Interview with Jill Hopke

Segment Synopsis: November 21, 2011 interview with Jill Hopke. Conducted by Troy Reeves.

Segment Synopsis: Question: Brief biography of life prior to graduate school? Answer: Jill Hopke (JH) grew up in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis & St. Paul). Both parents worked as teachers, and her mother was involved in the teachers’ union there. So, that background led to a focus on education and, to a certain extent, unionism. JH earned an undergraduate degree from here. She noted, however, that she attended her first year of college at Mankato State in Minnesota while technically still a senior in high school. She finished her undergraduate work here in 2002. When asked a couple of follow-up questions, she talked more about her mother, particularly her mother’s career in education and about her path to finishing her senior year at college. On the topic of college, she mentioned that her step-sister followed a similar path, so she knew about the opportunity from her and wanted to take advantage of it.

Segment Synopsis: Question: Effect of finishing high school while taking first year of college? Answer: JH felt that going to college early benefited her academically. She felt stifled by high school. She talked about the differences between Mankato State University and UW-Madison, specifically the relative size of both and their divergent policies on alcohol. A lot of Mankato’s students went home for the weekend, so weekend events on campus were sparsely attended. She gave an example of this when she talked about organizing music events on campus that virtually no one attended. She also furnished other information about her year at Mankato, including living in an all freshman dorm.

Keywords: dry campus; high school; undergrad

Segment Synopsis: When she came to Madison for her “second freshman year,” she talked about a “shift,” both socially and academically. She did well at Mankato, getting high grades. She found a couple of friends here from her high school, but a big university offered new social challenges. When asked if coming here to UW-Madison was a “mistake,” she said not academically. She lived in Sellery Hall and did have her old high school friends, but doing a second freshman year felt jarring. She recalled bemoaning with a high school friend that they could not make new friends. By the end of her first year here (spring 1999), she become involved and felt transitioned.

Keywords: first year experience; freshman experience

Segment Synopsis: Question: Describe the process of finding a major here at UW-Madison? Answer: She declared no major when she first came to Madison. She worked on her high school newspaper, which made her family and friends wonder if she would major in media. She said no, and she earned a degree in International Relations with an emphasis in Environmental Studies. When asked about particular classes, she offered memories about a class that furnished a humanistic take on Environmental Studies, including a discussion section about food choice, balancing ideals and economic realities. She also called Bill Cronon’s American Environmental History course memorable.

Keywords: International Relations; International Studies; Nelson Institute

Segment Synopsis: Question: Other activities at UW-Madison? Answer: JH joined WisPIRG as an entrée into environmental activities. After attending Earth Day 1999, she joined the UW Greens, which became her primary vehicle for involvement, working at the Greens Info Shop. When asked to discuss the Greens more, she called them a social justice group. She noted that the confusion with the political Green Party. She worked in the Greens office at Old University Square; she talked about the group’s activism, including involvement in the anti-sweat shop campaign, arguing for fair trade in university apparel purchasing. When asked for more information on that specific campaign, JH offered the ways she participated in the Bascom Hall sit-in; she took a journalist/activist role, because by that time she volunteered for WORT (Madison community radio).

Subjects: Madison Info Shop; UW Greens

Segment Synopsis: Question: 9/11/2001 on campus? Answer: By Fall 2001 JH had earned a job at WORT after volunteering there. She worked as the News & Public Affairs Director. She lacked six credits to graduate, so she actually pondered dropping out and working at WORT without schoolwork, too. Her friends convinced her to juggle school and work, so she took one class that fall semester, which met Tuesday morning. She woke up that morning and listened to WORT; so she heard about the plane crashes via the radio. She decided to skip class and head to the station to work. She described what she and others and WORT played and discussed that day. She also described the types of programming they played the rest of the week; they heard from people in their listening area that people appreciated hearing a different perspective (discussing the event through the lens of peace and justice) that WORT provided in 9/11’s aftermath. So, she has linked her 9/11 experience more to WORT than to campus.

Keywords: WORT; community radio; national coverage; news coverage

Segment Synopsis: Question: Post-graduation (spring 2002) plans? Answer: She had no plans to attend graduate school. She, again, almost took no class that spring. In the post-9/11 world, she found it difficult to juggle school and her other work and interests. JH continued to work for WORT for at least a year, if not 18 months. This work stimulated her interest in independent media, particularly in the post 9/11 world. Plus, her degree did not offer a clear career path; this idea led to a brief monologue on how universities and their students can struggle after college with degrees that do not point to a specific outcome (i.e. job). All of these ideas led to her to continue to work at WORT. After she left WORT, she moved to San Salvador, El Salvador, where she taught English for a social-justice focused school. While there she visited a small, rural radio station, which cemented in her the idea of doing something in independent media. JH came back to Madison and worked temp jobs and went back to El Salvador and returned to that radio station, which started her thinking about researching rural community radio. She also found that she enjoyed teaching.

