Matt Weir / The Collegian
Hundreds of students from California State University, Fresno marched Wednesday to protest recent fee increases, class cuts and furloughs handed down from the CSU system.
The near six-hour protest was the culmination of weeks of campaigning by multiple organizations encouraging students to walk out of their classrooms. Students began exiting classrooms around 10 a.m.
Protesters marched for about an hour throughout campus and made their way to Shaw and Cedar avenues, holding picket signs and chanting.
The march around campus at various times exceeded 400 participants, according to university police estimates. The rally crowd in the Peace Garden reached approximately 400 protesters.
Among the many faculty and administrators in attendance were vice president of student affairs Dr. Paul Oliaro, assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of students Carolyn Coon Ph.D., and political science instructor Dr, Michael Becker. Fresno State president Dr. John D. Welty also made an appearance following a staged sit-in on the fourth floor of the Henry Madden Library.
Recent budget cuts to the CSU system resulted in a multi-million dollar funding gap. In response, universities cut class sections for the fall semester, faculty and staff accepted furlough days, fees were hiked 30 percent and spring enrollment was frozen for the first time in Fresno State history.
According to university officials and organizers of the event, a second demonstration is scheduled for Nov.3
Shannon Scott • Oct 23, 2009 at 3:56 pm
THE PROBLEM I SEE HERE IS THAT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF STUDENTS CONVINCED THAT THE PROBLEM LAYS SOLEY ON THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS IS NOT TRUE.
THE PROBLEM HAS TWO OTHER HUGE COUNTERPARTS: 1) THE CSU SYSTEM (approving of Presidents to have free houses and free cars at the expense of students/faculty) and 2) OUR VERY OWN UNIVERSITY, I shall explain.
We students need to SEE what our university is doing with OUR money. Fresno State is currently building all these projects like CAMPUS POINT, assisted living housing, LUXURY housing, and the strip MALL just like the SAVEMART CENTER at the expense of students/faculty/staff. But guess what? We will not be able to see all these profits or losses until FRESNO STATE OPENS THE BOOKS! and Fresno State has been, is, and will continue building at the expense of us all until we DEMAND that this stops, until we DEMAND that they open up AUXILLARY̢۪s books. This is why is it so crucial that we all understand this for our meeting with Welty on November 3rd 12noon-2pm at the PEACE GARDEN, where President Welty has vowed to meet with us to negotiate our demands.
Shannon Scott • Oct 23, 2009 at 10:56 pm
THE PROBLEM I SEE HERE IS THAT THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF STUDENTS CONVINCED THAT THE PROBLEM LAYS SOLEY ON THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA AND THIS IS NOT TRUE.
THE PROBLEM HAS TWO OTHER HUGE COUNTERPARTS: 1) THE CSU SYSTEM (approving of Presidents to have free houses and free cars at the expense of students/faculty) and 2) OUR VERY OWN UNIVERSITY, I shall explain.
We students need to SEE what our university is doing with OUR money. Fresno State is currently building all these projects like CAMPUS POINT, assisted living housing, LUXURY housing, and the strip MALL just like the SAVEMART CENTER at the expense of students/faculty/staff. But guess what? We will not be able to see all these profits or losses until FRESNO STATE OPENS THE BOOKS! and Fresno State has been, is, and will continue building at the expense of us all until we DEMAND that this stops, until we DEMAND that they open up AUXILLARY’s books. This is why is it so crucial that we all understand this for our meeting with Welty on November 3rd 12noon-2pm at the PEACE GARDEN, where President Welty has vowed to meet with us to negotiate our demands.
studentsunited • Oct 22, 2009 at 4:03 pm
This article makes it sound like Welty was happy to meet with the protestors. When in reality, he lagged and then only met for a extremely short period. Right on everyone! Fight for what’s right!
studentsunited • Oct 22, 2009 at 11:03 pm
This article makes it sound like Welty was happy to meet with the protestors. When in reality, he lagged and then only met for a extremely short period. Right on everyone! Fight for what’s right!
Noemi Valdes • Oct 22, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Doing something is better then doing nothing… i’m not gonna sit and pretend nothing is wrong with my school.And that if there is it will all fix itself, because it won’t it will just get worse and worse.
Yes, i walked out, and i talked to my professors about it. The professors did not judge me or told me it was a waste of time because they are being affected too and they understand something has to be done about it.
I will be there Nov 3 and the next time and the next time, until something is resolved. Nobody is keeping us quiet now.
Noemi Valdes • Oct 22, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Doing something is better then doing nothing… i’m not gonna sit and pretend nothing is wrong with my school.And that if there is it will all fix itself, because it won’t it will just get worse and worse.
Yes, i walked out, and i talked to my professors about it. The professors did not judge me or told me it was a waste of time because they are being affected too and they understand something has to be done about it.
I will be there Nov 3 and the next time and the next time, until something is resolved. Nobody is keeping us quiet now.
bulldog_blogger • Oct 22, 2009 at 12:00 pm
The next step is to take over the Library……just look at how easy it is to take it over. One entrance in, no other way out. Then you also storm the 4th floor with hundreds of students and then block the elevator exits…..you also call the campus police and tell them that ADMIN is harassing you so you see, thier salaries are paid by students, so if they arrest or bother students you get them in the end, because im sure admin will be inclined to use the campus police against the students, when in first place they are there to protect students not the corrupt administrators. Dr. Welty was not there to march he was there to spy. what a loser
bulldog_blogger • Oct 22, 2009 at 7:00 pm
The next step is to take over the Library……just look at how easy it is to take it over. One entrance in, no other way out. Then you also storm the 4th floor with hundreds of students and then block the elevator exits…..you also call the campus police and tell them that ADMIN is harassing you so you see, thier salaries are paid by students, so if they arrest or bother students you get them in the end, because im sure admin will be inclined to use the campus police against the students, when in first place they are there to protect students not the corrupt administrators. Dr. Welty was not there to march he was there to spy. what a loser
revolucion • Oct 22, 2009 at 11:45 am
President Welty̢۪s primary job is to represent his Fresno State students within the CSU system. I am glad he was targeted by the students as part of the problem! Thumbs up for all the students who protested. May you be empowered when even more students join your cause on November 3. If students do not fight back now they will continue to suffer at the mercy of administration who do not have the student̢۪s best interests in mind.
revolucion • Oct 22, 2009 at 6:45 pm
President Welty’s primary job is to represent his Fresno State students within the CSU system. I am glad he was targeted by the students as part of the problem! Thumbs up for all the students who protested. May you be empowered when even more students join your cause on November 3. If students do not fight back now they will continue to suffer at the mercy of administration who do not have the student’s best interests in mind.
anonymous • Oct 22, 2009 at 9:25 am
Good Plan.. protest cut classes by skipping class… and what is Dr Welty to do? Just say ok fees back to before… when it wasn’t HE who raised them in the first place it was the CSU system a whole.
anonymous • Oct 22, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Good Plan.. protest cut classes by skipping class… and what is Dr Welty to do? Just say ok fees back to before… when it wasn’t HE who raised them in the first place it was the CSU system a whole.
jesus anarcho christ • Oct 21, 2009 at 11:27 pm
i believe that things must get a lot more aggressive if things are going to change. taking school back a building at a time!
jesus anarcho christ • Oct 22, 2009 at 6:27 am
i believe that things must get a lot more aggressive if things are going to change. taking school back a building at a time!