|
March in March II by Mona Field, Social Sciences Division |
|||
|
For the second year in a row, community college students made their voices and their issues known directly at the state Capitol. Thousands of students, faculty, and staff walked and stood in hot sun to express their concern about fee increases, budget cuts and other ways in which access is being reduced. The march and rally were full of spirit and energy, and the follow-up appointments with legislators gave students and faculty the opportunity to reinforce the message and discuss the details.
GCC's Missing Students GCC sent both faculty and students to march and to lobby legislators. Thanks to extraordinary efforts by AS leaders and Arlene Guillen, the Glendale delegation had numerous appointments, including one with an advisor to Gov. Schwarzennegger. In these meetings, detailed lobbying took place in meetings where students met with legislators in small groups and had a chance to "tell their story." Faculty leaders were present to mention some of the issues that especially concern them, including preservation of categorical funding for adjunct office hours and a range of budget concerns. One theme that caught several legislators by surprise was the question of how to serve the thousands of UC and CSU eligibles who are now being "redirected" to community colleges. The "redirect" letters are already being sent to some UC applicants, who are being offered a "junior year transfer" spot if they complete all the transfer requirements free at their local community college. The fact that there are no fees for the "redirects" amazed one legislative staff member who asked, "So how will you have the resources for them?" Our answer, of course, was "That's one of our questions, too!" In keeping with one of the goals of the day, Missing Student statues were displayed in all their diversity. Each one was uniquely designed and decorated at a community college to reflect its students’ special concerns about budget cuts and the limitation of access to education that would result from those cuts. Some implied that without education, students would be imprisoned, both literally and figuratively. Others indicated by a rainbow of ethnicities that all must have access to education. Not every college brought completed statues that day, but plans are being made to bring together all the Missing Student statues and display them around the state. As organizers had hoped, the march and rally got substantial media attention. Major newspapers from around the state provided coverage the day after the march and some TV stations also provided brief mentions of the event. Students were the major voice at the rally with 24 student speakers expressing their concerns. In between, faculty and staff leaders shared supportive messages, and many legislators and executive officials voiced their commitments to students. Virtually all legislators express support for educational opportunities, although partisan differences emerge when it comes to fees and funding. The Governor's approach that "California fees will still be the lowest in the nation" has become the mantra of most Republican legislators. As expected, Democrats express frustration that this "tax on students" cannot be transposed as a true tax on those more able to pay rather than on the pocketbooks of struggling community college students. Legislators cautioned that crowds must equal votes, and we must renew our efforts to get students to register and vote. Although we did not leave Sacramento feeling that we will win everything we want, we see many ways in which to influence the budget process that will unfold throughout the spring. Let's hope it doesn't become another long, hot summer without a state budget, and let's maintain our fighting spirit as we dig into the details of protecting our students. We must fight on to Keep the Doors Open. And we must continue to educate our students about their critical role in that struggle. Student leaders plan more Sacramento actions in May, and our support is essential. Students (or anyone!) can go to < http://www.rockthevote.com/> www.rockthevote.com to register to vote.& |
