For Immediate Release:

STUDENT

January 8, 2015

GOVERNMENT CIVIL RIGHTS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST

U.

OF

WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE

MOVES TO FEDERAL COURT

MILWAUKEE,

WI: A lawsuit brought by University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) students against

various university officials has been transferred to federal court.

The suit, as filed originally in May, 2014, asserted that university administrators violated a
state law giving students the rights to organize themselves, select their representatives, set
student fees, exercise primary responsibility in the formulation and review of policies concerning
student life, services and interests, and actively participate in immediate university governance.
Administrators repeatedly rejected democratic student elections and installed their own system and
hand-picked complicit students to control student interests and affairs. Students at UW campuses
have significant legal control over the assessment and distribution of hundreds of millions of
dollars in segregated university fees (SUF) charged to students; which amounts to approximately $26
million annually at UWM. The suit charges that administration officials at UWM violated students
rights to gain effective control over these funds and also violated students rights to organize
themselves and select their representatives in a manner they determine. Plaintiffs in the suit
include dozens of current and former students, six of them previously elected as leaders in the
student body, and a student-organized student government organization. While the UWM administration
does not currently acknowledge the authority of the organization, it is popularly supported by the
student body. Administrators then sought to effectively expel the newly-elected student President.
In November, Plaintiffs amended their complaint to include additional parties and claims. The
action now includes claims that the mishandled imposition of extralegally-set fees on students and
actions against several student leaders violated their federal civil rights. The case now includes
a class action on behalf of tens of thousands of UWM students whose state and federal rights were
violated.
Student governance issues are rarely litigated, said Plaintiffs attorney Gary E. Grass. For
decades these administrations have been rationalizing to themselves how they can basically do
anything they want. I dont think a judge will buy that. Its time their actions here some really
atrocious and arrogant attacks on students be held up and tested against the law.
The defendants, including the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents and the UWM
Chancellor, have asked Senior Judge Charles N. Clevert, Jr. for additional time to answer the
claims.
For any further information or inquiries please contact ASAP representative Taylor Q. Scott at
asap4uwm@gmail.com or contact Plaintiffs Attorney Gary E. Grass at g.grass@sbcglobal.net or 414-447-8369.

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The ALLIANCE OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING PROGRESS (ASAP) is a movement, currently active in the UW-Milwaukee campus
community. ASAP has had a long history as a political party in UW-Milwaukee Student Association Elections and
in student advocacy for 20+ years. Previously known as Achieving Student Action through Progress, the name
may change but our progressive values and integrity in student and shared governance advocacy will not. We remain a united movement of like-minded individuals standing up to ensure everyone has a voice. We believe in a
truly shared system where all governance groups under Wis. Stat. 36.09 work together to advance the collective
goals of their respective institution, the UW-System, higher education, and the Wisconsin Idea.