Faculty and students joined together on Thursday, April 6, to rally for fair wages for every faculty member before the latest negotiating session between the union representing faculty (GSU-UPI) and the GSU administration.

Students met outside the G building, and classrooms outside of the GSU Bookstore to make signs and t-shirts to prepare for the rally. Meanwhile, faculty members gathered inside the G building lobby to show their support for each other and the union in a large turnout.

At 11 a.m. in the G Atrium students were told that the signs they made would not be allowed inside the building because it was against the rules. Then the students who showed up were ushered outside the building when campus police said they were too loud.

When Union President Mike Hart arrived, he encouraged all faculty members to join the students outside. Once everyone was outside, things really began to heat up the chilly weather.

Hart gave a rousing speech, thanking every student and faculty member for showing up in support of better and fair wages and also let faculty know that union members at Chicago State University and Eastern Illinois University were watching and were in full support of all the GSU faculty. He then brought up several students and other faculty members to speak to the crowd and help keep the fire lit for the rallygoers.

GSU Student Lauren Foley led the supportive student body in the fight for fair wages for faculty, and she told the crowd that because of the turnout that this is an issue that the GSU Administration can no longer deny and that students at GSU are in full support of faculty getting fair wages.

This rally was a major boost for the UPI at GSU in hopes of encouraging the GSU administration to raise the wages..