Deaf education senior Sarah Dowhal listens to a student address the director of MSU’s Office of Planning and Budgets, David Byelich, at a town hall meeting Thursday at South Kedzie Hall. Students asked questions about MSU’s budget.
Shouts in protest of the proposed cuts to MSU programs and departments echoed in a lecture hall full of students as it became the venue to voice concerns about recent university discussions to deal with a tight budget.
Student groups, including the Undergraduate Student Alliance, hosted a town hall meeting Thursday to bring students, faculty and administration members together to discuss potential cuts, among other issues.
David Byelich, director of MSU’s Office of Planning and Budgets, attended the meeting to address and listen to student concerns.
He came in MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon’s place, who originally was invited to attend, but declined because of prior commitments.
Simon’s office was not contacted before advertisements for the meeting were passed out on campus, according to a letter she sent to the hosting groups.
“All members of our community have an opportunity to provide us with their input and guidance in this most challenging time,” Simon said in the letter.
Students at the meeting said regardless of any scheduling conflicts, Simon should come to the meeting and address students’ concerns.
“Faculty and the administration should serve to the needs and desires of what students want,” said Sam Inglot, a journalism sophomore and member of the alliance.
Arts and humanities junior Ruth Verdin is a member of the alliance, which was formed to bring students together to talk about concerns with the decisions being made in light of the budget.
“(We want to) take this as serious as possible so that we can have an education in a couple of years and not have a mediocre diploma,” she said.
As students raised their voices about the future of their programs, Byelich stressed the importance of continuing discussions with students and administrators.
“We’re prepared to go talk to groups like this,” he said.
Byelich said continuing to spread information about the budget process and its effects on students is important.
“Your degree and my degree mean something,” he said.
Although Verdin will finish her degree, she is concerned for students who might not have the chance to pursue those on the chopping block.
“Lucky me, but it’s not just about me it’s about the other students as well,” she said.
Byelich said the budget discussions will continue.
“We can begin at this point and we’ll do our best,” he said.
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