It’s been a while since we’ve heard President Obama mention his generous offer of two tuition-free years of community college for “everybody who’s willing to work for it.” In fact, he’s been pretty quiet about his “Student Aid Bill of Rights,” which promised an affordable repayment plan for student loans. (Some “activists” grew tired of waiting for their new rights to kick in and simply stopped paying on their loans.)
It’s no wonder so many young voters are enamored of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, who has done Obama one better by promising to make four-year public colleges and universities tuition free and eliminate federal profits on student loans.
But what to do about those greedy private universities that act more like corporations? A group of students today is staging a good old-fashioned sit-in at the University of Chicago to protest budget cuts and layoffs after the school spent a reported $1.5 billion to remodel the campus.
https://twitter.com/gamiknow/status/606531455955681281
https://twitter.com/gamiknow/status/606531892582711296
I'm sitting in bc when my university acts like a corporation instead of a learning institution, students & workers are who pays #NoCutsUChi
— b (@sodaglo) June 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/gamiknow/status/606535091687432192
"UChicago says they're broke, we think that's a goddamn joke" #NoCutsUChi #UChiAW pic.twitter.com/tWtB2kTO0O
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
I'm a @UChicago alum. Why are you making cuts to crucial staff & programs when the endowment is in the Billions? #NoCutsUChi cc @IIRONACTION
— StephLP ? (@stephinlala) June 4, 2015
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Rally gathering outside for #NoCutsUChi to support the seniors sitting in pic.twitter.com/moKbUL8kSk
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
"Robert J. Zimmer, budget trimmer" #NoCutsUChi pic.twitter.com/GSLfAnHJDQ
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
"Our president's a CEO, these corporate tactics have to go!" Rally in support of seniors sitting in for #NoCutsUChi right now at Rosenwald
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
@EquitablePolice speaking on how the UCPD's racist policing shows its lack of concern 4 the community #NoCutsUChi pic.twitter.com/V1dATFoXnC
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
"We don't want an ivory tower, we believe in people power!" #NoCutsUChi pic.twitter.com/J4DXaI7AUH
— UChi Student Action (@UChiStudentsAct) June 4, 2015
Big news … a shoutout from People for Bernie! #FeelTheBern!
Another reason to #FeelTheBern free tuition “@briannatong: Any school that can pay their president $3.4m/1 year is NOT broke. #NoCutsUChi”
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) June 4, 2015
We stand with these students! Cc: @ok4bernie #FeelTheBern “@oklahomagoon: #NoCutsUChi http://t.co/gcu8BOytcZ”
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) June 4, 2015
Students should focus on learning while at school. The struggle to find healthcare, a job, and housing is not what #AllKidsNeed #NoCutsUChi
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) June 4, 2015
https://twitter.com/feministvero/status/606593084978249728
Help us, Bernie Sanders … you’re our only hope!
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