Now, when you just read that title, you probably had the sudden urge to hit me upside the head, as most students on the ISU campus would.

Yet that’s the very message we send back to our representatives in the state legislature when we decide not to vote. The only way our tuition is NOT going to increase is by our age group having a large enough turnout at the election in November to have some effect on who gets into office. Obviously, if it’s our votes that make the difference in the candidates’ elections, then they will make decisions that will benefit us (i.e. less or no cuts in education spending). There is no excuse not to vote. You need to register by Friday, and you can do that and obtain absentee ballots at http://rathman. votesforstudents.org.

Even if you’re an out-of-state student, you can still vote in Iowa. I myself am a very proud Minnesotan (yes, I do have the accent and am reminded of it daily), and I will probably live there for the rest of my life, yet even I registered despite my obvious favoritism toward my home state.

Swallow your pride for five minutes and vote! After all, we are the ones who will have to pay almost $20,000 in tuition and room and board next year!

So what are you going to do? Are you going to complain next year when tuition increases again, or are you going to be content to see that education spending is not going to be cut? Vote! It’s a simple way to make a big statement!

Laura Bergren

Freshman

History and German