Faculty, members of UW-Madison supporting walkout in protest of budget cuts
Faculty members at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh are staging a walkout Tuesday at noon, organized by the United Faculty and Staff of Oshkosh. The walkout is in protest of furloughs for employees, proposed layoffs of 200 non-teaching employees and increases of teaching load for faculty at UW-Oshkosh, University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac and University of Wisconsin-Fox Cities, according to a flier posted on the Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement website.
The walkout comes in the midst of system-wide UW budget cuts, with Rep. Robin Vos of the Wisconsin State Legislature’s efforts to cut diversity, equity and inclusion funding specifically, according to PBS Wisconsin. Vos has also said that he would block pay raises until the DEI programs are cut.
Faculty at UW-Oshkosh have to take a certain amount of furlough depending on their salary, with those making less than $33,000 exempt from the mandate. There are other exemptions, such as those for student employees, graduate students and those who work in the police department and heating plant, as they are needed to ensure the safety of the university, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
Some members of the University of Wisconsin-Madison are walking out in support, though the walkouts are not UW-Madison sponsored events, according to Chief of Staff of the Chancellor’s Office at UW-Oshkosh and university spokesperson, Alex Hummel.
“We’re not really affiliated with it, but it’s our obligation as a university to make sure that we provide a safe space in terms of just physical safety and opportunity for people to share their voice, so that’s what’s gonna happen today,” Hummel said.
Both Hummel and Director of Media Relations and Strategic Communications for UW-Madison Kelly Tyrrell said there should not be any disruptions to class or normal business.
The organizers of the event, UFSO, have been spreading the word about the event and encouraging people to attend, Hummel said.
The demonstration at UW-Madison will begin at Union South and end outside Bascom Hall, according to WKOW. Protesters will be gathering signatures for a petition that will later be turned over to UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Andrew Leavitt.