Keywords: alternative media; higher education; independent media

Segment Synopsis: Question: Why UW-Madison? Answer: JH returned to Madison, where she matriculated into the Journalism School and got a master’s degree. She then moved to Life Sciences Communications to get her Ph.D. She used her answer to talk about how little she knew about research graduate school and the difference between getting an undergraduate degree and advanced degree here. When asked if Madison influenced her stay, JH noted the myriad cultural offering, including local, independent media.

Keywords: academia; graduate application process

Segment Synopsis: Question: Difference between undergraduate and graduate work here? Answer: While her degree gave her the chance to take many different courses in different departments, it left her without a department to hang her hat, so to speak. As a graduate student, she worked inside a department with an advisor and used the resources available within the department for her research and other work. She noted here, however, that students who get a degree here within a small department might get the specialized attention she lacked. When asked a couple of follow-up questions, JH discussed her J-School advisor, Dr. Fair, and the assistance/mentoring she gave JH. She also talked about her thesis, which included doing fieldwork in Quito, Ecuador.

Keywords: academia; interdisciplinary education

Segment Synopsis: Question: Master’s as terminal degree? Answer: JH said she thought about either getting a Ph.D. or testing the workforce. At that time (2008/2009), the economy offered little. Plus, graduate school had broadened her intellectually. So, she decided to pursue the Ph.D. She switched to Life Sciences Communication for her Ph.D.; she chose that for their applied approach, plus faculty there do research aboard, including Latin America.

Keywords: economic climate; workforce

Segment Synopsis: Question: Involved in politics, pre-February 2011. Answer: Between her work for UW-Madison Greens and for WORT, she argued that those interests served as her political activism. She also discussed her work for The Progressive; she served as a union steward. This thought led her to describe her unionism, both at The Progressive and at WORT. She oversaw a couple of grievances, which helped form her own union experience.

Keywords: community independent media; environmental activism; union involvement

Segment Synopsis: JH returned to graduate school in 2007, but she did not jump into the TAA at first. She became more involved in the TAA in the semesters before February 2011. When asked to elaborate on her TAA experience, pre-February 2011, by her 3rd year in her Ph.D program, she wanted to become more involved in non-academic pursuits. She and a friend decided to help the TAA with publicity, before February 2011. This thought led her to remind the interviewer that the Democratic Legislature did not approve the union contracts before Governor Walker took over. So, even before the Budget Repair Bill, she attended a TAA retreat, which led them to organize a Valentine’s Day event at the Capitol, because they knew the Governor and Legislature would cut higher education drastically. JH and her friend restarted the publicity committee and held their first meeting before the Budget Repair Bill. JH also wrote an op-ed that appeared in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Keywords: "I Heart UW" rally; Budget Repair Bill; Governor Scott Walker; TAA publicity; union contracts

Segment Synopsis: Question: Final thoughts? Answer: JH returned to her early years, particularly her mother being involved in a teachers’ union. She told a story about participating in her first demonstration, which her mother’s union led. She remembered that she, her mother, and others walking in a circle and throwing shoes in a pile; the message was being walked over. She thought about that during the Feb/Mar protests and asked her mother about it this last summer. Her mother said while economic issues did hold an important place in the demonstration she focused on the idea of respect. JH thought that the events of Feb/Mar 2011 and beyond were, too, about respect.

Keywords: bargaining team; teachers union; union contracts

Segment Synopsis: November 23, 2011. Second interview with Jill Hopke. Conducted by Troy Reeves.

Segment Synopsis: Question: Budget Repair Bill? Answer: Jill Hopke (JH) took a Thursday evening class during the Spring 2011 semester. She recalled a friend and classmates showing her an article on Madison.com, which offered details about the Budget Repair Bill. From reading that news piece, JH realized that the Budget Repair Bill (BRB) would strip collective bargaining and knew from that and other pieces of it that this legislation would affect greatly Wisconsin workers, including the Teaching Assistants Association (TAA). She also knew that the newly reformed publicity committee of the TAA needed to meet as soon as possible.

