One of Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposed budget options for fiscal year 2017 includes a five percent cut in funding to Wichita State.

That cut would mean a loss of $3,728,210 in funding for the university, according to a resolution passed by Student Government Association on Wednesday expressing opposition to Brownback’s proposal. The proposal is one of three.

Student Body President Joseph Shepard said cuts are being made to higher education across the board in Kansas.

“We don’t want to sit back and say, ‘You know what, it’s going to happen regardless, so just let it sit back and let it happen,’” Shepard said. “I think it’s important to show not only the governor, but the legislators, that it’s bothering us.”

Legislative Director Marilyn Morton wrote the resolution. She said she agrees to opposing Brownback’s proposal.

“I don’t agree with what steps he’s taken to cut income to the state with the business taxes being cut,” Morton said. “And now he’s also saying, ‘Oh, look, we don’t have any money, so we need to cut these things out.’ The problem is we would have money if he would stop cutting the income.”

Morton’s mother, Jessica Morton, works in the Office of Research at WSU. Marilyn said she has heard several campus departments, including her mother’s, are worried about possible cuts.

“They’ve been considering furloughs, not considering furloughs and just going through that process, and it’s really concerning now because they have less money than they were planning on,” she said.

The resolution states SGA opposes further cuts to education, “with the concern that these large cuts affect education quality and overall quality of life for students.”

“[The cuts are] affecting our education,” Shepard said. “[They’re] affecting our organizations, [they’re] affecting the way we live out our daily lives as students on campus.”