Sad, yes. Scary, of course. Unpredictable? Unfortunately, not.

On Jan. 21, the GOP in the Iowa Senate proposed a plan that would quadruple the cuts already being made to public universities in the state of Iowa.

Governor Kim Reynolds wants to take $5.1 million back, according to the proposed budget cuts. If the proposal is approved, it would be tragic for UNI and the other universities.

UNI, specifically, would take a direct hit of losing $3.7 million this semester. While Senate Republicans do not seem to see the repercussions of what the cuts will do to each university, it’s quite clear to me.

Whenever there are budget cuts, there are always layoffs. Something we as UNI students and faculty pride ourselves upon is our diversity, and our professors are a big part of our diverse experience.

With this crazy cut to our institution, we would lose some of our favorite professors — the ones that help shape UNI into a diverse environment.

In addition to inevitable faculty layoffs, we would also have to say goodbye to some of the university’s lesser-filled classes. Say goodbye to not only smaller class sizes, but the classes that don’t take place in large lecture halls with at least 200 other people around you.

A wonderful quality of the UNI experience is the feel of a large university, with the population of a smaller one.

You can have a class or two with a huge number of people in them, but also smaller, more intimate learning settings with around 20 students

That’s the beauty of the learning experience here at UNI — you get the connections of a small university in the setting of a larger one.

Will we still have that experience with these cuts to the university? Probably not.

UNI cannot endure these cuts, and shouldn’t have to. Iowa, as a state, is known for our exemplary dedication to education. UNI is especially known for creating and shaping future educators, so why is education spending being cut by our government?

The answer is simple: Republicans in power don’t care about the disruptions this will cause to the students of these universities. They only care about making the cuts to get a ‘balanced budget.’

But cutting education spending isn’t creating a ‘balanced budget;’ it’s a cheap excuse to rob Iowa residents, and those who travel to Iowa for these institutions, of the quality education they’re paying for.

Without our reputation of excellent educators, Iowa will return to being a flyover state.  

There’s still time to contact legislators about this issue. Urge your legislators to vote against this proposal. Call, email and show up at their offices or office hours.

Together, let’s preserve the quality of education and educators that UNI so happily equips for us.