Keywords: governor's state address

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] She reiterated from her first interview that the TAA had planned a Valentine’s Day, “I Heart [Love] UW,” event at the Capitol. Prior to the BRB’s announcement, they planned for around 100 TAA members to participate; they knew the BRB would change the event’s attendance and tone. JH recalled meeting with her publicity committee cohorts Friday (2/12) afternoon at the TAA office. She found the office “abuzz” with activity. They heard, as with previous legislation, that the Governor and the Republican-controlled state legislature intended to pass this bill in a few days. With this bill’s long-term ramification and this proposed speed of passage, JH felt, in retrospect, that played into the opposition’s, including the TAA’s, hands. It provided, in JH’s words, “a critical spark.” She also felt that Governor Walker’s early comments about bringing in the National Guard, if necessary, to maintain the peace, before any protests even started, did not hurt the opposition’s cause either.

Keywords: "I Heart UW" rally

Segment Synopsis: Question: Weekend and 2/14 Event? Answer: According to JH the BRB brought urgency to the Valentine’s Day event. The TAA’s co-president both were out of town that weekend, so JH recalled a bevy of folks at the TAA office, doing what they could. The TAA discussed tactics vs. strategy for the 2/14 event, meaning they talked about occupying the Capitol but decided against it. She thought the TAA rose to the occasion that first weekend.

Keywords: TAA leadership; TAA response

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH stayed at the office that weekend 12-16 hours/day. She talked about phone banking and canvassing. JH and others drove to Dale Schulz’s district to knock on union members’ doors. They did this tactic, because the initial strategy arose as trying to getting at least 5 Republican Senators to vote no as a block. What stuck with her from those door knocks was those union folks already knew the circumstances. Most had contacted Schultz already.

Keywords: TAA response; canvassing; phone banking

Segment Synopsis: The TAA heard that weekend of the Tuesday’s hearing on the BRB. This fact led to them not only planning the Valentine’s Day event but also gathering folks to testify at the hearing. Also, they brainstormed talking points and people to present them. They wanted Wisconsin students to present their material, and they wanted to link collective bargaining and educational issues. JH noted here that they worked with undergraduate groups and non-core labor constituencies.

Keywords: collective bargaining; education funding; learning conditions; working conditions

Segment Synopsis: Question: Phone banking? Answer: JH commented on the raw numbers of TAs and RAs on campus and the percentage of those who had joined the TAA before the protests. So, between their membership lists and the campus directory, they called graduate students on campus to let them know about the possible repercussions if the BRB passed. The TAA became the phone-bank center, meaning other groups used the TAA’s office and resources to call their members and constituents.

Keywords: TAA office

Segment Synopsis: Question: Valentine’s Day? Answer: The TAA and its supporters planned to meet in front of Memorial Union. The spokespeople carried red balloons, which would mark them for the media as spokespeople. JH carried a clipboard that day and learned that for the media a clipboard equaled a spokesperson. As an activist she wanted the media to talk to the people with the balloons, because those folks had studied the talking points. As a journalist herself, she knew the media wanted to talk to everyone. She recalled the good, sunny weather, not typical for mid-February. Once the group moved to State Street, and JH saw the number of people, she knew it was big. JH recalled here that she had contacted her fellow graduate students in Life Sciences Communication, asking them to meet her and walk to the Union as a group, which they did. JH then kept her cohorts up to date as the protests continued.

Keywords: media spokesperson; messaging; talking points

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH reminded the interviewer that I Heart UW served as the focus of this event before and after the BRB information. The undergraduate groups also started the Hands off Our Teachers slogan. This reminded JH of how well the graduate and undergraduate groups worked together. JH (and others) started the Defend Wisconsin website and twitter feed; she noted that 6,500 folks have followed that feed. She then recalled the good energy of the day, walking into the Capitol and their chants echoing loudly in the building. While she noted that a Twitter hashtag of #killthebill or #killthatbill started around that day, the event was marked with hearts, balloons, and love. The Governor’s Office, according to JH, must have known of their arrival, because they had placed a desk in front of the office for the students to put their I Heart UW postcards, which the students piled on top of that desk.

Keywords: Governor's Office; SLAC; Student Labor Action Coalition; Twitter

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH then described a GMM (General Membership Meeting) that night with about 100-150 in attendance. JH spoke that night about media. They had blue membership cards available, and JH saw lots of people sign up. They used that meeting to remind people to come and testify at the next day’s public hearing on the BRB. After that large meeting, a few TAA members went to a State Street coffee shop to meet on tactics for the next day.

