STUDENTS CRY ‘NO CUTS, NO FEES’

By Mani Dashtizadeh
Staff Writer

State crisis may force CSU to deny access to 10,000 students.

SF State student Charles Becker marches during a quad takeover protest
TAKING A STAND: SF State student Charles Becker marches with others during a quad takeover on March 5 to protest proposed fee hikes.
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About 80 students against the fee hikes rallied support for their cause to fully fund the California State University system and roll back student fees, holding an afternoon event in the quad to inform others about the continuing budget cuts to the CSU.

One of the several lecturers in danger of losing his job, Larry Salomon of the ethnic studies department, said one-third of the courses in the fall could be cut.

“This is a crisis time. There is an emergency,” Salomon said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a $312.9 million cut in January to the CSU budget that had been approved by the CSU Board of Trustees. For the next year, the cuts would deny enrollment for some 10,000 students and deny $36 million in mandatory costs including employee health benefits and compensation agreements for CSU faculty and staff, according to the CSU press release on the decision.

“The money can be found,” said Deborah A. Gerson, a lecturer in the department of social science and labor studies.

Students march toward the Administration building chanting no cuts no fees
NO CUTS, NO FEES: Students march toward the Administration building during the afternoon rally.
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Students at the rally walked around the quad twice and headed toward the Administration building chanting “No cuts, no fees.”

Student group protests imbalanced taxation.

The rally was organized after the grim news of the cuts, and in February, students began meetings to discuss the California budget crisis, the CSU budget cuts and the resulting effects on the SF State campus.

Following the decision by Schwarzenegger, the Stop the Fees group argued at a teach-in that imbalanced taxation and compromised priorities have brought California’s higher public education system into its current dilemma of the privatization of education, said EJ R. Arimboanga, one of the teach-in speakers and organizers.

Arimboanga is also an SF State student who participated in the April 26 walkouts in 2007 against the fee increases.

“People see that something needs to be done,” he said.

Students attend a teach-in discussing CSU budget cuts
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The sentiment behind the organization is aimed at the CSU’s cuts in the schools and the financial impact of the Iraq war on the federal budget.

The Stop the Fees group is developing their effort alongside the New Coalition Front in support of their concern for the fate of the ethnic studies department, which plans to bear a heavy burden of the budget cuts.

Subsequently, the 40th anniversary of the 1968 strikes that led to the development of the ethnic studies department received its fair share of allusions in the discussions regarding action.

Recently, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, aimed at helping to address these continuing issues students face. The Senate passed a similar bill and consolidation of the two await President George W. Bush, who released statements in opposition of the bill. If it is signed into law, future students may receive the needed support. However, for now the issue remains.

Staff writer Sarah Morris contributed to this report.