To the Students of Arizona-

Whether you are a student who hasn't had to work throughout your time in college, whether you are struggling to pay your bills while attending school and paying your student loan debt, or whether you are considering dropping out of school because of the enormous financial burden of attending an institution of higher learning – ASA is here for you.

Since 1974, the Arizona Students' Association has been an advocate for students. We have elected candidates and we have removed them from office. We fight for all issues pertinent to students, and over the past 41 years, we have enjoyed innumerable victories and have learned from our few defeats. This year, under new leadership; a new Board of Directors; a completely revamped structure; and a realistic, non-partisan, student-run agenda, this ASA will be completely different from every year past. At a time where student debt and educational divestment have become crises in Arizona, ASA will promise to shake things up like no other student organization ever has before.

In 2015, Arizona’s Governor and Legislature passed a budget that removed 100% of state funding to two community colleges. Also in the budget, Arizona State University, The University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University collectively had to bolster cuts totaling $99 Million. This forced the Arizona Board of Regents to increase tuition at all three of Arizona’s public universities. Not only does this limit educational opportunity for the over 500,000 students across the State of Arizona, but worse- it tells them that their road to success was not a priority in the eyes of the State.

If you're upset about this, do something about it.

ASA will be diligently working 24 hours a day for the next 365 days to ensure that students from Yuma to the Navajo Reservation and from Tucson to Flagstaff have a voice not only in their community, but in Arizona and nationally as well. Over the next 365 days, we will be introducing our own legislation, we will be registering over 10,000 students to vote, we will be at the State Capitol every day of the legislative session, we will be traveling to D.C. to ensure that our federal legislators know our agenda, we will grow our numbers to the largest amount of students we've ever had, we will work to partner with our city governments, and we promise to do this and much much more.

This year will be different. Are you ready to be that difference?

We have many obstacles in front of us, and we need students from all over the State to join in and agree that education is a right, not a privilege. Over the next 365 days, I look forward to serving you, to working with you, to crying with you, and to rejoicing with you. The State of the Students is always improving and always getting better. With driven students banding together, nothing is impossible, and I know that this year is no different. Students- this is our year.

Yours,

Nicolas Parra
President, Arizona Students' Association