70 Comments - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:23 pm: ===Alex Villanueva, external vice president of the Illinois Student Senate, tells USA TODAY he agrees with the “ends” of the protest but disagrees with the “means … They did not represent Illinois well.” “To see students hurling expletives in public, running through the student union and chanting and banging on the wall during his speech is disrespectful, not only to him, but far more importantly to the students he was recognizing,” Villanueva tells USA TODAY College. “Ultimately, I think this behavior will make things worse and will certainly make Governor Rauner wary of visiting campus, which keeps him from seeing firsthand the great things we are doing at Illinois, and how the lack of a budget is hurting everyday students.”=== Aw! That’s cute! When someone is decimating your school and higher education, you really need to be welcoming! Dorm room mentality? ===Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday said he shares in the “anger” of protesters who heckled him over the state budget impasse the day before at the University of Illinois’s Urbana campus.=== Remember, Governor, it’s part of YOUR plan… @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 Right? Exactly Right. - AC - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:24 pm: We need continued pressure from a broad coalition of people impacted by the lack of a budget, not just students, or only non profits, or labor, or local government, but everyone impacted. - Honeybear - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:26 pm: Direct Action Gets Satisfaction! - Omega Man - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:27 pm: “Welcome to the party, pal!” - Johnny Pyle Driver - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:27 pm: at least they didn’t cower away in their safe places amirite? - 47th Ward - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:27 pm: This is what happens when you cut higher education by 70%. This is also what happens when Donald Trump schedules an event at the Pavilion. So Rauner and Trump have something else in common. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:27 pm: The sheer hypocrisy of Bruce Rauner “celebrating” the achievements of students and faculty while making sure there is, was, continues… to be no continued, ongoing funding for Higher Ed should make the student senate member engaged in asking tough questions of the governor, not allowing coddled cover for the person willing to destroy his school for an agenda. That’s real. That’s honest. - so... - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:28 pm: This will definitely make him more favorably inclined to us! - Ratso Rizzo - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:31 pm: Rauner plays his games for what??? He’s outta here in two years. He could find a cure for cancer and he’d still be outta here after all the damage he’s done. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:32 pm: If Urbana-Champaign, Charleston, Edwardsville, Carbondale, Macomb… the town being ruined by Raunerites “who” represent these towns and universities… send Raunerites back to the General Assembly… That’s on them. Helping Rauner with Raunerites won’t help UIUC… Food for thought… - IllinoisBoi - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:36 pm: Do not go gentle into that good night, Higher Education should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Union Man - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:39 pm: yeah, the people protesting injustice are the problem…. - 13TH - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:40 pm: To bad all the high schools he is visit the student did not show him the same anger over what he doing to the State of Illinois, he lucky the High School students are well informed about his say one thing and do another - A Modest Proposal - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:44 pm: —Aw! That’s cute! When someone is decimating your school and higher education, you really need to be welcoming! Dorm room mentality?— Its interesting that they weren’t mad during the twelve years of Madigan’s Democratic fiscal decimation… - Formerpol - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:45 pm: Spoiled brats. Rauner ought to cut their budget more. Obviously they are not learning anything. - Langhorne - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:46 pm: Words: rauner “shares their anger”. Action: 70% higher ed cut, while waiting on a grand compromise. - Omega Man - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:46 pm: Join Labor, Community and Religious Allies from Across Illinois at the March and Rally on Wednesday, May 18th to let Rauner know that his policies are wrong for Illinois! We will assemble at 11AM at 5th & Washington in Springfield. From there we will march to the Governor’s Mansion and then rally at the State Capitol! All are welcome to participate! Please come! - Joe M - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:47 pm: Without the protests, Rauner would have left there saying, “I visited UIUC today, and I’ve gotta tell you, those students there are behind me 100%! Many of them came up and told me, ‘Bruce, keep up the good work’” - What the What - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:47 pm: The Gov says he shares the anger of the students. At first that sounded like a preposterous statement. But then I started thinking that those students must feel powerless to change anything, so maybe he does “feel them”. Glad to see he continues to “take the arrows”. