6 days ago
Arizona students rally at Capitol demanding protection from Trump education policies
Rep. Cesar Aguilar, D-Phoenix, speaks to the press along with other Democratic lawmakers and student activists advocating for affordable, accessible and equitable education during a rally on June 2, 2025. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror
Democratic lawmakers and students from across the state gathered at the state Capitol Monday morning to demand that lawmakers protect students from the Trump administration's attacks and ensure higher education funding won't be cut.
The Arizona Students' Association, along with other progressive organizations, rallied at the Capitol in the hopes that they could persuade lawmakers to address the affordability of higher education, attacks on campus speech and the vilification of specific groups of students, including international and LGBTQIA+ students.
A major focus so far of Trump's second term in office has been assailing higher education institutions, with a specific focus on universities with programs to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in both the student body and the faculty. Universities across the country are taking differing approaches on how to respond.
Locally, Trump's executive orders and new priorities set by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to ban DEI programs has led to local community colleges sweeping mentions of DEI and doing audits of their curriculum in order to make sure they don't lose federal funding.
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The administration is also proposing lowering the maximum amount that can be awarded for federal Pell grants in order to stave off a $2.7 billion shortfall in the program. Republicans have been proposing overhauls to the federal student loan program that critics argue would harm lower-income students and create higher costs long-term.
Arizona universities took a budget hit last year as the state faced a budget deficit, due in part to a loss of state tax income from the implementation of a flat income tax and the state's universal school voucher program that has consistently exceeded cost projections.
'Our public universities are being forced to backfill the budget cuts being made to them, year after year after year,' Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe, said during a press conference outside the Capitol, adding that it has led to continued tuition hikes for students.
Last budget cycle, Arizona universities, along with most state agencies, saw their budgets reduced by 10% in order to bridge a budget shortfall. Democratic lawmakers said Monday that they're hoping to claw some of that money back — or, at the very least, not see university budgets reduced more.
'Higher education is first on the chopping block,' Rep. Cesar Aguilar, D-Phoenix, told the Arizona Mirror, adding that competing budget priorities at the Capitol often can lead to universities being left out of budget negotiation conversations.
But there is now a new issue making that even more difficult for lawmakers who are currently in budget negotiations, which must be finalized by the end of this month in order to avoid a government shutdown.
'This year is tough because of the federal government,' Aguilar said. Currently, lawmakers don't know if Medicaid will face budget cuts in Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill,' something that would have major ramifications on the state budget.
'Do we want to pass a baseline budget and wait until the federal government figures this out?' Aguilar said, adding that GOP and Democratic leadership, including the Governor's Office, are the ones having that discussion.
For Arizona Pell grant recipients and current students, though, the reality is that there is fear and tension for their future, and they want to know that lawmakers are going to hear their concerns and make sure they're protected.
Stefany Valenzuela, a student at Arizona Western College in Yuma, said that the Pell grant helps fund her education and called it a 'lifeline' for her to be able to afford her education, but said that her experience is not unique.
During the 2022-23 school year, 34% of Arizona's undergraduates received Pell grant assistance.
But even with that federal financial aid, some students spoke about how many are still struggling to afford school and are facing difficulties such as food insecurity.
At Arizona State University, student-led organizations like Pitchfork Pantry and Sun Devil Swipes aim to help out ASU students who are facing food insecurity issues, something that 26% of students faced in 2021.
Advocates at the Capitol on Monday said they're planning legislation next session to address this issue specifically. That proposal, the 'Hunger Free Campus Bill,' would mirror legislation passed in other states.
Students also voiced their concerns about ongoing immigration enforcement actions that have taken place at college campuses. Arizona has seen a number of student visas revoked and an event put on by a white nationalist aligned student group encouraging students to report other students to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
'ICE has no place in a learning environment,' Maria Blandon, an ASU student said at the rally. 'Lets build campuses where everyone belongs.'
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