Keywords: budget repair bill; logistics; planning; public hearing

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did those first few days affect you physically? Answer: While exhausted, JH noted that she made it until the 2nd week before getting sick. She recalled that Spring 2011 she taught a class that met M/W/F from 9:30-10:45am. So, since she had no teaching responsibilities on Tuesday, she went to the Capitol at 9am to help and to get in line to testify. She watched the meeting and communicated about it on the Defend WI site and on Twitter. She also noted the TAA’s presence on Facebook and Twitter. JH learned web design tht spring while building the Defend WI site.

Keywords: Defend Wisconsin; Wordpress; health; technology; web design

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] As she mentioned earlier, the TAA intended not to start occupying the Capitol when they came into the building on 2/15. JH admitted she was a skeptic of that tactic when first broached. They intended to pack the public hearing, which happened. People testified all day, with the meeting lasting from 8am to 3am; JH recalled that she gave her testimony around 2:30am.

Keywords: testimony

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] During the evening of 2/15, JH and others heard the Republicans intended to cut off testimony around 9pm. By that time the big crowds had left the building, although a long line of folks still remained to testify. A group of mainly TAA members started the chant, “Let Us Speak,” at the door of the committee meeting room. JH and others used the Capitol’s wireless internet and their cell phones to get the message out to journalists. She recalled specifically contacting the two student newspapers and how eager those students were to run up to the Capitol and cover the continuing meeting. They designed these calls and emails to try to get on the 10 o’clock news. She thought very little media attended the bulk of the marathon session; she saw only the person from the Chronicle of Higher Education there for the bulk of the event.

Keywords: Badger Herald; local newspapers; media outlets; student papers

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH called Representative Lena Taylor as the go-between for the testifiers and the Republican Leadership to continue testimony until 3am. When the Republican stopped the formal meeting, the Democrats continued to meet and hear testimony. So, JH talked about the clause in the rules for the Capitol, in which the building could not close with meetings still in session. Along with that the Capitol Police did not kick people out or stop people from returning in those early morning hours. Also, the Democrats heard testimony through the rest of the night, into the early morning. So, these ideas helped lead to the occupation. JH ran to her apartment and brought in pillows and sleeping bags. The tactic, “Come Sleep with Your TA,” started. JH noted that those first few nights it felt like a fun sleepover with undergraduates and graduates finding spots to spend the night.

Keywords: administration; state officials; undergraduate students

Segment Synopsis: Question: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday as one long day? Answer: JH taught Wednesday morning on very little sleep; she slept in her apartment that night, going to bed after 3:30am. So, she taught her class then went back to the Capitol. JH then furnished her version of the story of how 300 North East (room in the Capitol) became the TAA’s headquarters. After a meeting in that room with a member of the AFT (American Federation of Teachers), the TAA basically stayed in that room. JH called this commandeering “critically,” because it gave them a permanent location within the Capitol to operate. She briefly discussed the room’s amenities, such as folks bringing in food service material, coat racks, and American flags and the way journalists stopped in there to get updates and reactions. The TAA became seen as one of the leading groups in the protest. The TAA used the Defend WI site to ask for donations, primarily of food or water or minor supplies. JH offered an example of this, when she briefly touched on the day that students and others blocked the Senate Chambers before they knew the Democratic Senators had left the state, thereby blocking the vote.

Keywords: TAA War Room; Wisconsin 14; donations; journalists; social media; unions

Segment Synopsis: Question: Wisconsin 14 left the state? JH hosted a student radio show on Thursday mornings that semester. So, that Thursday (2/17) she had students and faculty guests to discuss the BRB, and she received calls from people about high school students marching on the Capitol. After her show she went to the Capitol and recalled being in 300 North East when she heard the Democratic Senators had left for Illinois. She remembered the “weird” feeling of being inside the Capitol and seeing thousands and thousands outside. These thoughts led JH to talk about the importance of communication students running the social media presence and the pros and cons of Twitter as a news/information source. She and others running the social media built a good reputation by verifying whether reports were truthful or mere rumor.

Keywords: Wisconsin 14; information dissemination; rumors; social media

Segment Synopsis: Question: Any pivotal event? Answer: JH focused on the senators leaving for Illinois, because that fact changed the strategy of getting Republicans to vote no plus general stalling tactics. It did lead JH to say at one point, “Oh my God, what have we started?!?” The TAA organized “Teach Outs,” being carefully to avoid using terms of walk out or strike. JH wanted to say here that the TAA historically has run in opposition to campus administration, so it took a shift in mindset to focus on working within the university and against the Governor and State Legislature. JH briefly noted that the simultaneous floating of the New Badger Partnership and public authority for UW-Madison made this change difficult.

