On Thursday, students in Washington participated in a statewide movement to show the legislature they can and will organize to protect their education.

On behalf of the Education Access Coalition, I would like to thank everyone who attended or supported the walkout and say we are impressed with the initiative taken by people in Pullman and WSU community.

We stood (or rather sat) with our branch campuses and other universities throughout the state in a dialogue about proposed budget cuts. We give our most sincere thanks to ASWSU Vancouver for providing us with information and the Associated Students of Eastern Washington University for their support in this endeavor.

This is the solidarity we need to affect the changes we want to see in educational funding.

The purpose of the Education Access Coalition is to raise awareness of issues facing higher education and promote educational accessibility. We need to look beyond the consequence of missing a few hours of class and focus on long-term goals.

Students are taking the responsibility of advocating for their academic futures – they are choosing to be absent now to ensure their attendance later. It's an unfortunate situation of duress.

At WSU, we are still reeling from the budget cuts that were imposed at the end of last academic year. We face a similar budget situation today, and again we are being asked to pay more and receive less as a way to close the gap. Without exploring other options, such as restructuring the current tax system or creative methods other universities have utilized throughout the nation, our legislature and administration are both doing students a disservice.

Tuition increases mean even more limited access for low-income students across the state. A valuable part of the university experience is the diverse perspectives brought to the classroom from all aspects of society. If those voices get shut out we all suffer in result. According to the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, the unemployment rate for adult youth (18-24) is approximately 17 percent. With such a hostile job market, an education is more necessary than ever.

As for students who are already here, class sizes have been growing every semester. The variety of classes is shrinking, departments are cut and “nonessential” employees are laid off. Instructors are being moved out of the classroom to teach courses online. How does this promote WSU’s motto of “World class. Face to face?”

The state Legislature is in session until March 11. Find your representatives at www.leg.wa.gov and urge them to represent all of their constituents as they make decisions. Participating in events such as Coug Day at the Capitol is another way to get involved.

Also, there is a National Day of Action for Higher Education on March 4, and we entreat all students, faculty and staff to participate in whatever way they can. The Day Without Students, planned for April 7, is a one-day strike and rally focusing on the ways the cuts are implemented. It is an opportunity to have dialogue with the administration about our needs as students, faculty members and staff.

We encourage all students to take advantage of such opportunities by reaching out to the people who speak on their behalf.

Find the Education Access Coalition group on Facebook to stay up to date on the details of any further actions.