The Working Class Student Union advocates and provides resources for working class, non-traditional, transfer and first-generation college students while educating the entire UW-Madison campus about the benefits of recognizing and celebrating class diversity.
The Working Class Student Union is hiring! Our organization supports and advocates for working class, first-generation, and non-traditional college students. We do this by helping members of the UW-Madison campus to embrace class diversity. If you are interested in working for our organization and promoting our cause, you can apply to be our Communications Director or Outreach Director.
Our Communications Director position includes managing our organization’s publicity. The Communications Director serves as the main media contact and prepares press releases. The position also includes responsibility for promoting WCSU’s events through various modes of advertising. The Communications Director keeps track of the organization’s history and past work and prepares agendas and other necessary materials for officer meetings.
The Outreach Director is responsible for sorting and distributing the organization’s mail and sending a weekly listserve style email to members. Also, the Outreach Director fosters relationships with other campus organizations, as well as University Housing, private housing, the Greek system, and other organizations to schedule WCSU’s events and educational workshops.
Both positions are required to hold at least ten office hours per week. The total time commitment for both is about 20 hours per week. Both positions pay $9.19 an hour. Applications are due this Friday, March 25th at 5:00 PM. Those interested should contact wcsu.president@gmail.com for an application form.
These positions are a great way to get experience for a selective program or professional school and look great on an application or resume. They are a great way to earn some money while making a difference, doing something interesting with flexible scheduling. If you are passionate about helping others and helping better your campus community, consider applying for one of these positions!
As a student journalist and communications intern, I’m naturally fascinated by political unrest. The recent rallies in protest of Governor Scott Walker’s proposed budget repair bill (http://legis.wisconsin.gov/JR1SB-11.pdf) have been a particularly interesting event for me to watch unfold.
But I have only been able to watch from the outside. During times of major protesting and rallies, I’ve been working. Perhaps it’s ironic, since the future cost of my tuition is uncertain, and I’m unable to stand up against it because I’m otherwise occupied trying to pay my current tuition. That aside, it’s been a fascinating experience to see as an observer.
I work two blocks from the Capitol on State Street, in a building with a wall of windows facing the street. Heavy foot traffic and high visibility have lent themselves to a good amount of people watching. The most interesting thing for me to see has been the variety of signs. If their voice cannot be heard, it can be seen.
Apart from the standard “Kill the Bill” or “Stop the Attack on Wisconsin Families”, and a good amount of jokes or obscenity, I’ve seen a good mix of different messages. My favorite so far is also pretty common, “If you can read this, thank a teacher”.
Teachers are by far some of the most vital members of our community. Education is the tool which people use to develop skills and become a contributing member of society. As a first-generation college student, I’ve fought hard to get an education, and I appreciate every one of my teachers and professors that have gotten me this far. The fact that the quality of education I will receive in the future is in jeopardy is unsettling. Financial recovery at the cost of education is an incredibly nearsighted, dangerous prospect of fixing the present without considering the possible implications of the future.
Perhaps soon, when I’m not studying (none of my classes have been cancelled thus far, a fact that I’m also appreciative of) or working, I’ll be able to make it to the Capitol to see for myself what’s going on. This is an incredible time to be a part of a democracy, as we’ve seen in Tunisia and Egypt, and an increasing number of other Middle Eastern countries. In my journalism class, we learned about a concept called “mediated worldliness”, which is the idea that through the media, we are able to experience things and be a part of events all around the world. We can all feel like we’re a part of the democratic process surrounding the passing of this bill by reading about it or hearing about it. Regardless of affiliation, nothing is a substitute for actually standing up, saying something, having an opinion, or voting.
Be an active part of your democracy and value your education that allows you to do just that, they are both things we all tend to take for granted.
We’ve all heard talk of the “New Badger Partnership” somewhere, whether it was on the wisc.edu homepage, in one of the local papers, or from a professor or friend. But what does this Partnership really entail? Who is partnering and for what purpose? The details may seem foggy, but the way I see it, there are three main parts to this idea: efficiency within the University of Wisconsin-Madison, flexibility for the UW, and creation and retention of jobs at the UW.
Everyone is aware of the economic climate, and while we’ve heard that “economic times are tough” over and over, sometimes it’s hard to see what’s being done about it. The New Badger Partnership is proposing to increase its efficiency in order to keep costs manageable. With Governor Scott Walker’s budget work underway, the UW wants to be part of the solution to the economic hardships facing the state of Wisconsin, not one of the problems. Asking for additional funding at this time is somewhat unreasonable, and instead of asking for more money, the New Badger Partnership proposes reallocating within instead of asking from the outside.
The Partnership also proposes greater flexibility in order to give Wisconsinites the proper return on their investment in the University. This includes setting market-based tuition, providing adequate financial aid, and pay employees separately from state agency pay plans. This hits especially close to home for students who are wondering what this Partnership could mean for their tuition right now. (http://badgerherald.com/news/2011/01/17/state_budget_will_te.php)
Finally, the Partnership reinforces the ideas of nearly every politician in office or running for office in the past year: job creation. As a major research institution, the University has numerous outlets across the state for job-generating enterprise. The Partnership wants to provide opportunities to recent graduates who are looking to stay in Madison by creating new innovations and creating new job offerings to spur economic development.