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:47 pm: ===Spoiled brats. Rauner ought to cut their budget more. Obviously they are not learning anything.=== Lemme guess, those students cheering… they get 70% of their budget needs? Pathetic. No one is on your lawn. ===Its interesting that they weren’t mad during the twelve years of Madigan’s Democratic fiscal decimation…=== I must’ve missed the last 12 years that Higher Ed was a ZERO funding. That’s my bad. - Formerpol - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:47 pm: And Madigan must also be guilty of ‘decimating’ education. Where are those protests? This is a left-wing partisan thing. Or don’t the students learn logic? - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:49 pm: ===Join Labor, Community and Religious Allies from Across Illinois at the March and Rally on Wednesday, May 18th to let Rauner know that his policies are wrong for Illinois!=== All the best, don’t stop. Raunerites have chosen your groups to destroy. Work together. Glad to see this. OW - Boooooooo - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:50 pm: Formerpol sounds like another hungry troll that need not be fed. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:51 pm: ===And Madigan must also be guilty of ‘decimating’ education. Where are those protests? This is a left-wing partisan thing. Or don’t the students learn logic?=== Rauner vetoed Higher Ed Approps. Rauner owns it. What else ya got? lol - Beaner - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:51 pm: Fake Rauner: CK, make sure my calendar includes no more University visits until we finish defunding and closing these sham schools. Then we can do an unfettered inspection and make a determination what the GoldmanSachs On-Line auction estimate might bring for all these old moldy ivy covered buildings. I bet we have to give these buildings away for free to my Wine Club pals, what with all the asbestos, and delayed maintenance. Probably just have to settle for the price of the land. These buildings are all freaking tear-downs. - Wensicia - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:54 pm: How dare the hostages protest? Sorry, Rauner had this coming. His recent craven excuses that he feels their pain and anger, and it’s the Democrats’ fault ain’t flyin’ with students watching their future educational opportunities taken away. - Gruntled University Employee - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:55 pm: A note to the kids on protesting. Brucie wants to shut down the Government and bring in the National Guard to run things in the interim. Ask your parents or grandparents to explain the story about a place called Kent State. - WIUoblivion - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:02 pm: Attended several “going away” affairs this past weekend, saying goodbye to friends and acquaintances who’ve been laid off and are now headed elsewhere. Yeah, guv, you “share” my anger, sure you do. You have no clue about the anger out here, guv, no clue at all. - kitty - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:02 pm: The students as well most administrators at my Alma Mater understand that the Governor is attempting to leverage a crisis in furtherance of an agenda for which he has no mandate. Good for the students who demonstrated, I’m proud of them. - Tone - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:10 pm: yawn - Rockford's Finest - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:14 pm: Good for them. Thank you students! - Grass Bowl - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:22 pm: Did the News-Gazette reporters and ed board miss this event right under their nose? - Dome Gnome - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:22 pm: People who have traditional methods of expressing opinions at their disposal, with the anticipation that said expression will yield results, will never understand the power of a good, old-fashioned protest. Man, I miss the ’60s. - Earnest - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:25 pm: Sour grapes from people who felt they were better qualified to be his superstars. /s - The Captain - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:36 pm: Its interesting that they weren’t mad during the twelve years of Madigan’s Democratic fiscal decimation… Yes, it’s odd that 18 year old kids weren’t upset about politics twelve years ago. I could explain to you why that is but funding for math has been eliminated. - Rich Miller - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:39 pm: ===And Madigan must also be guilty of ‘decimating’ education. Where are those protests?