Keywords: Fab 14; Wisconsin 14; teach outs

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH read a TAA press release about one of these “Teach Outs.” TAA framed the message that the TAA’s target was state government. They wanted to align with school teachers within and without Madison while still continuing instruction of their students. They did not want to stop learning but wanted people to take action. JH called this idea difficult, focusing on decisions about strategy made by the TAA in large GMMs within a democratic process while trying to get some tactics of the strategy done in time for the 10 o’clock news and in time to notify their membership.

Keywords: Budget Repair Bill; graduate employees; media; messaging; teach outs

Segment Synopsis: Question: What did you learn about yourself and the political process? JH found out that she could tap into energy reserve she thought did not exist. She also felt gratified to see others found that stamina too. She talked about the ability to transform the TAA through the process to a more nimble group that could work in the moment. She offered this example: instead of an elongation process of approving press releases, the organization allowed the co-presidents to sign off, letting the media folks, such as JH, to send out quicker and easier.

Keywords: external message; press releases

Segment Synopsis: Question: First weekend, did you rest? Answer: JH recalled this process as a long continuum, meaning she rested only when she got sick at the end of the second week. She noted that this experience has, in some ways, bled together. She discusses the days of the Teach Outs and her teaching schedule during this period. JH wanted the interviewer to know that she continued to do her job during the first week and weekend, but she did postpone grading papers for a bit. So, to the best of her memory, she recalled the events of the first week, including the Tea Party counter rally on Saturday. She met with her students to discuss their papers, meeting them at a State Street coffee shop. She concluded this section, noting that the weekend did not mean rest, because of her media role.

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] She talked about how the story grew more people volunteered their time, which helped the 4 or 5 people, including JH, who had worked in media and messaging from the beginning. She thought that for JH and others Saturday meant attending a demonstration or protest. When asked about her final thoughts for today, JH wanted to reiterate that the TAA worked hard to frame and articulate their message: the BRB was not about budget issues but workers’ rights. She also discussed how the TAA also tried to show that graduate students were students and workers with families, not kids extending their childhood and lack of responsibilities. JH offered arguments to support the workers’ rights and TAA as workers claims.

Keywords: external message; messaging; volunteers

Segment Synopsis: November 28, 2011 interview with Jill Hopke. Conducted by Troy Reeves.

Segment Synopsis: Question: Memories of when the Senate voted to pass the non-budgetary parts of the BRB? Answer: Jill Hopke (JH) said that until that vote, she believed that the BRB would fail. She felt outraged, both in the content of the bill and the process in which they voted. That day, March 10th, “shattered” JH’s faith in the process. She reminded the interviewer that the context of pre-March 10th politics; the Wisconsin 14 could not remain in Illinois forever. And the Governor had given his budget address. So, JH knew something would happen soon.

Keywords: Wisconsin Republicans

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH continued discussion of March 10th. She remembered reading, through Madison.com, of a possible deal, which made her believe a compromise might happen. That evening, JH went to dinner with a friend before a TAA executive board meeting. While at dinner she received a text, stating that the Senate would vote on the BRB that night. JH reminded the interviewer why the Senate could not vote on the BRB without a quorum and how stripping the budgetary parts of the BRB out seemed to run counter the Republican’s monetary arguments for passing the BRB. JH called the texter to confirm, and then she and her friend ran up to the Capitol. JH talked about the mood on State Street as she walked up it; there were folks on bicycles and snow banks letting folks know about the vote and urging them up to the Capitol. She called what she viewed “a terrible but amazing moment.”

Keywords: Defend Wisconsin; fiscal provisions; public notice; social media

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH reminded the interviewer that the Department of Administration had limited access to the Capitol for a week or so before March 10th. Plus, they had installed metal detectors and searches, which also slowed down the process to enter. This meant that JH and others who approached the building from State Street walked all the way around the Capitol to the King Street entrance to obtain access to the building. She found a long line of people waiting to get in; she called the situation “tense but orderly.” She and her friend got in line at 6 and started the long process to gain entrance. When she finally got inside, she saw several hundred people there.

Keywords: administration; public access

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] This story reminded JH to reiterate the importance of social media. After the Department of Administration limited access, they also seemed to change the rules for entrance. So, the Defend WI account would help those coming into the Capitol to know the rules for the day. JH then spoke the tweet from Defend WI, announcing that the vote would happen; she noted at least 100 people re-tweeted it. JH called this night the most tense and one of the most emotional. She finished her memories of this night with the ideas of the TAA roles in the protest: getting out information and keeping a constant presence inside the building. And with the fact that the bill passed, and the Governor signed it into law.

