About 200 students donned black shirts and surgical masks with stickers reading Day of Silence Tuesday, in honor of the vow of silence they took oppose UF budget and program cuts.
The twelve-hour muted spectacle was part of a Week of Action, where student senators and other organizational members decided to stand up against the administration's decision to cut the center for Multicultural Diversity and Affairs, as well as UF's Center for Leadership and Service, which are both housed in the Dean of Student's Office.
The idea to keep quiet stemmed from a National Day of Silence held last Friday, which symbolized how the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community's voice is ignored.
UF women's studies senior Evan Lauteria, who is the educational awareness chair for the Pride Student Union, said many of the group's members participated in Tuesday's silent day as a part of Pride Awareness Month and to protest budget cuts.
"I think, that bearing in mind it was last minute and students are studying for exams, it was roaring success," Lauteria said.
The silence was broken during Tuesday's Senate meeting, when the students spoke during public debate in favor of a resolution against the administration's decision to cut both programs.
Unite Party Sen. Megan Vu, who represents District A, showed senators one of the silence masks during the meeting and said they must take an active role in commenting on cuts.
"This resolution asks simply for admin to work with us," she said. "We want to stand up and have a voice in these budget cuts."
Unite Party Sen. Naadira Renfroe, who represents the sophomore class and helped organize efforts, said the event was intended to show how students are silenced in their majors and career choices through program cuts.
The Week of Action will conclude today when senators and other organization representatives march to Tigert Hall to present Vice President of Student Affiars, Patricia Telles-Irvin, and UF President Bernie Machen with a copy of the legislation opposing both program cuts.
Before the march takes place, Vu said, Telles-Irvin answer questions about UF's decision at noon today in the Reitz Union Auditorium.
"(The rally) is about using your voice," Lauteria said, adding he feels the cut of diversity and leadership programs goes against what UF stands for. "It's inexcusable and shouldn't be accepted."
