Related to today's event on the University of Illinois Quad,<div>I was talking to a friend and was appalled to learn that he thinks the university should get less and less of its money from the state. Digging deeper, I found out that he believes the university is right in raising tuition, funding all research through philanthropic foundations and the federal government, and that the federal government will provide increased financial aid for the tuition increase. </div>
<div><div><br></div><div>I believe the following:</div><div>I don't trust the federal government to fund public institutions. It would be very easy for a single president to suddenly mandate that all students serve in the military before they can get financial aid. </div>
<div><br></div><div>I think my friend's scenario would lead to the University of Illinois to become a private school, not a public school. </div><div><br></div><div>Public education is the cornerstone of democracy. Without it, tyranny is easy.</div>
<div><br></div><div>The state benefits from having the University of Illinois here. Without support from the state, we might as well move the U of I to another state. </div><div><br></div><div>I am interested in your comments. But more than that I'm interested in people coming out at noon today. </div>
<div><br></div><div>-karen medina</div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 6:23 PM, Ricky Baldwin <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:baldwinricky@yahoo.com">baldwinricky@yahoo.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" style="font:inherit">12noon Illini Union, Quad Side<br>
unions, students, and allies together<br><br>Are you cool with the following scenario?<br><br>an administration expanding around 50% while most of its workforce shrinks<br>an incoming president getting a payraise of over 37% while workers get zero<br>
a president's new exec asst receiving a payraise of over 81% while workers get zero<br>UI tuition increase of 9.5% after record fundraising<br>a land grant institution increasingly serving corporate interests<br>layoffs<br>
furloughs<br>pay freezes<br>closing print services, axing University operators, etc<br>and now an increase in the operating budget and new VPs?<br><br>if not, you know where to be tomorrow<br><br>picket at 7:30am-9am<br>rally 12-1:30pm<br>
<br>In Solidarity,<br>Ricky </td></tr></tbody></table></blockquote></div><br>
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