:39.220
even quicker

19:39.220 --> 19:42.679
for many cuts to higher education means
across-the-board

19:42.679 --> 19:46.870
increases to tuition and fees for
students here's Arizona public media

19:46.870 --> 19:49.850
Sandra westall

19:49.850 --> 19:54.700
up it's upsetting it's not something
anybody wants to hear but it's not

19:54.700 --> 19:56.409
necessarily surprising either

19:56.409 --> 19:59.779
am it's been kind of this trend the past
couple years that

19:59.779 --> 20:03.470
it's been just getting further and
further cut usually

20:03.470 --> 20:06.669
its followed by oh we don't have enough
money so we're gonna raise your tuition

20:06.669 --> 20:08.179
see you can cover it

20:08.179 --> 20:11.529
I'm here trying to get a higher
education and be able to contribute to

20:11.529 --> 20:12.210
the world

20:12.210 --> 20:17.490
and they're making it more difficult
more likely the cutting all come out of

20:17.490 --> 20:22.119
students pockets so now what be more for
tuition I can are they boarding now

20:22.119 --> 20:26.360
pairs in israel where states in the
entire country for education

20:26.360 --> 20:30.610
if you have to cut it's a terrible place
to cut from the idea

20:30.610 --> 20:33.850
going up even more it sounds just
horrific

20:33.850 --> 20:38.220
students are going to be more dead than
it used to be in the last several years

20:38.220 --> 20:43.309
arizona's three universities have taken
at $400 million cut in state funding

20:43.309 --> 20:47.299
I sicker take every percent the you the
student body

20:47.299 --> 20:50.360
first thing I thought it was while its
22

20:50.360 --> 20:54.039
roughly a million dollars at are going
to have to take it out

20:54.039 --> 20:57.600
some way somehow from our students
wetherbee through tuition

20:57.600 --> 21:02.769
or whether it be through the services or
academia they come to expect receivers

21:02.769 --> 21:06.440
our students feel those cuts probably
more than anyone

21:06.440 --> 21:10.710
students like 21-year-old Mercedes
colours to

21:10.710 --> 21:13.769
you'll the junior I pay for college

21:13.769 --> 21:17.240
through the you serve the Pell Grant
provided by

21:17.240 --> 21:20.559
the government and then less than half
is paid for

21:20.559 --> 21:25.100
by University Grants I'm also pain it
through bonds

21:25.100 --> 21:29.909
now I I was trying my best to not take
out loans but

21:29.909 --> 21:33.450
you know it ended up having to do it

21:33.450 --> 21:36.950
so was kinda like a situation where
either I stay in school

21:36.950 --> 21:40.800
and take out that loan or drop out

21:40.800 --> 21:45.840
kinda wasn't what I wanted my freshman
year

21:45.840 --> 21:50.080
it would cover my tuition and I would
always have like maybe four hundred

21:50.080 --> 21:51.730
dollars left over

21:51.730 --> 21:57.530
five hundred dollars to like use on book
but apparently was different this year

21:57.530 --> 22:00.530
I had even less money and

22:00.530 --> 22:04.000
to cover for tuition definitely not
getting that little

22:04.000 --> 22:07.090
extra money back last semester with was
hard

22:07.090 --> 22:12.170
going to college is something that's
almost seems like a dream

22:12.170 --> 22:17.480
to especially to Seans in struggling
families like I came from

22:17.480 --> 22:21.860
so far my experience here at the UN has
been awesome

22:21.860 --> 22:26.400
just cuz I'll I love school but its it's
not anything near

22:26.400 --> 22:31.250
what it's like in the movies for me make

22:31.250 --> 22:36.110
the path that I made life and right now
I am

22:36.110 --> 22:39.880
you know the caretaker my family and a

22:39.880 --> 22:43.260
unfortunately my mom can't work right
now so

22:43.260 --> 22:46.470
up to me to take care my my mom and my
sister

22:46.470 --> 22:51.420
so and I had to pick up multiple jobs
well

22:51.420 --> 22:56.050
cool full-time you after every paycheck

22:56.050 --> 23:01.809
have I'm lucky over thirty dollars a

23:01.809 --> 23:04.870
have that goes to gas and then

23:04.870 --> 23:10.100
whatever is left over is kind of carried
on for another two weeks until

23:10.100 --> 23:17.000
I get paid again

23:17.000 --> 23:19.170
many times I've I felt like it would be
just

23:19.170 --> 23:23.100
easier by drop out and find a full-time
job

23:23.100 --> 23:27.780
you know pays better than minimum wage
to help support my family but

23:27.780 --> 23:33.120
and then I I think alike I I want to be
that person that

23:33.120 --> 23:36.800
my sister looked up to you and my
nephews and my niece is look up to you

23:36.800 --> 23:40.370
keep

23:40.370 --> 23:44.870
countries I kinda just came here and
figured things out on my own so

23:44.870 --> 23:48.740
I kinda wanna be that person for them
help guide them

23:48.740 --> 23:52.550
I'm also a mentor for and middle school
kids

23:52.550 --> 23:56.030
challengers so I can't how can I stand
to them and

23:56.030 --> 23:59.920
and say yeah go to college you know
continuing education if I

