Students Prepare to Battle Cuts to Higher Education

The legislative session has just begun and Georgia's college students already feel like the designated losers.

Lawmakers propose cutting hundreds of millions of dollars from the higher education budget for this fiscal year and the next. They're revamping HOPE, the popular scholarship program that for years has covered tuition if high-achieving students attend a Georgia public college.

Students refuse to be on the sidelines for these discussions.

Instead, they're meeting with lawmakers, policy experts and others to learn the nuances of the different issues. They're sending e-mails, posting information on Facebook and writing editorials in campus newspapers to educate classmates. They're planning rallies and other events for a month of action in March.

These steps build on the demonstrations held last year at the Capitol and mirror national and international action as students fight higher tuition and a reduction in government funding.

READ MORE: http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/georgia-college-students-try-814087.html