Protesters march on Capitol
Students, faculty fight budget cuts in Sacramento
By: Chelsea Accursi
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
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Watch videos and an audio slideshow of the march at the bottom of this page.
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SACRAMENTO - "No more fees!"
"Education is a right!"
"You say 'Cut back.' We say 'Fight back!'"
These were the chants coming from the more than 2,000 students, faculty and supporters from more than 30 California colleges who marched to the Capitol on Monday to bring one message to the legislature: "Stop balancing the budget on the backs of students."
The march, which about 25 Chico State students and two faculty members attended, was organized to protest the $1 billion in cuts to higher education Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed in January.
"We're here to tell our legislators that they have to find other sources of revenue and stop giving the budget cuts to the students," said Esmeralda Campos, Associated Students director of legislative affairs.
Students marched one mile from Raley Field to the steps of the Capitol building, carrying signs identifying their colleges and leading each other in chants.
Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and other state representatives met marchers at the Capitol steps.
Garamendi thanked students for coming out to show their government what they want and said it was up to legislators to deliver.
"We can't starve the education system as is being proposed and has been proposed," he said.
Assemblyman Rick Keene, R-Chico and Chico State alumnus, said the state isn't at fault for the colleges' budget crisis.
He urged students to be more skeptical of their campuses and to call on their colleges to make the cuts at the administrative level before pushing them onto classrooms and students.
Many students weren't sure if Monday's march would have much of an effect on the legislature.
"I'm not sure if much is going to change today, but it at least shows that we are interested in fighting this fight," said Jeffrey Wise, a senior psychology major at San Francisco State. "We're just showing the government that we really do care about our future, and we aren't going to sit here and stand for it quietly."
Michael Bishop, chair of the art and art history department, and his wife, art professor Lynn Criswell, were the only Chico State faculty members at the march.
Bishop's department faces 5 percent in cuts this year, and he said student involvement is the only way to make a change.
"If you're not out on the street … if you're not in front of the politicians, they don't get it," he said.
Similar demonstrations took place throughout the state. Students marched in Los Angeles from Pershing Square to the governor's office at the Reagan State Building, in San Diego from San Diego City College to City Hall, in Riverside at Riverside City College and in Santa Barbara from Santa Barbara City College to City Hall.
The turnout for Chico State was smaller than expected. Fifty-six students signed up to take a bus to Sacramento and many more were turned away. But come 7 a.m. Monday, 19 students sat on the bus.
A.S. presidential candidate Jesse Eller, one of three candidates at the march, was disappointed by the turnout and stressed student involvement.
"It's our responsibility, our obligation as students to voice our opinion for ourselves," he said. "Because if not, then we don't have that right afterward, when everything's said and done … to be frustrated, because we didn't take any initiative action to change it."
Chelsea Accursi can be reached at
onlineeditor@theorion.com
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
BIg Rob Talbert
posted 4/23/08 @ 1:58 AM PST
Nicely done. Using an unregistered program for your main story. Guess The O isn't selling ads like it used to if it can't afford $70 for a piece of software. (Continued…)
An Orion alumna
posted 4/23/08 @ 11:37 AM PST
Regardless of the Soundslides demo version, I commend The Orion's Chelsea Accursi and David Flannery for taking on a very important issue and really bringing it home to its readers. (Continued…)
Mike Phillips
posted 4/23/08 @ 12:24 PM PST
I agree with the views of Rick Keene, that the focus and pressure should first be put on the schools at the administrative level...does no one remember last years almost-strike because faculty felt they weren't paid enough? Until we get our own affairs in order, the protestors are wasting time at the Capitol. (Continued…)
Hoop
posted 4/28/08 @ 2:10 AM PST
Check out this video from the protest (2 minutes). Chico State specific.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pUFQf_HP_4
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