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NEWS & LETTERS, June 2002
Youth columnA clouded future after cutsChicago—Students from Columbia College, Harold Washington College and the University of Illinois at Chicago joined together, March 2, to protest education funding cuts in the State of Illinois. At Columbia College, over 150 students, teachers and administrators gathered to listen to students speak out against cuts in the Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant budget. MAP Grants are need-based financial aid, and nearly one-third of Columbia students receive the grant. There are proposals in the Illinois State Legislature to cut MAP Grants at private institutions in Illinois. One proposal calls for cutting the entire $200 million grant budget. Another plan by Senate Republicans calls for cutting only $50 million. The students made signs with such slogans as, “Save our Education," and “Illinois Legislators: Vote No To Education Funding Cuts," and began to march. As the march went down Michigan Avenue and State Street, students chanted and the bucket-drum corps provided a beat. At the State of Illinois building, Columbia Students were joined by students from Harold Washington and UIC. Through a megaphone, various students addressed the crowd. Several told personal stories, including students who will not be able to attend school next semester if the grant budget is cut. The students from Harold Washington were marching in protest of education funding cuts at the City level. In solidarity, the students from Columbia joined the Harold Washington students in a march around City Hall. There, students delivered a petition to a representative of Mayor Daley, asking the mayor to halt cuts in education funding. The march then returned to the State of Illinois building, where several students brought a petition to Governor Ryan’s office. From the Governor’s office at the top of the building, the protesters could be heard. A representative of Governor Ryan told students that the Governor has always been an advocate of education, and that his budget for 2003 actually proposes a $10 million increase in the MAP Grant budget. The march was covered on the local NBC, ABC, CBS and Telemundo news programs. Students expressed hope that the people of Illinois heard their message – that education budget funding cuts are not an option. —Rachael Perrotta |
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