Undergraduate Student Senate adopted a resolution addressing state support of higher education at its meeting yesterday.

“The key to Ohio’s economic recovery is having a well-educated populace,” the resolution states. Ohio college students pay 42.9 percent of their tuition costs, as opposed to the national average of 29 percent.

The resolution encourages state legislators to “increase per-student funding of higher education” and encourages students and their families to contact representatives with concerns about decreased funding.

Sen. Amber Samuelson said the resolution should be two separate resolutions, one for students and one for state representatives and senators.

Broadbent denied Samuelson’s friendly amendment, and her formal amendment was voted down 4-3.

Sen. Valerie Fatica asked the senate what the intended impact of the resolution was.

“As with all resolutions, the best we can do is give it to people,” Broadbent said.

The resolution will be presented to visiting legislators at 5:30 p.m. April 4 in the Governance Chambers at a coffee talk.

All students are invited to attend the coffee talk, which will address issues of state funding of higher education.

“Write it down and tell all your friends,” Samuelson said.

Samuelson scheduled the coffee talk during the USS meeting’s usual time so “at least we would have nine people,” she said.

At the meeting, Sen. Bill Ross also announced the plus/minus grading student informational packets were printed and would be distributed to orientation classes and student organizations.

The packets are also available in the USS office.

Contact student politics reporter Jessica Rothschuh at [email protected].