Students Fight Back Statewide Against Mccallum's Budget

-3S553SS - UWM Post VOLUME 45 NUMBER 22 MARCH 7. 2001 Editorial/Perspectives Students fight back statewide 11 Iwl \~>(Xu v/D against McCallum's budget pages 20-21 Day of action at 12 UW campuses kicks off education tour By BRYAN G. PFEIFER Editor-in-Chief As part of a statewide day of action, stu dents came out in force at 12 UW System campuses March 2 to protest Gov. Scott McCallum's state budget proposal that increases tuition with no increases in funds for financial aid, no grants for students of color, and includes "tuition flexibility," among other measures that are anti-education say critics. The United Council of UW Students, the statewide lobbying group representing over 140,000 UW students, called the day of action in response to Gov. Scott McCallum's $46 billion 2001-03 biennial budget released Feb. 20. McCallum has proposed increasing the money available for the state's 26 UW cam puses by $98 million, but most of that money would come from tuition increases rather than state funds. The day of action was the kickoff for a UC sponsored "Education is Key" tour where stu dent leaders will travel the state in the next Post Photo by Bryan G. Pfeifer few months lobbying for more higher educa Ajita Talwalker, President of the Student Association at UWM, speaks out against tion money in the 2001-03 budget and Gov. McCallum's state budget proposal Mar. 2 in the Regent's Room at Chapman Hall. News beyond. The Student Association at the University are not going to tolerate them," said Ajita hearings on it statewide, and then begin to of Wisconsin-Milwaukee contributed to the Talwalker, president of the SA as she vote on it. state actions by leading a press conference at opened the press conference. The full Legislature is scheduled to the Regents Room in Chapman Hall. The Legislature's Joint Finance pass the budget this summer. "We are not going to allow the governor Committee is expected to begin an issue- Over 80 attended the UWM press con to price us out of an education here at UWM. by-issue review of McCallum's budget ference including Wisconsin Democratic These tuition hikes are unacceptable and we within two weeks, hold up to eight public see BUDGET page 2 Firstar president confronted by residents, students By BRYAN G. PFEIFER Minneapolis, said Williams. Editor-in-Chief "Since that time many companies in Wisconsin, Members from a coalition including U.S. Leather and 'fi of Milwaukee area labor and Steeltech in Milwaukee, social justice groups confront have used this new law to ed the president of Firstar deny workers their wages lift Corp. in the University of and benefits. Workers lost Wisconsin-Milwaukee's millions of dollars in com Business School Feb. 27 pensation at Steeltech and demanding that the corpora U.S. Leather. Firstar Bank is tion reverse its position on a the lending institution in both recently passed bankruptcy of these cases," concluded law that pays creditors before the workers' statement. 10 workers. UWM conducts Investment Club officers most of its core banking serv refused at the beginning of ices with Firstar. Williams' talk to allow coali "In 1998, a lobbyist paid tion members to speak at the by Firstar Bank was the leader meeting saying they weren't in an effort to change Post Photo by Bryan G. Pfeifer invited and didn't ask before Wisconsin Wage Lien Law so Firstar President Jay Smith, left, and an unidentified Student Investment hand to address the speaker. that in bankruptcy cases banks Club officer, right, were confronted by the Pfister Vogel/Gebhardt/Steeltech After sitting through would get paid for their loans Worker's Support Commitee and other community residents Feb. 27 in Williams' power point pres UWM's Business School. before workers get their entation detailing the new Crossw' wages and benefits," read a Club meeting where Jay Williams nally scheduled to speak but was U.S./Bancorp merger, coali coalition statement distributed spoke as the guest speaker. Firstar attending the closing of the U.S. tion members once again at The Student Investment CEO Jerry Grundhofer was origi Bancorp/Firstar merger in see FIRSTAR page 4 March 7. 