By Kristin Zagurski
News of plans for a student-led protest is being spread throughout campus by use of fliers, word-of-mouth and other "guerrilla" tactics, said Angie Robertson, president of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance and an organizer of the protest.
At the protest, students will voice their disapproval of the decisions made by the administration during the recent round of budget cuts.
The FMLA and University Democrats helping to organize the protest.
The protest is set to take place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, outside the Strauss Recital Hall.
Chancellor Nancy Belck’s annual University Convocation will also be held Oct. 10 at 9 a.m. in the Strauss Recital Hall.
By holding the protest that day, the organizers hope to draw administrators’ attention to students’ budget concerns.
Robertson said the protest is important because the budget cuts affected a wide range of students that aren’t necessarily connected to each other.
"It makes a huge display of students who are upset," Robertson said.
The format for the protest, which Robertson said is "just in the beginning stages," is undecided.
She said it is important for a diverse group of people to show up for the protest. She said one reason she and the others are organizing the protest is the belief that the university doesn’t place a priority on the social sciences or on programs that support diversity.
She also said some students are upset that Student Government has not made any statements against the budget cuts.
"We really felt we aren’t being represented by our Student Government," Robertson said.
Student Body President/Regent Shay Riggs was unavailable Sunday to comment on Student Government’s position.
Robertson said the organizers of the protest have not received any flack from UNO’s administrators. In fact, some faculty members are helping the organizers get everything together.
Robertson said everyone, no matter if their major was affected by the cuts or whether it’s convenient for them to show up, is encouraged to participate.
"These are hard times for everyone," she said.
Contact the protest organizers at badbudget@hotmail.com for more information.
