'Our only option'
Similar scenes, with varying levels of angst and interest, were repeated many times across campus Tuesday during the first of a planned two-day walkout by more than 1,000 teaching and project assistants at UW-Madison. Association members voted Monday night to stage the walkout - illegal under state law and the first since 1980 - as a way to send a powerful message to the state, they said, about their importance to the university and undergraduate education. <

"Members are aware this is an illegal act and they were willing to go through with it," TAA President Boian Popunkiov said as he took a break from rallying picket teams at 10 major buildings, mostly on the east side of campus. "This is our only option at the moment." <

The assistants are trying to negotiate a new two-year contract after 10 months without one but have balked at the state's demand that they start paying health insurance premiums. At six of the dozen universities used by the state for comparison purposes, single assistants pay nothing for health coverage. At the others, monthly premiums range from $9 to $72.09, compared to a proposed $9 to $50 for singles in the state's offer. <

Today, assistants plan a rally at the Capitol in addition to picketing on campus. Another bargaining session with the state and university officials is planned for Tuesday or sooner. <

How well the walkout goes on campus could help determine the success of that session, said Casey Nagy, special assistant to UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley. <

"Today was a good day, a respectful day, and we hope for the same tomorrow," Nagy said. "Next week we need to be able to sit down together and be able to bring this to a resolution. If we experience any kind of erosion in respect, that's going to affect the negotiations." <

If talks aren't successful, the assistants may follow through on their second major threat - to withhold final grades for the thousands of students they teach. That also would be an illegal action, but one that could have impact because of the bureaucratic problems it could cause.

Wiley not moved
Powerful or not, Wiley on Tuesday said the walkout and grade threats were "not necessary." <

"I think it's unfortunate that it came to this," Wiley said as he looked down from the steps outside Bascom Hall at the dozen or so picketers circling with signs in front of him. He smiled but otherwise didn't respond when they began to incorporate his name into their chant, asking for his support. <

"We've worked pretty hard to try to get a fair contract for the assistants, and this one is," Wiley said of the state's offer of no raise this year and a 4.6 percent raise next year. <

As for protesting the health-care payment, which the state is requiring of all state employees, Wiley said that was a lost cause. <

"They drew the line in the sand in the wrong place," he said.

Lighter moments
Tuesday's walkout had its lighter moments, too. Some picketers smiled and said hello to passers-by, and they often joked and laughed among themselves in between high-energy chants. <

And there were surprises. <

The small picket team of assistants Jessica Brown, Emily Kremer and Gwen Shay made the best of a cold and shady corner outside the Social Science Building by ad-libbing lines in their pro-union chants and circling fast to stay warm. <

Their attention was instantly riveted by the rare arrival of a car at their picketing area, outside a side door of the building. The dark sedan pulled up almost right alongside them, and a group of well-dressed older men disembarked and headed for the door. <

"People in suits!" they cried, snapping back into line and resuming their chants in earnest. <

The men paused at the door, peering back at the three picketers in confusion. One man, Shehbaz Khan, pulled out a camera to snap a quick shot. The men were visiting scholars from Pakistan, scheduled to be at UW-Madison for a seminar for just a few days. They knew nothing about the dispute. <

"It's a lot more violent in our part of the world," said Adam Nayyak, an anthropologist. But he approved of their demonstration. <

"Democratic assembly and freedom of speech is everybody's right," Nayyak said.

Students caught in middle
Popunkiov pronounced the first day of the walkout a success, noting the campus seemed quieter than usual. <

"There are people who are choosing to cross the picket line, but we are seeing fewer people coming in and out of buildings," he said. "We think it's definitely having an effect." <

In addition to many freshmen and sophomores who may have stayed home because of assistants canceling classes, other students missed classes or had them in other locations, including off campus, at the request of professors who support the assistants or wanted to spare students the decision of crossing a picket line. <

Some students said it was tough to know what to do. <

"I want to support them," said Andrea Kaufman, a 20-year-old sophomore majoring in history who was on her way to class at a picketed building Tuesday. "I just feel bad. If it were the beginning of the semester, I would (skip class), but with two weeks of class left, I can't." <

Elsewhere on campus, some faculty members and students who still were interested in school work showed unusual creativity going about it. <

For example, anthropology professor Larry Nesper and English assistant professor Henry Turner both held classes on the broad lawns of Bascom Hill. Turner used a yellow lampshade as a makeshift megaphone to carry his voice up the incline to his 50 to 60 students - one of whom had the presence of mind to bring a lawn chair and another, in the back row, who lit up a smoke during class. <

And just off campus, music professor David Crook found a great place for his class on Renaissance composers. He reserved the music room at St. Paul's University Catholic Center, where 16 courses will be held through the end of today in four spaces, including the chapel itself - no food or drinks allowed in there. <

"We kind of liked it," Crook said of the cramped room with its low ceiling and cement walls. His class of about 20 used metal folding chairs to listen to music on a boombox he brought from home. <

The class was an active one, sparking what sounded like the same kind of eager discussions and detailed questions from students that would have occurred back in the Humanities Building. <

"This seemed like a good solution," Crook said. "I'm not defying my chancellor by not teaching, and at the same time I'm not crossing the picket line."

- State Journal reporter Anita Clark contributed to this story.