NEWS
Students protest tuition hikes
Looking for a print version?
Simply choose ‘Print’ on your computer and a printer-friendly document will be generated.
Also by John Potratz:
- Sex and the City star shares views on life (September 30, 2005)
- ASM threatens lawsuit (October 21, 2005)
- ASM member resigns from position in protest (November 10, 2005)
- UW ranks No. 1 party school (September 1, 2005)
- Galloway's early visit spurs debate (September 14, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Students sign doors to lower tuition (February 16, 2005)
- Anarchists, UW budget-sensitive students protest together at Capitol (May 2, 2003)
- Tuition hike brings students to Library Mall (April 4, 2003)
- Hundreds protest proposed tuition hike (March 21, 2002)
- Protestors wrap up hunger strike (March 11, 2005)
by John Potratz
Friday, February 25, 2005
University of Wisconsin students delivered doors to legislators at the Capitol Thursday in protest of tuition increases proposed by Gov. Jim Doyle’s 2005-07 biennial state budget.
Organized by various student groups, including the United Council of UW Students and the MultiCultural Student Coalition, the rally brought disturbance to a usually composed atmosphere as nearly 150 students marched into the Capitol chanting, “Hey hey! Ho ho! Tuition hikes have got to go!”
Students from their respective UW System schools signed the doors delivered to Joint Finance Committee members in protest of tuition increases. The doors symbolized United Council’s agenda to “keep doors open to UW.”
Student members from various UW System schools lobbied for a tuition freeze, or to limit increases to at least 3 percent.
“We want to get that tuition number lower, right now we want to push to limit increases to 3 percent and then fight to [preserve] financial aid,” said United Council Legislative Affairs Director Renee Stieve.
The student protesters swarmed underneath the Capitol dome chanting and banging on the doors while others hung banners from the second-floor balcony.
“I work at McDonald’s 40 hours a week and am a full-time student and it’s really tough with tuition going up,” Jesse Nimmer, a UW-Fon du Lac freshman, said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
During the protest, legislators curiously looked down from upper balconies but kept their distance.
After a portion of the crowd moved on to chant and bang on doors outside the governor’s office, the Capitol teemed with students preparing to meet with Joint Finance Committee members.
In an effort to appease student demand, State Rep. Rob Kreibich, R-Eau Claire, who spoke at the rally, proposed a bill to limit increases to 3 percent.
“Your presence here today will send a powerful message to Legislature and the governor that no longer are we going to balance budgets on the backs of students,” Kreibich, chair of the Committee on Colleges and Universities, told the crowd.
Students responded with roaring ovation.
“Wisconsin has had a proud tradition where any student who did reasonably well in high school and was motivated would be provided opportunity to attend our colleges,” Kreibich said. “Unfortunately, that is no longer a reality.”
While many students were satisfied with a possible 3-percent cap on increases, some still believe a tuition freeze should be the ultimate goal.
“Even 3 percent is too high,” Josh Healey, UW junior, said. “My position, and the position of a lot of students, is that we need to roll back tuition to what it was before [Governor] Doyle took office.”
Despite varied opinion on the specific goal of limiting tuition increases, everyone attending the rally, including United Council representative Austin Evans, agreed there is still a long way to go.
“Today was a good day, we had a chance to meet with members of the Joint Finance Committee which is a good step, [but] it doesn’t stop with today,” Evans said.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 10:41am):
In state tuition is still one of the lowest in the big ten. Try paying out of state some time. Stop bitching and get realistic.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 10:48am):
At least they're fighting for something realistic. 3% increase and more financial aid is a lot more worthy cause than trying to get just cheap tuition. -
Plus they actually took the time to organize something and had a way for students at all the UW campuses to be represented.