=== Try reading this https://capitolfax.com/2016/05/02/naive-cynicism-and-illinois/ - Papa Mikey - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:42 pm: “To see students hurling expletives in public, running through the student union and chanting and banging on the wall during his speech is disrespectful, not only to him, but far more importantly to the students he was recognizing,” Villanueva tells USA TODAY College.” Well it looks like those protesting students violated the Governors “safe space.” How dare they think for and about themselves as well as their education. A grown man elected to public office could have gotten his feeling hurt today. Shame on them. /Snark - Stumpy's bunker - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:57 pm: My understanding is that UIUC is the state’s most stable university, what with wealthy alumnus etc. Gov may have thought it was a safe bet for a propaganda delivery. This should be an eye-opener for him. So, who will pay for this one? The gov’s advance people? UIUC police brass? University special events planners? Seems as though such an incident was not even considered as a possibility. - South Illinoisian - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:13 pm: Can’t say I fully agree with the student’s tactics, but it is nice for Rauner to hear something other than “stay strong” and “hang in there”. - Joe Biden Was Here - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:28 pm: I hope all those folks in Champaign Charleston Carbondale and Macomb are happy with the results of their votes for Rauner. He has no respect for you or the universities in your communities. You are only obstacles in his path. - Anonymous - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:31 pm: ===Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday said he shares in the “anger” of protesters who heckled him over the state budget impasse the day before at the University of Illinois’s Urbana campus.=== Gov. Rauner…still acting like the innocent bystander! - Independent retiree/lawyer/jounralist - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:53 pm: === - kitty - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:02 pm: The students as well most administrators at my Alma Mater understand that the Governor is attempting to leverage a crisis in furtherance of an agenda for which he has no mandate. Good for the students who demonstrated, I’m proud of them.=== As is this Child of the 60s. Loved the Dylan Thomas paraphrase, Boi. The hostages should not go quietly into the night. - Responsa - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:57 pm: ==Daniels said the protesters’ main motivation was to send the message that Rauner is not welcome here and Daniels thinks they definitely sent that message.== Bruce Rauner is the governor of the State of Illinois and he has as much right to be on that campus as any other taxpayer. Deciding who and who is not “welcome” on the campus is not in the purview of a few protestors no matter how noble they believe their cause is. - Anonymous - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:06 pm: Swearing and banging on walls like children? What an ineffective means of protesting. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:07 pm: ===he has as much right to be on that campus as any other taxpayer.=== Ugh. Again with the “taxpayer” bit. ===Bruce Rauner is the governor of the State of Illinois=== You wouldn’t knkw it by the passive way he goes about it… unless he’s vetoing Higher Ed Approps, which led to the reception ANY governor would get who refused to fund UIUC for two Fiscal Years. Geez. ===… is not in the purview of a few protestors no matter how noble they believe their cause is.=== When a governor refuses to fund their school, they can protest ALL they want, as loud as they want, and being as welcome or not welcoming at a place that governor feels is inconsequential. Period. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:08 pm: “Swearing and banging on walls like a child? What an ineffective means of pretendin’ to be governor.” Better. lol - kitty - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:09 pm: - Grass Bowl - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:22 pm: Nothing missed here. For a number of years going back to the absolute iron-fisted reign of Contessa Marajen Stevick-Chinigo, the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette Ed board has routinely taken positions on the far right of the political spectrum regarding organized labor, women’s reproductive rights and laws pertaining to race, gender, sexual orientation and capitol punishment. The same owners are the proprietors of radio station WDWS AM and WHMS FM. WILL AM and The Daily Illini are the only alternatives to provide political “balance” in the growing C-U metro area of over 232,000 persons (JUL 2015 