Keywords: Defend Wisconsin; Twitter; restricted public access; social media

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did mainstream media depict protests? Answer: JH felt surprised by the coverage, in the sense that she felt it more positive than she expected. She noted that after the Governor announced the BRB the media response skewed toward the Governor and Legislature and the budget deficit. She felt a shift in coverage after the 2/14 march and the 2/15 hearing to pro-workers’ rights. She recalled the main picture on the front page of the 2/15 Wisconsin State Journal, showing the students and the I Heart UW message. She saw this and other instances as examples of how the TAA and other groups got their message covered. So, from 2/15 through Governor Walker’s budget address, JH called the coverage positive. And she felt that the coverage has continued to be more positive today; she used the fact the word controversial has been attached to a lot of subsequent measures pushed by the Governor or the Republicans in the legislature.

Keywords: journalists; messaging; national coverage; state coverage

Segment Synopsis: Question: Kloppenberg Supreme Court election & New Badger Parnership? Answer: She helped a bit, including phone banking from the TAA office. Since she used this example to discuss the New Badger Partnership (NBP), the interviewer asked her to discuss the NBP. JH detailed her thoughts about the NBP, including the debate within the TAA about it. While the TAA went on record against the NBP and UW-Madison public authority, she realized the issue held many intricacies and nuances, which offered challenges within the TAA to speak about this issue with one voice. Overall, she agreed with the TAA’s push against it.

Keywords: Chancellor Biddy Martin; affordable public education; financial aid; public authority model; university administration; university budget cuts

Segment Synopsis: Question: Recalls in August? Answer: JH did not involve herself actively in the recalls; she did some work on the website around the Walkerville/Biennial Budget Bill story. She felt a need in the summer to return to her research and studies. Overall, she thought that recalling two Republican Senators did benefit the cause. She did work a bit initially with the Governor Walker recall that started on November 15, but she has tried to balance her activism with her work and research.

Keywords: Defend Wisconsin; Walkerville

Segment Synopsis: [No question.] JH talked here about the TAA’s decision not to re-certify as a union under the rules created by Wisconsin Act 10. And she noted how she and others worked this fall to get new members and get extant members to sign up, using the new system. She briefly described payroll deduction and “fair share” dues in this section.

Keywords: Wisconsin Act 10; collective bargaining; decertification

Segment Synopsis: Question: How did you budget your time? Answer: She found budgeting her time difficult. She has spent less time on TAA issues this fall, particularly after the membership drive. She noted that this semester she has held a Research Assistant (RA), not a TA position. She will take her preliminary exams this spring, so she has started to focus on that, too. Overall, she has tried to balance her TAA obligations and her own educational goals.

Keywords: preliminary exams; research assistant

Segment Synopsis: Question: Occupy Wall Street movement and possible correlations to February/March protests? Answer: JH has followed it, partly because she has researched it for her work and studies. While she has seen parallels, she will caution those who make those parallels. In a detailed monologue, JH described how the Capitol Protests, 2011, crystallized around the issue of workers’ rights. The Occupy Wall Street Movement has not centered on a particularly idea but many, plus she talked about a distinct culture around it that differed from the Capitol Protests.

Segment Synopsis: Question: Staying politically active? Answer: JH felt she would stay active politically, although she did not know exactly how. She received so much gratification from her participation in the protests that she wanted it to continue and be a part of it. She gave an example of collecting signatures on the first day of the Recall Governor Walker petition drive. They gathered signatures at a rate of 100/hour. She said while one should vote as part of his or her activism, one should contribute to the political process in other ways. Plus, one can make the world better with both daily and long-term activities that do not directly involve politics.

Keywords: Scott Walker; democratic process; recall elections

Segment Synopsis: Question: As a final question, key memories of the protests? Answer: JH worked besides people, either that she knew before or met for the first time. She saw network activism in process. She had researched and thought about this activism, so to be involved in it first hand has aided her understanding and work greatly. She offered an example: Outside 300 NE one day, a male student who shared a class with her a few years ago offered to revamp the Defend WI website; JH agreed. So, the male student and his friends stayed up that night and made the site better. She also briefly discussed holding a few Defend WI/TAA meetings in her apartment, because of its proximity. They crowded in her space and met and used the internet. So, that brought together the human and technological resources that epitomized, in some ways, the protests.