2001 NEWS www.uwmpost.com TITLE from page 1 legislators Sen. Richard gaming revenue. $3,342 in student debt annually, or tuition increases," said Johnna Grobschmidt, Sen. Brian Burke, The Lawton Undergraduate $13,368 over a four-year college Lowe, Vice-President of the SA, at Rep. Jon Richards and Rep. Peter Minority Retention Grant program. the UWM Press conference. Bock, representatives from United (LUMRG), the Talent Incentive Wisconsin has not kept pace "If the tuition flexibility bill Council of UW Students, faculty, Program, the Academic Excellence with surrounding states either were to be passed, the Board of community residents and UWM Scholarship, and the Advanced according toHEAB. Regents would have the ability to students. Opportunity Program (AOP) did In its 2001-03 biennial budget increase tuition at their discretion. Student organizations present not receive any increases. request asking for more funds for The costs will be on the backs of included the Black Student Union, In addition, McCallum's budget the UW System and higher educa students The Regents will milk us College Feminists, Hmong Student has no new money for "Campus tion in general, HEAB stated: dry. We say no to tuition flexibility Association, Latino/a Student Safety" initiatives or libraries. "Wisconsin has, in the past, and we say no to Regent discre News & Editorial Union, Muslim Student "Students across the state are ranked between 12th and 14th in tion," said Lowe. Association, Progressive Student the country in terms of providing Students at UWM may be the Editor-in-Chief very concerned that the lack of undergraduate need-based assis- hardest hit if McCallum's budget Bryan G. Pfeifer Network, Rainbow Alliance and funding for the UW System in the WISPIRG. News Editor "Students at UW-Milwaukee Kevin C. Groen are very disappointed in the lack of Arts & Entertainment Editor funding for the UW System in Gov. Andria Holland McCallum's budget proposal. We Features Editor fundamentally believe that educa Liz Greenawalt tion is the key to the state's econo Sports Editor my, and that in order to keep public Casey Young higher education accessible and Photo Editor affordable, the state must make an Vernessa Richardson investment in the UW System," Copy Editor said Talwalker. Dolores Tusic While Talwalker spoke she was Graphics & Layout Editor flanked by students holding signs Tim Zwettler that read "Spend more on education Technical Support than incarceration," "Shame on Saad Akbar Khan governor," "Death of Education," Web Technician "The governor is milking us dry," Kevin Flanagan and "We cannot afford to pay more Delivery for school. Help us.!" Eric Anderson The four Milwaukee-area legis John Price lators lobbied for a bill written by Post Photo by Kendra al-Kaleem Evans Democratic Rep. Spencer Black On March 2 in the Regents Room at Chapman Hall, UWM students, faculty, and community resi that would guarantee that appropri dents, protest proposed tuition increases and other measures in Gov. McCallum's budget proposal. Business & Advertising ations for student financial aid would grow at least at a rate equal governor's budget proposal will tance to residents. However, passes as is. Business Manager to tuition increases in the UW price current students and many Minnesota, a neighboring state UWM asked the state for $24 Liz Limpel System. potential students out of a public which has a comparable number of million in state funds for the 2001- Advertising Representatives Similar legislation was passed university education," said Jorna applicants as Wisconsin, had in 03 biennium which included money Krista Gilson by the Legislature last session, but Taylor, President of UC, in a state 1998-99 18% more awards and for the Milwaukee Idea. Eric Jelinski then-Gov. Tommy Thompson ment for the day of action. 113% more in state funded aid for When Chancellor Zimpher and Cate Caspari vetoed the provision. "Former Gov. Tommy college students. other UWM officials submitted the Advertising Designer Besides tuition increases, stu Thompson said in his state of the "The average award for a request, they promised students that Andrea Stern dents protested the lack of funding state that 'Education is the key to Wisconsin undergraduate aid recip no tuition increases would be used for students of color and poor stu our economy,' yet, the gross under- ient in 1998-99 was $1,032. This to fund the request. McCallum Classifieds Manager dents. Under McCallum's budget funding for the UW System and was 1.58% less than Illinois decided against UWM's request, Niki Robinson there is no funding for Plan 2008, instead adding a tuition component. Board of Directors the UW System's plan for increas Out of the $24 million, McCallum Bryan G. Pfeifer ing diversity. funded $3.4 million from the state Liz Limpel "There is a deeper reason why "...We are here to demand that you and an additional $8.4 million from Eric Jelinski we are here today. There is a deep stop trying to separate us. We are here to tuition totaling $11.8 million. er problem that affects UWM in According to the Student particular. Because UWM prides demand that you recognize that when Association, this would be an itself on being the most diverse approximate 7 percent increase for One copy free, additional copies $.75 you oppress one human being you each. The UWM Post, Inc. is a registered campus in the UW System as well it UWM students before any state student organization at the University of should.

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