Census estimate). - wordslinger - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:13 pm: Can you imagine Big Jim being scared to engage with college kids? Back in the day, at the Northern Star at NIU, a bunch of us came across the new president, Clyde Wingfield, spending crazy taxpayer money on personal stuff. We went to Clyde. We went to Bill Monat, who ran whatever the governing body was called then. We went to John Countryman, the state rep. We went to Pat Welch, the state senator. Every single one of them stonewalled us as punk-kids. Finally, we caught up with Big Jim outside the Dome. After he did his usual gaggle with reporters, he stayed, hovered above us, answered our questions, but more importantly, he asked us questions as to what the heck was going on in DeKalb. He wanted to know, from citizens on the ground. He listened, weighed our information, and then acted. Within weeks, Clyde was gone and Monat was a zombie. They had great golden parachutes, but they were goners. That’s a governor, my friends. The dude didn’t rattle, and he never refused a question from N-E-BA-DE. - Track BAck - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:18 pm: This is just the start. Can Mr. Rauner explain the new very young male hispanic who got the plumb job as DCFS’s Director’s Assistant. This guy is telling every one who will listen he was a night club promoter. Heck, it works for kids right? - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:51 pm: The fact that 50 percent of the state funding for higher education goes not for education but for educator’s pensions is not Rauner’s fault. They should reform pensions and the administrators before they give pass a higher Ed appropriation - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 6:55 pm: ===They should reform pensions and the administrators before they give pass a higher Ed appropriation.=== @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 - Lucky Pierre - The college kids thank you for reinforcing the Sandack tweet and the Rauner refusal to fund UIUC - OldIllini - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:13 pm: I’m embarrassed that 50 UIUC students did what they did. What do you suppose would happen if they tried that in the State Capitol? We have 45,000 serious students here trying hard to earn degrees, and these 50 do not speak for them. - Michael Westen - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:16 pm: Right, according to Sandack, “The sun will still rise tomorrow.” Except it won’t for some. No matter. Sacrifices have to be made, mister. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:17 pm: ===What do you suppose would happen if they tried that in the State Capitol?=== Ok, I give up, what would happen? === We have 45,000 serious students here trying hard to earn degrees, and these 50 do not speak for them.=== Do you realize 70% of your funding is missing and not guaranteed? They spoke for themselves. That’s how protests work. A governor refusing to find your school caused studebts to speak up. Capiche? You think on that in the dorm room. Light candles. Order pizzas. - OldIllini - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:31 pm: Mr. Oswego Willy: If 50 students tried that in the State Capitol, they would be forcibly removed. And I don’t appreciate your patronizing attitude. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:36 pm: ===If 50 students tried that in the State Capitol, they would be forcibly removed.=== People protest at the Capitol all the time. All. The. Time. Your arbitrary belief they will be… ===forcibly removed=== … borders on “Get Off My Lawn” ridiculousness. Hows about you leave the speculatin’ as to how they would be treated at the Capitol after a good game of Risk before the RA gets a wiff of the lit candles. Ugh. - OldIllini - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:47 pm: At the Capitol, not in the Capitol, and they don’t pound on the walls. If they did they would be forcibly removed. And that is not speculation. - Wensicia - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:48 pm: ==We have 45,000 serious students here trying hard to earn degrees, and these 50 do not speak for them.== They do speak for the thousands that will be turned away from higher education because their MAP grants and scholarships will not be honored. Which include many of those 45,000 you mention. - OldIllini - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:53 pm: Yes, those on MAP grants and scholarships must be protected. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:54 pm: I think the last speech Rauner gave at the Capitol, the chanting got so loud outside the Chamber it overtook silence and pauses Rauner made. I d heard many “loud” protests and if Illinois had them moved to a place where banging on a wall was possible, welp, whatcha gonna do, LOL! I guess you’d love them to just “eat” that Rauner only wants to fund UIUC at 30% and be thankful? You and that student senate, “Golly, we’ll take whatever scraps you give us Governor, just don’t get mad. We’ll clap too” Pathetic and Sad that you’d “accept” 30% funding and be grateful. - Oswego Willy - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:56 pm: ===Yes, those on MAP grants and scholarships must be protected.