To read more about the New Badger Partnership, visit newbadgerpartnership.wisc.edu for information, listings of recent news coverage, and events pertaining to the development and fostering of the Partnership.
With 2011 getting underway, students are beginning preparations for the 2011-12 school year. As a soon-to-be sophomore, I’ve corrected a few of the errors I made as an incoming freshman and realized two of the most important things in preparing for the next year are housing and tuition. Both are relatively expensive prospects and require planning ahead.
In terms of housing, many students prepare far in advance, signing leases as early as October. But for new freshman, is one month really long enough to decide where and with whom you want to live? And while a lot of freshman (myself included) are having a hard time navigating the renting market and finding a place that’s affordable and acceptable to all of their roommates, older students who are already secure in their housing choices are limiting options for freshman, leaving something of an uneven playing field for fall rentals. This is a hot topic in the upcoming aldermanic race for the District 8 (campus area) seat on Madison’s City Council. A number of candidates are pushing property management groups to delay lease-signing dates in order to improve the rights of tenants and reform housing policies.
And of course as a new school year approaches, tuition is never far from any student’s mind. Especially for those students paying their own way through school (again, myself included), tuition is something of a sore spot. While Governor Scott Walker prepares his new state budget, students are left wondering whether or not University of Wisconsin funding will decrease and affect tuition. Free Applications for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are now available for the upcoming school year online, but in the current economic climate, loans and grants may seem uncertain. US News and World Report published a story today with some tips for seeking financial aid. (http://www.usnews.com/education/paying-for-college/articles/2011/01/31/6-steps-to-beating-the-shortage-of-financial-aid)
The UW provides a number of resources to help students manage their finances, including the job center (jobcenter.wisc.edu) and the Financial Aid Office website (finaid.wisc.edu). Likewise, our organization, the Working Class Student Union offers a support network of students who are going through or have gone through the same struggles to pay for the various costs associated with going to college. We want to lend our experience and advice to those first-generation and working class college students.
Communication Secretary Job Description * Coordinates with the Working Class Student Union Assembly Officers about publicity. * Coordinates history of past work for institutional memory. * Maintains the WCSUA publicity materials, including the website, news publications and campus outreach. * Writes and contacts all media outlets when needed during campaigns. * Shall work with the WCSUA Officers to assemble the agendas, minutes and other items as needed by the WCSUA. * Will receive agenda item requests and meet with the Chair to distinguish what will go on the agenda. * As appropriate, serves as the primary contact person for WCSU to the media, for campus events/committees, and as otherwise requested. * Required to hold weekly office hours at the WCSU office or other agreed upon and posted location. * Attends weekly officer meeting(s) to ensure communication and collaboration. * Prepares all necessary press releases for WCSU campaigns. * Chairs the Communication Taskforce. * Attends all Committee meetings as necessary, particularly those of the Activism Committee. * Coordinates all media contacts, campaigns, and releases.
Finance Secretary Job Description: * Prepares and presents SSFC Budget Requests, End of Year Reports, and Eligibility Applications to SSFC, with input from all staff. * Educates staff about financial procedures (so that everyone understands how our budget operates, how we pay for expenses, etc.). * Works with coordinators to stay within budget while efficiently and effectively using funds while expending all funds responsibly. * Works with the SSFC Financial Specialist to pay all bills in a timely and efficient manner, through use of blanket orders and specific requisitions. * Oversees and reviews all WCSU operational policies, documents, and outreach efforts to ensure compliance with SSFC, UW-Madison, Wisconsin, and Federal laws. * Prepares all eligibility and budget applications, documents, and spreadsheets as required from the funding source. * Works to solicit in-kind donations from community organizations and unions. * Is a trained and authorized signer for financial matters. * Required to hold weekly office hours at the WCSU office or other agreed upon and posted location. * Attends weekly officer meeting(s) to ensure communication and collaboration. * Represents WCSU at all required funding meetings and hearings. * Works with WCSU officers, advisors, committee chairs, and members to prepare the budget and distribute funds appropriately. * Maintains in house accounting system. * Gathers statistics necessary for fiscal accountability: calls for referrals, advocacy meetings, attendance numbers of all WCSU events, number of volunteers, etc. * Manages the payroll system and the bank account at the UW Credit Union. * Collects, processes, and submits coordinators’ timesheets on a biweekly basis. * Orders and purchases office supplies as necessary.
To turn in your application, you can: 1) E-mail to wcsu.president@gmail.com 2) Drop off in our mailbox, which is located on the 3rd floor of the Student Activity Center. Get off the elevator, turn left. Note the large wall of mailboxes--our mailbox is the one furthest to the left and on the very bottom and is labeled "Working Class Student Union" 3) Slide the application under our office door. Our office is 3153 of the Student Activity Center. Get off the elevator on the 3rd floor, turn left, walk all the way down the long hallway and our office is the very last office on the left-hand side.
