Fresno has seen a spike in protests in the last year due to recent events such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) overreach, the war with Iran and the handling of the Epstein files.

Some Fresno Unified School District and Clovis Unified School District high schools performed campus walkouts in January and February to protest ICE, which were covered extensively by media outlets and discussed by thousands on Facebook and Instagram. 

But Fresno State? Nowhere to be seen. 

Since my time at Fresno State, I have noticed that the campus seems to be incredibly disengaged with politics. I am a political science major, and even in that department, I have come across many who are ill-informed and do not wish to share their opinions. 

During my time reporting for The Collegian, I would go around and ask students their thoughts on a political topic, and nine times out of 10, the student refused to give an answer. 

Recently, one Collegian reporter asked 100 students to give their thoughts on the war with Iran, and only seven answered.

Seven. 

Out of 100 students asked, on a campus of nearly 25,000. If you were to ask 100 students at the University of California, Berkeley, I am more than positive that 100 would answer. 

The lack of political discourse is mixed with the utter shock that Fresno State did not organize one campus walkout or protest during the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. I saw tons of high schoolers, who are required by law to stay in class, walking out and storming to Fresno City Hall, but Fresno State was radio silent.

When did Fresno State stop being a politically active campus?

In the 1960s and 70s, The Collegian headlines used to look like this:

• “FSC Computer Center firebombed — Estimated $1 million worth of equipment destroyed by arsonists”
• “Student senate votes 12-7 to hold campus-wide boycott next week”
• “Why Black professor was fired by Baxter”
• “Chicanos go on hunger strike, issue 10 demands”
• “Zumwalt, Chittick are demoted, campus police board up offices”
• “Students detain acting dean as meeting erupts into confrontation”

Many of these instances were protesting the Vietnam War and racism on campus. The boycotts and protests proved to be effective, even making one Fresno State president resign from his position after he fired a professor for saying marijuana was harmless. 

Being politically active and protesting has a great influence on the community, from educating people on certain issues to holding higher powers accountable.

Fresno State students have an opportunity to show that they are capable of making their voices heard. Students do care about issues on campus, like staff wage gaps and free speech issues, because there is constant discourse under The Collegian’s Instagram posts when we cover those issues.

But in order to make a change, the actions can’t stop at pressing the send button. People need to start showing up on campus. It has the opportunity to make a real difference, hold people accountable and educate students on how these issues can affect everyone.