Date: January 27th 2010

Dear Colleagues,

On February 5, the Associated Students will be holding a rally in support of higher education funding that is being coordinated with campuses statewide through the Washington Students Association. The AS is asking for faculty to support the event, tentatively titled: "Rally to Give Students a Chance". In particular, they will asking students to lobby for higher ed and for a revenue package this legislative session.

The rally is currently scheduled for 11:30-1:30 on campus in the PAC plaza. President Shepard and UFWS President Bill Lyne are already scheduled to address the rally. Here is what faculty can do:

1. Pledge to show up at the rally. There is a very good chance that this rally will get significant news coverage and we need to be out in force.

2. If you have direct experience with the ways in which the budget cuts are negatively impacting classes and student experience, the AS is looking for speakers to address these issues. You can send an e-mail to Morgan Holmgren, AS VP for Governmental Affairs (ASVP.Gov@wwu.edu), if you have any insight or questions on this point.

3. Will you invite at student into your classroom to make announcements for the rally?

Please contact me if you have any questions at garfinkle@comcast.net.

Steven Garfinkle
President, United Faculty of Western Washington