Dear Editor,

Gov. Scott Walker’s 2011-2013 budget and his so called, “Budget Repair Bill” are a direct assault on Madison Area Technical College students and workers. Walker’s budget would decimate funding for Madison College. The severe drop in funding would be felt by everyone at our college. As students we must resist these cuts as well as the decrease in quality of education likely to come with them.

Students, teachers and other workers at Madison College will be forced into a new reality imposed by Walker if he has his way. The initial proposed tuition increase could be just the beginning.  Class sizes would go up right away and could continue to grow further to combat future financial shortfalls. Students would have fewer options in what times and what days classes are available.  We also would have less of a variety of types of classes to choose from. We would be paying more for less.

Teachers at Madison College would be asked to do more for less.  If everything goes according to Walker’s plan teachers will not only lose their collective bargaining rights, but also lose their union when their contract expires. They already have agreed to significant pay cuts while at the same time taking on an increase in their workload. Layoffs have been avoided for now, but they still loom as a possibility in the near future if Walker’s budget is passed. Hit hardest would be food service workers, janitors, and administrative support staff on the lower end of the pay scale. A couple hundred dollar monthly pay cut for those workers and their families living on as little as  $20, $30, or even $40,000 would be a difficult hardship to endure.

We must fight Walker’s new reality. This budget will hurt us all. Join the fight.

Jon Mack

Editor’s note: Jon Mack is a member of a newly forming group on campus called MATC Resists. To learn more send an e-mail to [email protected].