This story at <a href="http://ucimc.org">ucimc.org</a>. BD<br><br><a href="http://ucimc.org/content/solidarity-rally-turns-spontaneous-temporary-occupation">http://ucimc.org/content/solidarity-rally-turns-spontaneous-temporary-occupation</a><br>
<br><br><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CBrian%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CBrian%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CBrian%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1107304683 0 0 159 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:883492710;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-1102254688 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Solidarity Rally
Turns into Spontaneous Temporary Occupation</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">On Friday,
March 11, 2011, approximately 300 people joined a nationwide student walkout
and rally on the quad at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. What
was unique about this rally was the number of many new faces of people who did
not typically show up for rallies on campus. They have clearly been inspired by
the mass protests in Wisconsin and rapidly spreading throughout the Midwest in
Indiana and Ohio. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The rally
was part of a nationwide call for student walkouts in solidarity with union
workers in Wisconsin. On Thursday, Republican lawmakers rammed through
legislation undermining the collective bargaining rights of public sector
unions in the state capitol in Wisconsin where there have been ongoing demonstrations
for three weeks. On Friday morning, Governor Scott Walker signed the bill into
action. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">At the rally
on the University of Illinois quad, there were some 50 Uni High students who
missed class to attend. There were also more than a dozen students from Urbana High
School. Also present were many members of the Graduate Employees’ Organization,
professors, undergraduate students, and SEIU members who are currently involved
in negotiations for a new contract. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">The rally
ended with a spontaneous march to Swanlund Administration Building and up to
the third floor where Chancellor Robert Easter’s office is located. In the
lobby outside the Chancellor’s office, about 15 students talked about an
occupation. Instead, about 15 students, mostly undergraduates, sat down in the
lobby and came up with a list of six demands:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style=""> </span></p>
<ol style="margin-top: 0in;" start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We want more direct say in when tuition is raised and by
how much tuition is raised. We want a tuition freeze.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">We want transparency in how the University spends its
money. We want this information more available and publicized.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Better representation of students and faculty on the Board
of Trustees. Students/faculty should be able to elect a portion of the
Board of Trustees that is proportional to the amount of funding provided
by the students.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Living wages for building and food service workers. The
people who prepare the meals and the classrooms that nurture the students
of the university should not receive wages below the poverty line.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">DREAM Scholarships for undocumented students.</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
Administrative raises should have to be approved by the
students in the student senate.</li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Two
administrators showed up to talk to the students sitting in the lobby―Jan
Dennis from University Relations and Robin Kaler from Public Affairs―but they offered
no answers to the questions about next year’s tuition hikes. After occupying
the lobby for an hour and a half, students left the building with a new determination.
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">Student are calling
on those concerned to be at a meeting on Monday, March 14, at 11:30 a.m. where
Board of Trustees Chair Christopher Kennedy is giving a speech at Beckman
Auditorium, 405 N. Matthews Ave. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to RSVP
Mary Parker-Smith, <a href="mailto:meparker@uillinois.edu">meparker@uillinois.edu</a> or 217-333-3340. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">A vote by
the Board of Trustees on an expected $500 tuition raise is set to take place on
March 23 while students are on Spring Break. </p>
<br>-- <br>Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.<br>303 W. Locust St.<br>Urbana, IL 61801<br><a href="mailto:briandolinar@gmail.com">briandolinar@gmail.com</a><br>