A group of Western Kentucky University students rallied Monday in Frankfort with other Kentucky university students to demand more financial support for higher education from lawmakers.

“I think that there’s never been a more critical time in higher education in Kentucky for students to come together and express their voice,” said James Line, chief of staff with WKU’s Student Government Association.

Line attended the KY Rally for Higher Education with about 14 other SGA representatives. The event, which was held in the Capitol Rotunda and organized by the Kentucky Board of Student Body Presidents, featured speeches from students and several state officials. They included Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes; Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles; Attorney General Andy Beshear; Sen. David Givens, R-Greensburg; Rep. James Kay, D-Versailles; and Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Line said cuts in state funding and the diversion of lottery funding for need-based scholarships have made students feel like higher education is no longer valued.

Under state law, lottery funding must be split between the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship and the College Access Program and Kentucky Tuition Grants Program, with the former two being need-based scholarships. Another $3 million goes toward statewide literacy programs, according to KRS 154A.130.

In a letter addressed to Gov. Matt Bevin last fall, members of the Kentucky Board of Student Body Presidents urged Bevin to restore funding to the need-based scholarships.

“Over the past few years, the need-based grants have been underfunded. According to the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, in 2016, underfunding effectively limited scholarships for 15,000 to 20,000 qualifying students. In the past legislative session, there was bipartisan support in restoring the funding to grants for students with the greatest need. Governor Bevin’s veto of House Bill 10 effectively stopped this funding from being restored, illustrating his lack of commitment to Kentucky’s poorest students,” the letter said.

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to show their support for increased higher education funding.

Line said that, while the state budget won’t be open until next year, education is still a cause worth supporting.

“We need to treat it like a priority,” Line said.