Students, staff, alums rally in Boston to 'Save UMass'

by Sarah R. Buchholz, Chronicle staff

A group of students cheers in support of higher education at the State House rally April 25. (Tibora Girczyc-Blum photo)

pproximately 2,500 students, alumni and college and university staff rallied outside the State House in Boston April 25 to encourage legislative support of public higher education in the commonwealth, according to Ron Story, president of the Massachusetts Society of Professors.

     The rally was organized by Save UMass, a coalition of students, faculty, staff and friends of the University in conjunction with other public higher education institutions and with union support from around the state. The campus sent 13 buses, a total of about 700 people, Story said.

     Story said UMass Dartmouth sent an additional 700 participants and that he was aware of supporters from the Berkshires to Cape Cod.

     "This is a real testimony to the labor unions of this state," Story said. "They helped organize it and provided enough money so we could get the buses. That was impressive because it really wasn't a rally on behalf of unions; it was a rally on behalf of higher education.

     "It was a real coalition effort. I think it went extremely well. I was really pleased with the organization of it. These things are hard to organize. There were lots of campuses involved in this and lots of students were involved in this."

     According to Story, approximately 90 percent of the participants were students.

     "And the students were on-message, very attentive. It was an enthusiastic but well-behaved rally. It was probably the best rally I've ever attended.

     "The sun came out for three hours, so I think God was on our side."

     Participants listened to speakers and attempted to meet with legislators to discuss the state's budget for higher education; however, many legislators were too busy to meet with visitors.

     "It was a very hectic day on the Hill because the budget was being released," Story said. "The [legislators'] aides received people and fielded questions. The feedback I've gotten from people is that it really made an impression."

     Rally participants later learned that the budget legislators were looking at from the Ways and Means committee contained $87 million in cuts for higher education, $26 million of them for the University.