As we ring in the New Year, the Working Class Student Union is looking ahead to the rapidly approaching spring semester.We are excited to have an office in the new Student Activity Center (SAC), which will allow us to hold more office hours and offer a wider range of services to UW-Madison students.Below is a list of the services and programs that will be available from WCSU beginning Tuesday, January 20.
1) ADVOCACY
Are you nervous about talking to a difficult TA?Need to meet with a financial aid officer about paying for tuition, but don’t know what to expect?Have a professor who makes offensive remarks or promotes stereotypes that make you uncomfortable?Having trouble talking to your parents about changing your academic plan?WCSU is here for you!
The Working Class Student Union has an Advocacy Program that is here to help prepare you for difficult conversations.We can also have a WCSU advocate accompany you to your actual meeting, if it would be helpful.Visit the Advocacy page on our website (http://uwwcsu.org/advocacy/) to fill out a brief intake form that helps us know more about your situation and what services would be most helpful to you.Once your form is submitted, it will be sent to WCSU’s president, who will then schedule your meeting with one of our trained advocates.This service is FREE and CONFIDENTIAL!Only the WCSU president and your advocate will see the information you provide on the form.
2) LIBRARY
The Working Class Student Union has a growing resource library available for students to use!Our library not only contains books about class issues, but you can also find books to assist with writing at college and textbooks for a handful of introductory courses!
3)“Does Class Matter at College?” WORKSHOP
Schedule this new Working Class Student Union workshop devoted to discussing class issues in higher education.This 80-minute workshop will allow participants to explore how they define class and believe it plays out in America, while discussing leading researchers’ definitions of key terms relevant to this topic.Utilizing the extensive research of a New York Times correspondent, participants will then delve into how class differences play out in higher education through looking at the increasing college dropout rates, universities that are exploring new tuition increases and financial aid distribution, and class-based affirmative action.Finally participants will be able to engage in discussions with their peers about hot-button topics facing our nation regarding class differences and issues of affordability and accessibility.Participants will leave this workshop with the language and comfort to discuss class on a whole new level!
Like all WCSU services, this workshop is free!We would love the opportunity to facilitate this program with your organization, department, residence hall, or any other group at UW-Madison.Simply e-mail wcsu.president@gmail.com with all pertinent information about your organization and days/times that are convenient for your group.
4) RESOURCES
With our new office comes the opportunity to provide in-house resources and brochures to the UW campus!Our list of available resources is growing every day!Regardless of the topic, we will help you find the appropriate and necessary information to help you.The Working Class Student Union office is friendly to all identities—regardless of your class, race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, immigration status, family structure, age, health, political affiliation, or any other aspect of your identity, WCSU is a safe place for you to access resources, services, and support!
Be sure to visit our website (http://uwwcsu.org/) for our current office hours.If you are unable to make it to our office hours, please e-mail wcsu.vicepresident@gmail.com with your question and our Vice President send pertinent information!
5)DEMANDING HIGHER EDUCATION AFFORDABILITY
Obviously the economic downturn and the predicted $5.4 billion state debt have many students worried about the looming tuition increase that is sure to hit University of Wisconsin students, but many working class students will take the tuition increase even harder than their peers.For this reason, the Working Class Student Union is committed to advocating for all UW students against any tuition increases.WCSU’s Activism Committee will be doing extensive work around this issue in the spring semester, including lobbying the state legislature, contacting UW’s Board of Regents, and working collaboratively with fellow student organizations on this issue.If you are interested in participating in this campaign, please e-mail WCSU’s president at wcsu.president@gmail.com.
6)FUNDRAISER: “This is what home tastes like!” Cookbook
The Working Class Student Union has created our very own cookbook called “This is what home tastes like!”It is full of recipes collected from our families—everything from meatloaf to refrigerator pickles to raspberry cherry pie!We will be selling our cookbooks for around $10 ($10-$15, depending on printing costs) and the profits from the cookbooks will help WCSU bring its services to the UW-Madison campus and greater Madison community.Visit our website (http://uwwcsu.org/fundraiser/) to fill out a pre-order form or e-mail wcsu.vicepresident@gmail.com with your order.
As I said before, these are the opportunities that are currently available for the spring semester, but we will be adding more as the semester progresses!If you have any questions, be sure to e-mail me at wcsu.president@gmail.com or stop by our new office (#3153) in the Student Activity Center.
I wish you all a joyful new year that is filled with exciting opportunities!I also encourage you to get involved with the Working Class Student Union!
I would like to welcome you to the Working Class Student Union's blog. This blog is another way for us to share WCSU updates with all of you, as well as keep you informed of any pertinent campaigns, news stories, or community issues relevant to class issues at UW-Madison.
Please be sure to check out our website for information about our organization and the services we offer to students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Feel free to e-mail us with any questions or concerns (workingclassstudentunion@gmail.com).
Keep checking back for updates! Also, you can subscribe to our blog by using the link on the left hand side of the page. Have a wonderful winter break!
In solidarity, Chynna Haas President Working Class Student Union
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