This year’s proposed budget cuts in higher education has created frustration amongst faculty, staff and students across Tennessee.
So, on Tuesday, April 8, at 12:30 p.m. everyone is encouraged to walkout of class and join a rally in the amphitheater to express their disappointment with the Tennessee State Legislature and learn how to help ETSU during the budget crisis.
The walkout was organized by students.
ETSU Kingsport will also be participating in the walkout while other Tennessee schools will show their concern with letter writing campaigns. Katie Craig, staff programmer for University Productions, said she is unsure how many schools will actually hold the walkouts, but that the idea has a lot of support.
“Because students are only {at ETSU} for four years they feel like they really don’t have a voice,” she said.
Tuesday, those voices can be heard.
Craig said she came up with idea for a walkout after attending a conference of the National Association for Campus Activities.
“It really upset me after I got the figures on what was actually going to be cut,” she said.
She said the walkout has the support of some of the ETSU administration and student organizations.
“The president and the SGA support it and they want to do what they can to help,” she said.
Craig said she’s been around campus for over 15 years (both of her parents work at ETSU) and she can’t remember the last time there was a walkout.
“The point is not to disrupt class,” she said.
“I don’t want it to come across as a protest against the school.” But she adds, “We need something better for higher education.”
While the budget crisis will be the focus of the walkout, the rally will also feature voter registration, ETSU’s student bluegrass band, and Coke and pizza provided by Aramark.
Students are encouraged to wear blue and gold or ETSU Pride shirts to the event to show support for the university.
From the largest university to the smallest community college, schools are looking for ways to save money while maintaining a high quality of education, but the task has been daunting so far.
At ETSU alone, more than 210 jobs (or about 10 percent) will either be cut or left vacant this year because of the financial crunch.
“This is the first time in ETSU’s history people are being laid off,” Craig said.
The president’s office will be sending out an e-mail during the week to all of the faculty and staff concerning the walkout.

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