Students Speak Out This Monday at UWM

STUDENT SPEAK OUT AGAINST UNJUST BUDGET CUTS AT UW-MILWAUKEE

Milwaukee, WI – Sept. 11, 2009 – Students and workers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee are holding a rally on Sept. 14th at 12:00pm in Spaights Plaza (between the UWM Union and Library) to demand student, staff, and faculty involvement in the decision making process for the $20 million in budget cuts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

"Our country is in an economic crisis; Students need to fight for higher education, just as workers need to fight for their jobs and benefits, and homeowners need to fight to keep their homes," said Jacob Flom, a UWM student and member of Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society.

Facing $20 million in budget cuts over the next two years, UWM has raised student tuition by 5%, reduce faculty and staff salaries by 5%, and cut every department by 5%. Despite repeated requests, the Chancellor’s office has not met with students or teachers assistants about how the economic crisis is affecting the university.

The three demands of the rally are: (1) Demand the Chancellor and Deans take a pay cut before cutting salaries of faculty and staff; (2) Demand for faculty, staff and students to be part of the decision making process for the budget cuts; and (3) Demand tuition freeze and increased money for need-based financial aid.

The rally organizers are planning to form a coalition of worker and student groups to fight for these demands. A similar coalition was formed last year in the successful campaign to rid UWM of sweatshop goods. The purpose of this rally is to bring about awareness of the demands of many workers and students around the budget cuts, and rally organizers expect dozens of students and workers to attend.

Speakers at the rally will include members of these organizations, financially struggling students, campus workers and teacher assistants. Sponsors of the rally include Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society, Progressive Students of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Graduate Assistant Association, Students United for Immigrant Rights, and Milwaukee Network for a Social Change.



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If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with rally organizers, please call Natasha Morgan at 608-426-4252 or e-mail Natasha at nadashay@gmail.com