First and foremost, I am an educator. I have been employed in the higher education field for 24 years, and I believe that a quality education is necessary in order to function effectively in our society. That said, if we continue to try to balance the state budget on the backs of our students and their parents, our educational system and our economy will continue to suffer and we will continue to lose valuable State Human Resources to other states. As a State, we need to stand firm on providing a quality and affordable education for all.