Kevin Blair / The Collegian
Click here to view a graph on CSU attendance of this protest.
Nine students from California State University, Fresno joined thousands of others at the State Capitol in Sacramento participating in the March for Higher Education, organized to give higher funding priority to public institutions of higher education.
The major advocacy action was organized by the California State Student Association and Student Senate for California Community Colleges for Monday, March 22.
Student leaders from the California State University and the state’s community colleges — the two largest public higher education systems — led an estimated 15,000 students and supporters from throughout the state to Sacramento. They protested a “scaled-back public investment in California’s premiere institutions of public higher education.”
Jessica Sweeten, president of Fresno State’s Associated Students Inc., led the Fresno delegation on a bus ride that began at 5:30 a.m. and made a stop at California State University, Stanislaus to pick up additional supporters.
She said protestors chanted, “Kick us out and well vote you out,” on the Capitol steps as the event began.
“I am so impressed and pleased to be here with so many of my fellow students standing up for higher education,” Sweeten said in a text from the rally.
A press conference and rally included remarks by Fresno State student Russel Statham, a CSU student trustee, on the North Steps of the Capitol. Statham applauded the students for being united and exhorted them to “hold the Legislature accountable. After we are done here I encourage all of you to go advocate.”
“For the last decade, state legislators have repeatedly scaled back public investment in California’s premiere institutions of public higher education,” said the statement issued Friday by the protest organizers. “The result is felt worse this year than most, with students realizing major fee increases, experiencing faculty and staff furloughs and significant reductions to program and course offering budgets at local campuses.”
Jim Gardner • Mar 24, 2010 at 3:49 am
as long as you were there, thats all you can do, be there if necessary next time and be more pro-active
William Townley • Mar 24, 2010 at 2:06 am
Nine students? I think I’ll call this a failure on ASI’s part…..
Jim Gardner • Mar 23, 2010 at 7:49 pm
as long as you were there, thats all you can do, be there if necessary next time and be more pro-active
William Townley • Mar 23, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Nine students? I think I'll call this a failure on ASI's part…..
Jim Gardner • Mar 22, 2010 at 2:15 pm
yeah what he said, and if we need to return to sac next year, we will take the whole street. Jim
drbcayennebird • Mar 22, 2010 at 1:43 pm
We have trillions to spend on wars and prisons but not on health care and education? We, the people, must change the sentencing laws, release the frail elderly, quadriplegics and brain dead to their families and/or long term health care facilities. And most of all, we must prevent anyone taking money from law enforcem…ent labor unions, which includes all the Repubs and some of the DEMS, from ever getting elected to any office whatsoever. Education not incarceration. 20 register 20 register 20 to vote as “decline to state” voters. The power of numbers is the only message that needs to be delivered.