MADISON, Wis. -- Members of the Wisconsin Coalition for Domestic Partner Benefits camped out on Library Mall on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus Wednesday to encourage people to support their cause.

The "Day of Action" was designed to make it easy for students and faculty to contact lawmakers about the need for domestic partner benefits for state employees, including faculty on campus.

"This is a really small thing -- it's not going to cost that much in relation to the budget and it would have a huge impact on the school's image. Teachers have left and they noted the lack of benefits as reasons for leaving," said Leia Ferrari, of the Wisconsin Coalition for Domestic Partner Benefits.

UW-Madison said the cost for the university alone would be about $500,000 annually. The university's budget is more than $2 billion.