 "Photo: Bruno Morlan/The Daily Texan")
As voters head to the polls today to weigh in on 11 state constitutional amendments, student groups are prioritizing Proposition 4, which would increase state funding for universities hoping to reach tier-one status.
The proposition would create a pool of state money to fund research and faculty salaries at seven Texas universities hoping to become the state’s next national research institutions. The universities would have to award a minimum of 200 doctoral degrees a year and hold an endowment of at least $400 million to access the money to fund research projects.
University Democrats spent a week passing out literature on the amendment, which members of the group say is a necessity for the future of higher education in Texas.
“Prop 4 would allow for the increase of top-tier institutions in the state, which is a necessity in order for Texas [universities] to be competitive,” said University Democrats President Melessa Rodriguez. “It’s something that we feel very strongly about in order to push our state to really support higher education.”
Student Government passed a resolution in support of the amendment about a week ago.
“The assembly is a good sample of student voices from across campus,” Rodriguez said. “So the fact that we were able to bring the issue to a vote is a good testament to what students are thinking on campus.”
Dustin Matocha, chairman of the Young Conservatives of Texas, said his group is concerned that such a strong emphasis on funding research would shift priority away from educating students at those schools.
“Proposition 4 would encourage professors to spend more time on research than in the classroom,” Matocha said.
“Universities are failing to remember that students are customers to the universities and should be treated as such.”
He also said that the group is working hard to make sure Proposition 11, which limits the state’s power of eminent domain, passes in order to protect property rights of all Texans.
The proposition restricts the state’s ability to take private property for public purposes, including the construction of roadways. In January, the state saw the demise of the highly controversial Trans-Texas Corridor plan in January, which would have allowed the state government to obtain private property in order to build a 4,000 mile highway system that would connect the entire state.
“The election on Nov. 3 is definitely an important one because it directly addresses the idea of increased government spending and private rights,” Matocha said.
He said elections that only decide propositions unfortunately generate less voter interest than those that determine elected offices.
“We’re doing everything we can to spark more interest within the youth demographics and increase young voter turnout,” Matocha said. “[Many] college students are busy with everything that comes with being in college, so very few of them actually take the time to sit down and form a position on each proposition.”
Proposition 2 would require taxation of a residential homestead to be based only on its value as a homestead, regardless of the property’s highest possible value for commercial use or other purposes.
Austin resident Paul Seals is a member of his neighborhood association in central Austin and represents the association on the Austin Neighborhoods Council. He said Proposition 2 has proven to be the most significant proposal in the conversations he has heard.
“What has happened, particularly in central or east Austin neighborhoods, is that some appraisals are kicking folks out of their neighborhoods,” Seals said. “Sometimes zoning can be inconsistent with the land use.”
During the 12 days of early voting that ended Oct. 30, 13,409 Travis County residents cast their ballot — which is about 3 percent of registered voters.
Travis County Clerk Dana DeBeauvoir said in a statement that she hopes the turnout will triple on Election Day.
“It’s not unusual for a constitutional election to have somewhat of a low turnout, though this number is a little lower than usual,” county spokeswoman Mary Fero said.
In 2007’s constitutional election, about 9 percent of registered voters cast their ballot.
Students can vote on campus at the Flawn Academic Center.
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