Is this a fluke or are the student groups finding out that protesting intelligently is more effective.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 11:57am):
it would have been even better if the mcsc folks hadn't tried to hijack the event with their radical socialist tactics
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 12:03pm):
Look at how much your professors make, then think about who you should be protesting against.
http://www.uwsa.edu/budplan/redbook/book2/index.cgi
Anyway, just take out a loan. If you honestly are poor and your parents dont claim you as a dependent, you should have no trouble getting an interest free loan while you're still in school. Get your shit together, graduate in 4 years, and get a job, and you'll have no problem paying for it. Or were you just in Madison to screw around for 6 years and drink alot? Perhaps you should protest the increase in drink prices then.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 12:06pm):
Don't worry, Doyle's got a solution. He's going to appease the taxpayers by giving them a property tax "freeze", he'll appease the students by increasing state aid to UW, and pay for it all with a billion in new loans.... at least until after the election.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 1:46pm):
I am a student, and just because we are one of the lowest, members of Congress should say why aren't we the LOWEST. This increase is pricing out first generation students as well as low income. Look at the whole picture and the lasting effects of raising tuition. I want to graduate with minimal loans, NOT ALMOST TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF THEM!!!
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 1:58pm):
"I want to graduate with minimal loans, NOT ALMOST TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF THEM!!!"
Tough shit. I don't want to pay $30,000 for a new car, but guess what that's the price. Yes there are cheaper ones, just like there are CHEAPER SCHOOLS! Go to one of those if you don't want the debt.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 2:12pm):
Let's just make everything free! Then whether you're poor or rich, everyone can have a free education, and everyone can just go to the store and get all the food, clothing, and plasma TVs they need.
Do all that you can, take only what you need. Life is so much better in la la land.
If that senario seems like it won't work, then you should understand that price controls have the same effect: they create shortages and rationing and decrease the value of the product.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 4:24pm):
Gotta have all the new, cool buildings, no?
UW - like all univiersities - is caught in the death spiral of believing you need world-class facilities to attract great students. But as you get great students, they demand better facilities, and the circle continues.
How do you get there? Tuition increases and alumni shakedowns. And what do you get? Well, if you look at UW's rankings across all the different schools you really don't see us near the top.
At the end of the day, all the students get is a higher tuition bill and more comfortable seats to sit on in class. Whoop-dee-doo....gimme a beer!!
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 4:59pm):
"NOT ALMOST TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS WORTH OF THEM!"
Yer breakin me freekin heart - try toting up the non-resident bill some time - $120k easy.
Anonymous (February 25, 2005 @ 5:43pm):
Cry me a river so they raise tuition by 3% and you folks will whine and moan but in the end you will a) either pay the tuition b)find another cheaper college if you wish to attend. Face it the whole thing is a scam, colleges have you bent over a barrel you "need" college to get a job etc. They know this and in effect can charge what ever you folks are willing to pay, and pay it you will cause you need that all important college education in today's job market. So how to lower tuition? Have enough students stop attending that they can no longer pay professors, for upkeep etc but that won't happen either. So again quit complaining or you can join the MILITARY and pay for college that way.
Anonymous (February 26, 2005 @ 12:43am):
The complaint isn't so much that they are raising it, it's WHY are they raising it? This bullshit about having to raise prices every year regardless of anything has got to stop!
Anonymous (February 26, 2005 @ 4:24pm):
Student leaders had the opportunity to employ the help of a lawyer to keep tuition low.
They -- ASM -- didn't do it because it wouldn't glorify them and besides, ASM is run by the Dean of Students. Look at where the two Student Organizers get their paychecks from.
Anonymous (February 26, 2005 @ 5:28pm):
"Student leaders had the opportunity to employ the help of a lawyer to keep tuition low."
Que?
Anonymous (February 27, 2005 @ 12:05am):
This university can either take $6000/year or they can take $0/year.
Anonymous (February 28, 2005 @ 3:50am):
how exactly did mcsc try to hijack the rally with their "socialist tactics?"
i think UC hijacked the rally by overriding the voice of students from around the state the day before with appeasement policies (you know, like what Kerry would have used with terrorists).
UC stabbed the students in the back, and didn't even have the guts to tell them that their demands had been rolled back to whatever doyle wants.
