March 1 is Higher Education Day at Alabama State House

02/17/2012

From the Higher Education Partnership

As has been the tradition for fourteen years, the Higher Education Partnership, representing the 150,000 students, faculty, staff, alumni and administrators of the state’s four-year universities, is sponsoring the annual Higher Education Day.  The 2012 program is set for March 1 at the Alabama State House. 

Higher Education Day will begin with a parade at 10:30 a.m. from the Cramton Bowl area of Montgomery and move to the State House. The university constituents will march to the State House to begin delivering the reminder that Universities are Vital to Alabama’s Future!
 
After the parade, the traditional rally will begin at 11 a.m. and last until noon. Lunch on the Capitol grounds will follow.  During the rally, the Alabama State University, the Jacksonville State University, and the University of West Alabama bands will perform. Governor Robert Bentley, Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey, Speaker Mike Hubbard, Senator Vivian Figures, Representative Jay Love and Senator Jabo Waggoner have all been invited to speak.
 
The expected crowd of 2000+ participants from Alabama State University,  Alabama A&M University, Auburn University, Auburn Montgomery,  Jacksonville State University, Troy University, The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, The University of Montevallo, The University of North Alabama, The University of South Alabama, and The University of West Alabama  will remind the state’s leaders that their institutions are leaving a difference-making impression on the state.
 
The 2012 advocacy event is being held at an important time in the State of Alabama. The economy is starting to move forward and universities are primed to assist the state in taking advantage of the opportunities that are to come.  Likewise, the university community is preparing the leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.  To be as successful as possible, the universities are simply asking the state to support these efforts with equitable funding. A return to the funding formula of one-third for higher education and two-thirds for K-12 would be a fair result.