23:59.920 --> 24:06.920
don't do that myself if it's really that
important for students to go

24:07.510 --> 24:10.710
to college then why is it still
unobtainable

24:10.710 --> 24:14.910
for some students why not invest money

24:14.910 --> 24:15.389
and

24:15.389 --> 24:19.999
and education because as they say you
know the students are the featured

24:19.999 --> 24:23.889
I know you know upsetting because

24:23.889 --> 24:28.489
you know people like me we we want our
education we want to learn were here to

24:28.489 --> 24:29.109
learn

24:29.109 --> 24:32.109
number I'm I mean the students that if
they

24:32.109 --> 24:35.909
continue with the budget cuts and
increasing tuition it's gonna be almost

24:35.909 --> 24:39.549
impossible only for you know the scene
into

24:39.549 --> 24:42.849
have the money to pay for it it'll just
be it

24:42.849 --> 24:46.309
a dream for those who can it'll just be
something

24:46.309 --> 24:52.960
unreachable for them

24:52.960 --> 24:56.560
Sandra westall here with me now she's
joined by reporter Vanessa barchfield

24:56.560 --> 24:58.890
both here dares in a public media lady
think

24:58.890 --> 25:02.660
thank you so much for being here let's
get right to sandra in the story

25:02.660 --> 25:03.860
Mercedes and

25:03.860 --> 25:07.210
this painful decision she may have to
make in the near future

25:07.210 --> 25:11.440
she said right mercy this is definitely
a student here that is

25:11.440 --> 25:14.950
struggling as she told me that to spend
a lot of time

25:14.950 --> 25:19.330
at that universities libraries because
she doesn't have internet at home

25:19.330 --> 25:22.620
she currently doesn't have a cell phone
because he cannot came down to her being

25:22.620 --> 25:23.920
able to pay the bills

25:23.920 --> 25:26.970
or having a cellphone herself as so

25:26.970 --> 25:32.280
you know any any kinda cut to her and
her grants for tuition increases

25:32.280 --> 25:36.830
definitely something that will make a
big impact in her live stances

25:36.830 --> 25:40.470
really living off a less than thirty
dollars every other week

25:40.470 --> 25:43.800
oh and it first-generation to go to her
to go to college

25:43.800 --> 25:47.160
and an essay you spoke with students
yesterday in the graduate program who

25:47.160 --> 25:47.500
are

25:47.500 --> 25:51.220
are watching this very closely because
they have a lot at stake as well

25:51.220 --> 25:55.320
yet of course so a a large group of
graduate students actually came to the

25:55.320 --> 25:59.800
abortive regents meeting yesterday and
spoke during the public comment section

25:59.800 --> 26:03.240
spectacle 15 minutes if I end up going
thirty because so many

26:03.240 --> 26:06.470
where their to express their frustration
for the

26:06.470 --> 26:10.020
they're asking for a living wage is
there they're frustrated

26:10.020 --> 26:13.960
about the next round a potential cuts
that are happening to university funding

26:13.960 --> 26:17.240
I'm and they feel like they're not
involved in the budgeting process

26:17.240 --> 26:21.580
okay and sundress some people may watch
Mercedes story in wonder what's next for

26:21.580 --> 26:23.210
her she's a junior she studying

26:23.210 --> 26:27.330
Italian she wants to continue her
studies after graduation

26:27.330 --> 26:31.080
right yes you heard in this story she
really really love school in

26:31.080 --> 26:34.790
she said that at education is something
that she

26:34.790 --> 26:39.360
owns it's hers no one can take away that
she's learning here in college

26:39.360 --> 26:43.230
and her dream is really to continue
school if thats

26:43.230 --> 26:47.220
if that's possible for her to two years
down the road to go to graduate school

26:47.220 --> 26:50.990
interest in anything that she mentioned
in the piece she's also a mentor

26:50.990 --> 26:54.870
to students on the south side of Tucson
and she tells them that

26:54.870 --> 26:59.540
how can I encourage you to go to college
drop out myself so she's got a lot at

26:59.540 --> 27:00.320
stake here

27:00.320 --> 27:04.300
and Vanessa students that you I'm spoke
with yesterday you saw they also got the

27:04.300 --> 27:06.320
attention one other regions in
particular

27:06.320 --> 27:09.960
they're planning a trip to the state
capital next week yep at the graduate

27:09.960 --> 27:11.790
student councils organizing a trip

27:11.790 --> 27:16.559
up to meet with and several legislators
both Republicans and Democrats lead to

27:16.559 --> 27:17.170
have their

27:17.170 --> 27:21.660
chip express their opinions on cuts okay
and as we heard region eilers a lot more

27:21.660 --> 27:22.700
to come on this no

27:22.700 --> 27:26.390
timetable and no real numbers answer

27:26.390 --> 27:30.360
alright ladies thank you so much sounder
West after your story about Mercedes

27:30.360 --> 27:33.470
that's a partial for your report in
tears in the border regions

27:33.470 --> 27:37.220
all right now it's our program thank you
so much for joining us from is here

27:37.220 --> 27:42.630
Arizona public media them