Students, community, faculty stand for strong UW system, strong UWM
A diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and Milwaukee area residents announced today the formation of UWM United, a coalition that stands against the assault on education proposed by Gov. Scott Walker.
“There is excitement brewing up at UWM, and that excitement needed a voice, so we created UWM United.” Omer Farooque UWM United organizer
In order to address the immediate crisis facing UW-Milwaukee and the UW system, the coalition opposes the separation of UW-Madison from the system, cuts to funding, and the present attack on workers’ rights. We call on Gov. Walker to invest in Wisconsin society, renew its commitment to education, and work to restore the middle class—not crush it.
“Dismantling the UW system means that a large part of the state population will not have financial access to higher education. We can’t watch our campuses suffer or close.” –Mollie Boutell, UW Milwaukee student.
UWM United stands for the economic vitality of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and a strong UWM that leads Milwaukee forward. The growing coalition includes the United Council of UW students, the UWM Student Association leadership along with many other student and community organizations.
“UW-Milwaukee has over 30,000 students, and is the main economic engine in the region, and has the tools to solve some of Milwaukee’s most pressing problems”- Nicholas Reindl, UWM student.
UWM United will advance its message through advocacy, community education, and lobbying to stop SB 11. The mission of UWM United is to bring together individuals and groups from across campus and throughout the Milwaukee community in order to:
- Preserve UWM and the UW system against ongoing attempts to dismantle and privatize them.
- Preserve full collective bargaining rights for all university workers.
- Preserve economic opportunities throughout the state by adequately funding the UW system and opposing any and all proposed budget cuts.
UWM United is a diverse group of students, staff, faculty, alumni and Milwaukee area residents interested in the advancement of UW-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee idea.