Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group (WISPIRG) students, concerned with
skyrocketing tuition costs, were “Starving for Attention” outside a
Mequon residence on Sept. 24. Inside presidential candidate John McCain
held a $1,000 per-plate dinner fundraiser.
Demonstrators holding signs and passing out bowls of the familiar
collegiate dish ramen noodles gathered near the driveway at the home of
Jon Hammes, who is McCain’s Wisconsin Finance Chairman.
The Starving for Attention demonstration was part of the larger
What’sYour Plan campaign, which seeks to bring attention and answers to
issues that are critical to young voters.
Hoping to talk with the Republican hopeful about the hot-button
student issues, such as tuition costs and global warming, the group
waited for over 90 minutes without word from the McCain campaign.
“We are demanding that politicians not only pay attention to us but
also answer the questions that we have and provide solutions,” said
What’s Your Plan Campaign Coordinator Scott Dettman.
As more and more students struggle to stay afloat financially, the
focus on affordable education has been magnified. Dettman says that on
average, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee students are over $16,000 in
debt after they graduate.
As part of their “What’s Your Plan” campaign, members of WISPIRG
have been making their presence felt at appearances by candidates on
both ends of the political spectrum. The group has also been holding
debate-watching parties in the Gasthaus to promote political
involvement and awareness of issues we will soon be voting on.
The campaign’s main focus is to bring the issues and concerns of
young people directly to candidates, and to promote dialogue between
candidates and a younger demographic.
WISPIRG counted a victory from the White House on Sept. 27 when
President George W. Bush signed the College Cost Reduction and Access
Act of 2007.
This bill will go into effect for the 2008-2009 school year, which
will add $20 billion in federal loan and grant programs for college
students. Five million college students will have reduced interest
rates in the next four years.
The bill was introduced on June 12, 2007 by Rep. George Miller. On Sept. 7, the act passed through Congress.
Lindsey LeFebre, representative of WISPIRG, said that this was a
project of WISPIRG’s for three years. “This is very exciting for us,”
LeFebre said.
