"Students fighting for a "living wage" of $10.72 for direct and contract workers at the University of Virginia on Tuesday complied with a UVa order to remove their tents, sleeping bags and other items from the Madison Hall yard.
On Monday, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Leonard W. Sandridge issued a memo demanding students remove their tents and belongings from the Madison Hall lawn by 10 a.m. The order was primarily because of sanitation issues, UVa spokeswoman Carol Wood said, noting that there are other places, through university policy, that are designated for protests.

"We are seeking to respect and accommodate your peaceful, non-disruptive protest," Sandridge wrote, "which does not violate the rights of others, or the policies of the University of Virginia and laws of this commonwealth. Thank you for your cooperation."

Since Wednesday, students have been demonstrating inside and outside of Madison Hall in an ongoing attempt to coerce the university to raise its minimum pay rate from $9.37 an hour to $10.72 an hour. On the first day of the protest, 17 students entered Madison Hall, which houses the office of President John T. Casteen III, and began a four-day sit-in that culminated Saturday in the students' arrests on charges of trespassing. Two of the students each face an additional charge. The students were released from jail on Monday afternoon.

During heavily attended daily rallies and vigils, UVa Living Wage Campaign students pitched tents, unrolled sleeping bags, unloaded jugs of water and taped signs to pillars, prompting Sandridge to order the Madison Hall lawn cleanup.

"The students moved everything quickly and cooperatively," Wood said.

Students continue to demonstrate daily at the university, and plan to maintain a visible presence, rally daily and examine the legality of their "eviction" from the Madison Hall property, said Abby Bellows, a fourth-year student and UVa Living Wage organizer.

University professors and community leaders will lead a "teach-in" rally at 1 p.m. today across from Madison Hall." (Melanie Mayhew, The Daily Progress, April 19, 2006)

Contact Melanie Mayhew at (434) 978-7265 or mmayhew@dailyprogress.com.