Money Talks

Just as surely as spring melts into summer, just as caterpillars inevitably emerge as butterflies, the 2010 legislative session has ended (a little late) and the election season has begun. Our elected representatives and those who aspire to be our elected representatives have transformed from stately and distinguished leaders and policy makers into hustlers haunting union halls, front porches, living rooms, and coffee shops, handing out their resumes and pictures like auditioning actors, looking for money and votes. It’s poignant and oddly reassuring.

Our public universities have always been deeply involved in the legislative part of the process, not so much the election part. And that’s a big part of the reason we’re still the state’s rainy day fund and the stepchildren to the community and technical colleges. We haven’t been bringing any money or any votes, so we’re not on the top of any legislator’s list.

So now we want in.

FYI PAC is an independent, unaffiliated political action committee, launched to support candidates who understand the value of Washington’s public universities. We welcome contributions from anyone who supports affordable, accessible, quality four-year public education in Washington.

For years, university students, faculty, and administrators have been going to Olympia making excellent arguments for the state to better support its public universities. Here at the blog, we’re mostly teachers, and every teacher knows that even arguments most excellent don’t make a dent until somebody’s listening. And nothing makes legislators listen more than money and votes. So check out FYI PAC and help make the voices of our universities heard in Olympia.