Media Credit: Nathan Arnold/The Daily Cardinal
Surrounded by petitions of supportive students, UW-Madison sophomore Joel Feingold of the Student Action Labor Coalition addresses tuition concerns about Gov. Jim Doyle´s budget.
The Daily Cardinal - 2/11/05
Students vow to act on budget concerns
By Eric Reinert
Media Credit: Nathan Arnold/The Daily Cardinal
Surrounded by petitions of supportive students, UW-Madison sophomore Joel Feingold of the Student Action Labor Coalition addresses tuition concerns about Gov. Jim Doyle´s budget.
Members of Associated Students of Madison and the UW-Madison Student Labor Action Coalition met Thursday to air their grievances regarding Gov. Jim Doyle's budget proposal, saying both groups plan to take action to ensure the needs of students are met.
Students representing the Campus Accessibility and Legislative Affairs committees of ASM shared criticism and suggestions regarding the governor's proposed budget, addressing both the tuition increases and cuts to UW-Madison administrative positions and services.
"While ASM applauds the governor's efforts to keep UW at a competitive fiscal level when compared with other Big Ten schools, it is essential that tuition not exceed the lower limits of Doyle's recommendation of a 5 to 7 percent tuition increase," said Legislative Affairs committee member and UW-Madison sophomore Krissy Fischer.
The most biting remarks, however, came from UW-Madison sophomore, Student Labor Action Coalition and Who is UW Coalition member Joel Feingold, who called the governor's proposed tuition increase "a knife in the back."
Feingold then presented a tuition proposal of his own: rolling back tuition to its 2001 levels.
And just to make sure the students of UW-Madison know their needs are being attended to, Feingold promised action.
"Students, [in regards to] the tuition issue, won't just talk the talk this time," he said. "We're going to walk to the walk."
When asked exactly what walking this walk would entail, Feingold detailed his organization's plans for the future.
"We're going to stage large-scale demonstrations later on to make sure the assembly and state senate know what we're talking about," he said.
Feingold also noted past action groups like his Who is UW Coalition have embarked upon to this end, including last week's petition presentation demanding lower tuition.
Kelly Egan, a UW-Madison sophomore and chair of the ASM Legislative Affairs committee, outlined the group's forthcoming endeavors to ensure the student voice is heard at the Capitol. She said the group is planning meetings with the state's legislative committee on finance and will have contact with the governor's office.
"We will be speaking with them and telling them what students need and what we expect from them when they go through the budget," she said.
According to UW-Madison junior Josh Healey, a member of SLAC, the group is participating in a state-wide rally on Feb. 24 at the Capitol.
If that fails to get the student voice heard? "You take it to the next level," he said.