Real Estate Rip Off!

The cost of an education at UW Madison continues to increase as financial aid is cut. Public funding for the University has fallen and students are being required to pay increased segregated fees for facilities that should be built with public money. At some UW campuses, seg fees top $1000 per year.

The referendum to fund the Wisconsin Union Master Plan is up for a vote during the ASM elections that will take place March 28-30. The cost to students will be $192 a year for thirty years, beginning next year. This will raise more than $230 million over the thirty years that it will be in effect.

Last April, the administration tried to sneak a similar referendum past students. This time, they’re spending public money on spin. The administration has contracted with an outside firm for $200,000 to develop and sell the plan, Wisconsin Union staff has spent uncounted hours promoting a yes vote, and student workers are being paid to sit through meetings urging a yes vote. Wisconsin Union Directorate officers were giving away t-shirts just for signing the petition.

This referendum shows everything wrong with the University. Students will pay millions of dollars to build a facility where most of the workers will be paid poverty wages (see other article on this blog for living wage info).

Maybe your kids will go to school here, and you can pay twice.