No More Budget Cuts - Stop the Privatization of Wisconsin Higher Education!

To:  Governor Doyle, Wisconsin state legislators, the Board of Regents, and all UW campus administrations

Whose UW? Our UW!
Lower Tuition – More Classes – Increase Diversity – Fair Contracts for UW Employees

State funding of the University of Wisconsin system goes down, tuition goes up: it’s that simple. Plus, they cut classes, defund diversity initiatives and other important programs, and freeze faculty and staff salaries. Two years ago, Governor Doyle, along with the Regents and state legislature, hiked tuition 37.5% ($1400/year at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee, $1000/year at all other UW schools) as they slashed $250 million from the UW system, the biggest cut ever.
While our higher education suffers, corporate CEO’s get huge tax breaks and prisons receive more state funding every year. The money needed to support the UW, the state’s most important public institution, is there: this is not a budget crisis, this is a distribution crisis.
Therefore, in order to reverse the continuing privatization of the university. we, the undersigned students, faculty, staff, alumni, members of the UW community, and concerned citizens and taxpayers demand that Governor Doyle, state legislators, the Regents, and all UW campus administrations:

1. Lower tuition and increase financial aid
2. Increase the level of state funding for new classes and professors
3. Increase the level of state and university funding for – and commitment to – Plan 2008, the main UW diversity initiative, especially for the recruitment and retention of students of color
4. Increase the level of state funding so that all campus workers, professors, and TA’s receive the good salaries and benefits that they deserve

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

The No More Budget Cuts - Stop the Privatization of Wisconsin Higher Education! Petition to Governor Doyle, Wisconsin state legislators, the Board of Regents, and all UW campus administrations was created by student groups at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and other schools, including the Student Labor Action Coalition, the MultiCultural Student Coalition, the Associated Students of Madison, Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, etc. and written by Josh Healey (jghealey@wisc.edu).  This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors. For technical support please use our simple Petition Help form.

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