Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul promised that he would cut the federal budget by $1 trillion if he is elected president.

During this school year we have watched our class sizes increase, our financial aid decrease, our parking spots fill up and ours sports leave campus one-by-one.

The state legislature has not yet cut funding from the Cal Grants program, but with the legislature looking to trim public schools, California State Universities and other institutions in the state, it is certainly in danger.

The University of La Verne offers 12 full-tuition scholarships in six areas of performance: art, communications, music, photography, speech and theater.

A recent budget proposal by California Gov. Jerry Brown includes a drastic $12 billion state spending cut.

In response to last week’s editorial about the Spotted Pig on the Opinions page (“This little piggy has a problem,” Oct. 15), I would like to say that that campaign is not merely an effort to get your pocket change.

Recently many faculty members and students arrived to their offices, mailboxes and dorm rooms to discovered clear, plastic piggy banks with a note inside. The note explained the pig was from the University of La Verne Advancement department’s new Spotted Pig Campaign.

Far fewer students receive Federal Work- Study and less are able to work in the various departments that hire student workers. We believe ULV should fund the former Work-Study jobs, so students have better chance at affording their four-year education.

I was, frankly, shocked to read Cherlynn Clark’s comment in “ULV fills Cal Grant gap” (Oct. 1) that “It upsets me that …the state could have delayed my education.”

The University of La Verne came to its students’ rescue when Cal Grants were delayed due to the state budget stand still. ULV has advanced nearly $3.2 million to cover late Cal Grant payments needed by 700 new and returning undergraduate students for the fall semester.