A combination of members from several University of Wisconsin organizations, including the Associated Students of Madison (ASM), Student Labor Action Coalition (SLAC) and the Teaching Assistant Association (TAA), will be delivering over 5,000 signatures to Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle and the Joint Finance Committee today.

According to ASM President Ashok Kumar, the “Students’ Christmas Wish List” imitative began last year.

“It was a way of informing the public about the issues of the budget, issues with diversity,” Kumar said.

The petition demands the state achieve several initiatives, including the lowering of tuition, an increase in financial aid and an increase in state funding. The petition arrives just prior to Doyle’s Feb. 8 executive budget proposal.

Over the past two years the UW System has experienced a 37.5 percent tuition increase and a $250 million budget cut from the state. The budget cuts and tuition hikes have many students demanding more from the governor and state legislature.

“The medium range right now of a family income is $95,000 and five years ago it was between $40,000 and $60,000,” Kumar said.

Kumar is not alone in his views.

“People seem to recognize if we’re going to have a public university, we need to make it possible for low-income families [to have access],” UW System President Kevin P. Reilly said in a press conference Feb. 2.

Several initiatives have been proposed to help curb the negative impact being made against students.

Earlier this week, Reilly announced the implementation of over 250 cost-saving measures that could save Wisconsin taxpayers as much as $15 million annually to the Legislative Audit Bureau.

Reilly said he hopes to put the savings towards reinvestment in the UW System.

Rep. Rob Kreibich, R-Eau Claire, also announced Thursday a bill to cap tuition increases at only 3 percent over the next two years.

According to Kumar, even UW Chancellor John Wiley said there would be “drastic” action taken if the governor’s executive budget proposal had more budget cuts.

Still, UW organizations believe the state has to re-evaluate their priorities. According to the coalition’s petition, CEOs are receiving tax breaks and the prison system is receiving more funding from the state every year.

“The money needed to support the UW, the state’s most important public institution, is there,” the petition said.