Alumni look to speed budget

by Pedro Oliveira Jr.

Thursday, September 6, 2007 00:00

The Wisconsin Alumni Association launched a campaign Wednesday asking for University of Wisconsin alumni to support its efforts to increase the university's budget.

The association is mailing informative postcards to 130,000 UW alumni urging them to persuade their elected officials to increase university funding by $70 million in the upcoming biennial state budget.

"The Wisconsin Alumni Association has contacted alumni with postcards to help them understand the importance of this budget for UW-Madison and for the whole UW system," WAA spokesperson Kate Dixon said.

Dixon said these postcards are not asking the alumni to give any money but rather to use their influential power to encourage lawmakers to increase the budget.

The increased money would be used to provide UW with more faculty and other academic improvements.

The group has also launched a website called "Save Bucky," featuring a video encouraging alumni to support the cause and keep UW a world-class university.

"Continual state budget cuts are hurting UW's ability to remain one of the nation's best," the website says. "You can help protect Bucky's territory by contacting your elected officials today."

The website facilitates communication between alumni and lawmakers, and provides supporters of the cause an opportunity to send their representatives messages by clicking on a button located in the main navigation area.

"Letters and phone calls are particularly important," Dixon said.

State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said the Legislature has offered the UW System an increase of 3 percent for this year's budget, representing a $62 million increase compared to last year's.

"I think the UW System and the WAA intend to play political games in order to get taxpayer money," said Suder, who is a member of the Joint Finance Committee. "That's a sad reflection on the state of affairs within the UW System and UW-Madison."

Suder said because the system was not offered the specific amount it wanted, they are utilizing alumni to fool people in the belief the Assembly has shortened the budget.

"I frankly find that offensive," Suder said.

The Joint Finance Committee is currently discussing the budget, but a completion date has not been set.