Kayla Webley
2005-03-11
The Daily
The accomplishments Jamie Corning lists off from his time spent in Olympia include his testimony to the higher education committee, which helped kill the student conduct code that the UW opposed.
As the UW student lobbyist, Jamie Corning’s actions early on in the legislative session effectively halted the student regent bill in committee, also opposed by the UW, he said.
“We have been able to kill all the bills we wanted to,” Corning said confidently. “We fight to the death.”
He also said his time has helped ensure the branch campuses may see the day of being able to offer lower-division courses.
Corning has also followed the path of many pieces of legislation and testified to help ensure their success, most notably the credit card regulation bill and legislation that would allow race to be considered as a factor in college admissions.
“There [are] probably 900 different ways to kill a bill, but there’s just one way to get a bill to pass,” said Corning, “You just have to work incredibly hard to be successful.”
The art of begging
Corning is in Olympia this quarter and for at least three weeks of spring quarter fighting for or against issues on behalf of the UW student body. He was selected to serve in the position by the ASUW Personnel Committee and by a unanimous vote from the ASUW Board of Directors and will serve until the end of the 2005 legislative session.
Corning said he does his work as a lobbyist without enjoying the perks most other lobbyists have.
Professional lobbyists, because they are considered private employees, can “wine and dine” legislators, according to Corning, by doing things such as taking them to play a round of golf or buying them gifts to influence their decision-making.
Corning cannot.
As an employee of the state and funded by student funds, Corning has to rely on simpler methods to get his point across.
His methods include pulling legislators out of committee and floor sessions to talk to them, catching them in hallways, walking them to and from meetings and even a little begging, he said.
“[I have] gotten awfully good at begging,” said Corning. “It’s a humbling experience.”
Less than ideal
Corning is a member of the Washington Student Lobby, which is funded by entirely student funds — from five of Washington’s six public universities — and has an operating budget of approximately $25,000. With office rental fees, office supplies and salary for a year-round adviser, not much is left to fund extras.
A small, folding table, which seats a “crowd” of six, lies in a small area known as the conference room. This room, approximately 10 square feet in size, greets Corning as he starts a day at work. The adjacent office — also approximately 10 square feet — holds one “real” desk, a table with a computer, a fax machine, printer and a cabinet with office supplies, said Corning.
The office doesn’t exactly fit the vision of a plush, corner office with a view, but Corning doesn’t care, he said he’s here for the students.
“Every day we are working on bills that effect student’s lives,” said Corning. “I care so much about the UW because I’ve loved my educational experience here and I’ve had some amazing opportunities. I want to make sure the people that come after me to attend the UW have the same opportunities that I’ve had.”
Fighting the never-ending fight
As a voice for the student body, one of Corning’s main objectives is fighting to keep tuition affordable.
“We know we’re not going to be as successful as we wanted to be because ultimately we would like to lower tuition,” said Corning. “If we’re going to pay more in tuition we should expect more in services and we’re really not.”
Corning said battles with legislators over tuition can make a difference.
“We want tuition affordable, everyone hears it all the time but it really does matter,” said Corning. “The more we raise tuition, the more student debt we are creating. When students get out of college they spend 10 years paying off their debt rather than contributing to the economy.”
Some of Corning’s days end in success, such as Lobby Day when more than 100 students trekked down to Olympia earlier this month to voice their concerns to legislators. In addition to lobbying for affordable tuition, students happened to arrive on the day the student conduct code was heard in committee.
According to Corning, a primary reason the bill died in the higher education committee was because of the UW students that overflowed the committee hearing room.
“One hundred students packed into the room,” said Corning. “[Legislators] could tell we cared a great deal about it.”
The student audience only aided the effectiveness of testimony he gave to the higher education committee, said Corning.
“[The students] picked a good day to come to Olympia,” he said.
Other days are filled with disappointments. For instance, the credit card marketing bill is successfully making it’s way through the Legislature, but only after many of the provisions were stripped and it was made into a “looser” bill with less regulations, said Corning.
“Olympia is a rollercoaster some days you are on top of the world because you’ve had a great victory and you feel like everything is going your way,” said Corning. “The very next day you get kicked in the teeth.”
Roll with the punches
The 2005 legislative session, because it is a budget year and no budget has been produced, is expected to move into at least one, if not more, 30-day extended session, according to Corning. The regular session ends April 24 and extended sessions could run as late as June or July, as legislators will work until the budget is finalized.
Which means Corning did not register for spring quarter courses and could end up spending a majority of his summer vacation ensuring higher education is not forgotten in the budget because he went home early.
“You just have to be really stable and willing to roll with the punches,” he said.
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