=== So only “those” who can afford to go to UIUC are worthy… Hmm. Interesting. So those needing MAP aren’t worthy students? - greenie - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 9:34 pm: Good on those kids, I’ll support anyone’s efforts to prevent us from becoming Wisconsin 2.0. - WIUoblivion - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 9:47 pm: OW at 7:56 +1 OldIllini, the voice of privilege and prejudice? - wordslinger - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 10:20 pm: ==We have 45,000 serious students here trying hard to earn degrees, and these 50 do not speak for them.== First of all, you’re whack-a-doo on enrollment. 29K, not 45K. Not even close, not a math prof, I take it. Secondly, at UIC, you’re in Jane Addams country. Hull House. Nobel Peace Prize, from the street. Raising righteous hell is a good thing in that neighborhood. Respect what is best of our heritage. Can you possibly believe that Jane Addams, or for that matter, Richard J. Daley, who plowed down Little Italy to build UIC, would put up with this willful destruction of higher ed fancy-book-learnin’ to bust the unions? What city are you from, pal? Tuscaloosa? You have to be outside your mind. Richard J., like Old-Man-Irish-Catholic-Parochial-School-Notre-Dame-Loyola-Southwest-Side-Reagan Democrat Madigan, would put the wood to any zealot who tried to pull this stuff on Illinois higher ed. For crying out loud, for all their faults, those cats both knew that you don’t pull up the ladder once you get out of the hole. How about our GOP governor/leader? - Formerly Known As... - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 11:23 pm: Alex Villanueva +100. This kid sounds intelligent and mature, able to hold his own with the Governor, the Speaker or the students running through the kitchen, ==hurling expletives== and acting the fool. U of I also has a $3.3 Bill endowment they may have to dip into at some point so more state money can go to schools like CSU. - Formerly Known As... - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 11:38 pm: ===We have 45,000 serious students here trying hard to earn degrees=== UIUC had a Fall 2015 total enrollment of 44,087. ==Secondly, at UIC== This was in Champaign, not in Chicago at UIC. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 6:07 am: ===This kid sounds intelligent and mature, able to hold his own with the Governor, the Speaker or the students running through the kitchen, ==hurling expletives== and acting the fool.=== I guess groveling to Rauner is more important than calling out the governor who refuses to fund UIUC by 70%. The only thing Alex did was enable the governor. Actually, it’s disappointing. Giving the governor cover for refusing to fund higher ed isn’t helping UIUC. ===U of I also has a $3.3 Bill endowment they may have to dip into at some point so more state money can go to schools like CSU.=== You’re “cool” with no appropriated funded for Higher Ed? “Just use endowments to exist? Wow. - Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 7:51 am: The bottom line, whether kids banging on walls or whatever means is used to display anger over the childish behavior on the part of our governor is that Rauner displays outright disrespect (he started it, the adult that he is) and contempt for the citizens of this state. This agenda–that popped up as a surprise after he got into office is killing our state. And he is simply smug about all the damage. If that doesn’t bring out outlandish behavior, I wonder what might? - NSideLady - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 8:27 am: First of all, good for those students. I think these students wanted to make sure the governor understood exactly how thousands across multiple state school campuses feel about his policies. His policies are driving some of the best and brightest out of this state. The best financial aid packages my own daughter received came from Iowa, Missouri, and Michigan. She is staying in the state, but not going to U of I’s College of Engineering because we simply cannot afford it. It’s ridiculous that neighboring states can put together better financial aid packages for out of state students. At this rate, the state schools (U of I, Eastern, ISU, NIU) are going to be institutions for the wealthy. - Soccermom - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 12:24 pm: I love all these people who think that protesters should stay in their own neighborhoods so they don’t get in the way of Christmas shoppers, and stay quiet so they don’t disrupt the press pop. Um, how much attention do you think I would get if I held a polite little sit-in in my own home? They are disruptive to make a statement. And they are appropriately angry. Well done, UIUC! Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.