[Peace] Solidarity Rally Turns into Spontaneous Temporary Occupation

[Brian Dolinar]

This story at ucimc.org. BD

http://ucimc.org/content/solidarity-rally-turns-spontaneous-temporary-occupation


Solidarity Rally Turns into Spontaneous Temporary Occupation



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.



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.



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.



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:



   1. We want more direct say in when tuition is raised and by how much
   tuition is raised. We want a tuition freeze.
   2. We want transparency in how the University spends its money. We want
   this information more available and publicized.
   3. 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.
   4. 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.
   5. DREAM Scholarships for undocumented students.
   6. Administrative raises should have to be approved by the students in
   the student senate.



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.



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, meparker at uillinois.edu or
217-333-3340.



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.

-- 
Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.
303 W. Locust St.
Urbana, IL 61801
briandolinar at gmail.com
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