A group calling itself the May 2 Strike Committee is calling on all SIU-Carbondale students to strike on that first Monday in May.
In a blog post Tuesday, committee members say they also hope faculty, graduate assistants, and staff will join them in shutting down the University for one day to bring attention to the factors they believe are destroying higher education in Illinois.
The group also wants community members to be on campus for a day of protest, conversation, and education about the conditions facing SIU-C.
In addition to the ongoing budget stalemate, the group believes higher education is now being funded mainly through student debt.
The letter also cites racism and sexism as factors bringing down the educational climate on the Carbondale campus.
The May 2 Strike Committee is calling for the creation of a student/faculty task force to construct a plan of action to address racism and sexism concerns.
Members also want SIU-C to divest itself from the fossil fuel industry, and the immediately close the Advanced Coal and Energy Research Center.
