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FRANKFORT — A group of students from the Blue Grass Community & Technical College Winchester/Clark County Campus had a chance Thursday to let legislators know what they thought about more proposed cuts to education.

The group was in Frankfort representing the local institution as part of BCTC Week.

While there, they had a chance to sit down face-to-face with several legislators to let them know how important local community colleges are to students and the impact more tuition increases would have on them.

During an almost hour-long meeting with state Rep. Don Pasley and state Sen. R.J. Palmer, both Democrats from Winchester, the students shared their stories and gave impassioned pleas for the legislators to help keep budget cuts to a minimum.

Kathy Halk of Trapp, who went back to school after more than 15 years due to losing her job, said BCTC was not only affordable, but it provided the training she needed to be able to transfer to Eastern Kentucky University to get a degree in social work.

“I want to be a social worker because I want to help my community,” said Halk. “I’m unemployed, so keeping my costs down is important. So the budget is very important to me. Students can’t afford any more tuition increases.”

The House budget, which was sent the Senate Wednesday, calls for a 1.5 percent cut for higher education.

The Senate will then come up with its own version of the budget, which Palmer said could call for even bigger cuts, then the two will be sent to the conference committee, which will reconcile the two to come up with the final budget.

Palmer told the students both he and Pasley would do everything they could to try to spare K-12 and higher education as much as possible, but with cuts coming in all segments of state government, education, which comprises 60 percent of the budget, would also have to be trimmed.

Hearing Halk and fellow student Mark Fruzzetti share their stories showed how important the BCTC Winchester campus is, Palmer said.

“For Don and me, I don’t think there is a better legacy we can leave for Clark County than what we did with that campus because the benefits continue to grow,” said Palmer. “What these students do and are doing helps everybody, not just themselves.”

While in Frankfort, the students were introduced at the Education Committee meeting and also recognized in the House.

They were also given an opportunity to talk to legislators one-on-one while eating lunch with them and were given a tour of the Governor’s Mansion.

While at the mansion, they received a special treat when the governor’s dog and one of his friends decided to come out to visit with them for a while.

BCTC President Dr. Augusta Julian said having the students visit legislators put a face to education in Kentucky.

“The legislators love talking to them because these are the people they are working for every day in the legislature,” said Julian. “They are describing the plans and dreams that they have for their future, and they are acknowledging that they could not be where they are without the support of the faculty and staff at BCTC.”

The Winchester campus had more students make the trip than any other institution in the system during the week, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Julian.

“We are so proud of all the students we’ve had here all week. This is the largest group we’ve had,” Julian said. “They have represented the college so well, and they’ve represented themselves so well. This has just been phenomenal.”

Contact Bob Flynn at bflynn@winchestersun.com

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