University of Wisconsin students joined Green Party members, anarchists and angry workers Thursday on the Capitol steps to protest a $250 million budget cut to the UW system.
After a “May Day” rally at the back of the Capitol, protesting the Bush administration and the war on Iraq, the protesters marched to the front of the Capitol to join students who traveled from as far as Whitewater to protest the higher-education cuts.
UW freshman Vibha Sanghvi said she came to the rally because she can barely afford UW-Madison.
“I’m in debt enough as it is,” she said. “I came to this university because of its education, and it makes me mad that I have to pay more to the university for it now.”
UW will bear 38 percent of the state budget deficit. Between 50 and 60 university faculty positions might not be filled, and close to 300 courses could be dropped as a result of the university budget cuts.
Tuition for in-state students will increase $350 per semester for UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee students, with a $250 increase per semester for all other UW System students.
Sanghvi said she already works for the International Student Services while attending school to afford the tuition and cannot work more next year.
“I take out a lot of loans,” she said.
UW senior Pabitra Benjamin said she cut class to help organize the rally through the Multicultural Student Coalition.
“I pay for my education,” Benjamin said. “I know it seems strange that I’m cutting class to rally for education, but I’m fighting for access to education. I’m almost out of here, but this affects my community.”
Benjamin said she also worries about the privatization of the university because now more higher-education funding is coming from interest groups with a stake in university programs to compensate for the school’s budget cuts.
UW senior Adnan Mirza said he came to the rally to criticize Doyle’s policy of “balancing the budget on the backs of the students.” He suggested legislators tap into the corrections budget to correct the $3.2 billion deficit.
“I came as a student because it is my responsibility,” Mirza said, acknowledging he would graduate soon. “I came because this is going to affect most students.”
Not all the bystanders were sympathetic to the student cause, however. One homeless man passing by sarcastically sympathized with the students’ “mommies and daddies” paying more for school and said the students live on a pedestal.
“I don’t even have a home,” he said.
The protesters rallied for grade-school education funding as well, with school board president Bill Keyes speaking on their behalf, promoting the June 3 referendum asking Congress to allow schools to exceed their spending caps.
