People First, Cancel Debt
The People First, Cancel Debt Committee was created in the Summer of 2020 with the intention of creating a University that puts People First by debunking austerity myths that perpetuate the financial power of the rich over our public University. We presented our work around creating a Manifesto for debt resistance and organizing at the Annual Congress of the Coalition for Student Employee Unions (CSEU). The recording will be available soon, but until then don't forget to read their pamphlet below and sign up here if you would like to join. ¡Alegría para luchar, organización para vencer!
Image description: The pamphlet headline reads “People First Cancel Debt” in green text on a cream/yellowish background. Underneath, there is a picture of 10 people participating in a People First Cancel Debt event on campus. One person is holding a Mr. Monopoly Man head and a few people are dressed as Wall Street vultures. At the bottom of the page, there is a word cloud with words generated during a visioning session asking people how a People First university would look to them, e.g., “More faculty and smaller class sizes,” “Healthcare,” “Free tuition.” Next to that are three jars filled with jolly ranchers. The jar labeled “Diversity and Inclusion” has one jolly rancher (representing ~$1 million), the “Policing” jar has eight, and the “Debt Payment” jar has a lot of jolly ranchers. On the next page, there is an image of Assata Shakur along with a quote that says “Part of being a revolutionary is creating a vision that is more humane. That is more loving. That is more fun, too. It's really working to create something beautiful.” Next to that is an image from the Debt Reveal that shows people talking by a table and a white board with sticky notes. The text below is on the pamphlet:
The People First, Cancel Debt Committee of the Graduate Employees' Organization (GEO) was founded in the summer of 2020. We believe in investing in people over property and profit. Debt, whether that of students or institutions themselves, often functions as a system of exclusion and oppression. As this committee strives for a “People First” university, we must abolish the system of endebtment that increases tuition, reduces state funding and places wealthy bankers and donors to decide over our lives and education. The University has the money and over 870 million dollars in reserves to invest in us. Through political education, and organized coalitions we will continue to work towards these ends.
We believe that a People First University IS:
Democratic and Community Based: All students, workers, unions, and community members must participate in the decision making of our public University, rather than the 10 politicians and wealthy donors of the Board of Trustees.
Free tuition and subsidized resources: Education is a right, not a commodity and by eliminating costs and subsidizing food, housing, child care and other services we regain our humanity instead of perpetuating inequities and exploitation.
Liberatory and Critical Education: Provides students and community with a critical view of society and its inequities to use education for social transformation and the common good.
Radically diverse and inclusive: To create a People First society, we must dismantle (not reform) all systems of oppression related to race, class, gender, ability and more. We are workers and internationalists! Our committee is multilingual with active Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC)members.
Divested from Debt and Imperialistic Funding: We want more state funding for our Universities by taxing the rich, rather than borrowing money from corporations, donors and banks. We must abolish funding related to military forces that oppress colonies and BIPOC individuals around the World.
TO Build a "People First" University We WILL:
engage in affectionate responsibility toward a collective vision that is anti-racist, anti-capitalist, anti-patriarchal, and anti-abilist.
increase our political education around debt and university finances to convey our vision as part of the #ThePowerofUs campaign.
create a People First Coalition and Assembly so that any worker, community member and student can propose a collective plan for our University.
recruit amazing people like you to build a movement that starts creating the society we want to see in the World.
In the past year, WE:
participated in the national debt reveal from #TheOtherDebtCrisis that included a skit featuring Wall Street Vultures and Mr. Monopoly, a budget guessing game with candy, and a sticky note visioning session. UIUC students pay 1,700 USD a year in debt service that could be used for subsidized goods.
researched budget documents, developed financial literacy, and read and summarized texts that contributed to our political analysis.
hosted a teach-in with our political analysis around debt and shared it with Unions on Campus.
hosted a forum on the 2017 University of Puerto Rico student debt strike that inspired our movement.
To create a People First University, we need your passion and commitment! Join us today by filling out this form: https://tinyurl.com/CancelDebtForm or reach us via email at officer2@uigeo.org.
At the 2020 October GMM the Committee gave a presentation on how the rich have created the current financial crisis, and why the University's 871 million USD in reserves should be used to guarantee accessible tuition, dismantle systematic racism, and better working conditions for all workers.