Yesterday, a small but energetic group of 10 people, collectively making up the UW’s Anti-Budget Cut (ABC) Coalition, gathered in Red Square.

“Hey, hey. Ho, ho. These budget cuts have got to go,” the group members chanted in unison.

The coalition has been arguing against the UW’s proposal to increase tuition 14 percent each year for the next two years, which the university has been granted permission to do by the state Legislature.

“There are a number of different things we can do at the UW that won’t result in 14 percent tuition hikes,” said ABC Coalition member and graduate student Jessie Kindig. “There are things we can do that won’t result in thousands of layoffs and the closing of writing centers.”

The English Department Writing Center has already closed this year, and other centers are likely to close, while hundreds of teaching assistants have also been informed that they will no longer have jobs next year.

The ABC Coalition formed in December in response to Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire’s budget proposal. The group set an initial goal of stopping budget cuts at the state level. But, after the state Legislature released its budget April 25, cutting $214 million from the UW’s budget, coalition members began to focus on how the UW administration will implement cuts. The university’s budget will be finalized in June.

Last week, the coalition hosted a forum with more than 30 UW faculty, staff and students, who discussed how budget cuts could affect them personally. Yesterday, along with picketing in Red Square, coalition members brought a letter addressed to UW President Mark Emmert to his office in Gerberding Hall.

The letter requested that Emmert hold a town hall meeting in Kane Hall during the week of May 18, at which speakers organized by the coalition could present alternatives to the university’s proposed cuts. The letter requested a response from Emmert by May 12.

“We want more dialogue and debate about what these cuts are going to mean,” said graduate student Grant Mandarino.

UW spokesperson Norm Arkans said the university has been communicating.

“There’s been a fair amount of communication,” Arkans said. “We know what our budget is, and we’re working to minimize the impacts.”

Arkans said there have already been town hall meetings held to address the issue, and Provost and Executive Vice President Phyllis Wise will be holding another forum Friday in the Faculty Club to address faculty and staff cuts.

In addition to their request for a community forum, the coalition also plans to attend the next Board of Regents meeting May 14 and is attempting to get on the board’s agenda.

Student regent Jean-Paul Willynck said that the Board of Regents encourages and welcomes a diverse range of student opinions; however, Willynck also encourages students to voice their concerns to their student-government representatives, who can then advise the Board of Regents about issues facing students.

“From what I know working with the regents is they’re certainly very welcoming to all student opinions,” Willynck said. “[But] at the Board of Regents level, we like to see a lot of the conversations come through the proper channels.”

Anttimo Bennett, president of ASUW, and Jake Faleschini, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, advise the board about issues concerning students. David Lovell, chair of the Faculty Senate, brings faculty concerns to the board. The student regent has full voting power with the Board of Regents.

However, the coalition would like to see more students, faculty and staff become voting members of the board.

“One thing we’re asking is that we actually have democratic representation at the Board of Regents, and they’re not the only ones voting on the [university] budget proposal,” Kindig said. “Perhaps their ideas about what would benefit the university best doesn’t match with students, staff and faculty.”

Faleschini, who advises the Board of Regents on behalf of students, recognizes the hardships members of the UW community are facing as a result of the budget cuts. He encourages members of the coalition to bring their ideas and concerns to the board.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be particularly effective,” Faleschini said. “[But] these are extraordinary times, [and] people need to have an outlet and speak toward what is going on. If [the ABC Coalition] wants to do that at the regents meeting, it’s up to the regents to decide if they’d like to include that on the agenda.”

Reach reporter Eric Staples at news@dailyuw.com.