By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

The message was clear. There's no more room to cut. And Fort Hays State University students attending Higher Education Day in Topeka on Tuesday think their message was heard.

"I think our efforts contribute to funding for higher education, not just for Fort Hays, but for all the Regents institutions," said Tyler Clark, a first-year student of the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Sciences at FHSU.

Clark and students involved in the FHSU Student Government Association attended Higher Education Day to lobby state legislators for continued support for higher education, a sector of the Kansas budget that has been reduced 12 percent in the last year.

"Students are starting to see the effects," said Pilar Quinones, a senior from Junction City.

Larger class sizes, reduced opportunities for student employment and a time crunch for seniors hoping to graduate are all problems created from the $4.5 million reduction in FHSU's budget since the start of fiscal year 2009.

"Class size has definitely increased, and the quality of education has suffered because we're losing that one-on-one attention," Quinones said.

With fewer faculty trying to meet the demand for courses, Quinones said classes fill up quickly and some aren't offered as often.

"I know that students are getting upset because it's altering their academic plans to graduate on time," student body president Brad Stramel said before his group's trip to Topeka.

Students also told legislators about losing 35 student positions to budget cuts.

"The jobs on campus are what allow some students to remain at the university," Clark said.

Clark spoke with Rep. Eber Phelps, D-Hays, and Quinones spoke with Rep. Jim Morrison, R-Colby, among other legislators to get their message out.

Clark said each legislator has different bills they would like to see passed to either continue funding for higher education at least at today's levels or reduce tuition to allow more students an opportunity to attend a state university.

"We don't want to advocate for one policy," Clark said. "We're open to any policy that will help our institutions."

Quinones said she wasn't able to talk to as many legislators as she had hoped Tuesday, but she hopes legislators, after hearing from students from all Regents institutions, understand further budget cuts in higher education will start affecting the education universities can provide.

"We tried make them see that when you invest in higher education, you're investing in the future of Kansas," Quinones said.