Time for a New Chancellor – An Open Letter from SDS

Chancellor Santiago’s surprise announcement that he will leave UWM comes in the midst of intense public backlash over his “Master Plan” to privatize education at UWM. While the growing movement against Santiago’s corporate agenda was not calling for his resignation, it unilaterally rejected his plan to further privatize the university, and to balance the budget on the backs of students and workers. Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) views the Chancellor’s decision to leave UWM as a blow to the agenda of privatization, and an opportunity for the university to pursue free public education.

During his stay, Santiago stubbornly refused to meet with students and workers on serious issues such as racism, sexism, budget cuts, and his autocratic “Master Plan.” Over the summer, SDS led a successful campaign that pressured Santiago to drop the bogus charges against the 16 people who were arrested at a protest outside his office in March. In 2009, SDS pressured the Chancellor to sign onto an anti-sweatshop program for the UWM bookstore. We continue to be part of a growing student movement that has spread the education rights movement internationally, and we will participate in the October 7th National Day of Action for Education Rights with these demands for a new university Chancellor:

1 Fight for Free and Accessible Higher Education
- Reject the "Master Plan."
- End the privatization of our education.

2 Chop From the Top
- Budget cuts to UWM must come from the salaries, benefits, and perks of the Chancellor and high level administrators.

3 Transparency Now
- The Chancellor must hold quarterly open meetings with students, faculty, workers, and campus organizations.
- Have the approval of the AFSCME Local 82, MGAA, & TAUWP unions.
- The Chancellor’s tax records must be made available to the public.

4 Fight Racism & Sexism
- Side with students against openly racist, sexist members of the Student Association.
- Support the DREAM Act, and access to scholarships for undocumented students.
- Support a UWM Boycott of Arizona over the passage of SB1070 and HB2281.
- Protect resource centers for minorities, LGBTQ, women, and other oppressed groups.
- Protect ethnic studies programs and that were fought and won during the civil rights period.

5 End UWM Support for War
- No collaboration with war profiteering corporations such as Oshkosh Truck and DOW Chemical.
- Boycott university relations with apartheid Israel.
- No CIA, FBI, DHS, NSA, or Military recruiters on campus.