1973: OPIRG IS BORN

“Days after Nader’s stirring speech, ninety UW students called together the first meeting of the Ontario Public Interest Research Group. It was October 17th, 1972.”

Excerpt from WPIRG’s 1989 Anniversary Write-up

“[Chancellor Ira Needles] added that many people outside university now criticize students and faculty for not being interested in ‘the outside world’ beyond the campus boundaries. The support of OPIRG, he urged, would be a positive step toward getting the university involved in the community.“

“OPIRG members obtained over 4,000 student signatures, about a third of the full-time student body.”