Archive | Education RSS feed for this section

UC Santa Cruz Students Occupy Kerr Hall

Published on November 22, 2009 in Education

Kerr Hall Occupation On Thursday, November 19th, the Regents of the University of California approved a 32% increase in undergraduate fees. As part of the ongoing local and global protests against the privatization of education, Kerr Hall at UC Santa Cruz, which contains the offices of the administration, vice-chancellors, and chancellors, was occupied by hundreds of students. The students created a list of demands which was read and given to UCSC’s Executive Vice Chancellor David Kliger and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Felicia McGinty. The first three demands are to, “Repeal the 32% fee increase; Stop all current construction on campus; and UC funds and budget are made transparent.” Read More and View Photos

photo gallery >>

Hundreds Demonstrate at UC Santa Cruz Against 32% Fee Hikes

Published on November 18, 2009 in Education

FUCK EDU-APARTHEID On November 18th, hundreds of students rallied at the two entrances to the UC Santa Cruz campus, shutting them down for several hours. The demonstration was in conjunction with statewide actions against a 32% increase in undergraduate student fees, effective fall 2010, which was approved the same day at UCLA by the Committee on Finance of the UC Board of Regents.

A group of approximately 300 students entered the Kresge Town Hall at UCSC to create an organizing space around the budget cuts. Students at the entrances eventually joined the others in the Kresge Town Hall to plan further actions. Read More and View Photos

photo gallery >>

Dancing for a Future at the Bay Tree Occupation, UC Santa Cruz

Published on October 3, 2009 in Arts & Creation, Education

UCSC Occupation Dance Party A dance party thumped on the night of September 30th at the occupied Graduate Student Commons and Bay Tree Plaza at UC Santa Cruz. The party brought out hundreds of undergraduates, many of them still frosh in their second week of college, as well as graduate students, alumni, dropouts, faculty and other distinguished community members. Many people described the space and experience as liberating. People of color, anarchists, communists, fraternity guys, sorority gals and jocks were all mixed into the diverse crowd of protesting dancers.

Without a doubt, they danced to enjoy the present moment, but of greater importance, they were dancing together for a future. A future of liberation and mutual aid, rather than the systems and structures of exploitation rigorously ingrained in them through corrupt institutions. Read More and View Photos

photo gallery >>

Occupation of the Graduate Student Commons at UC Santa Cruz

Published on September 25, 2009 in Education

Graduate Student Commons Occupation UCSC On Thursday, September 24th, students at UC Santa Cruz began the occupation of the Graduate Student Commons as part of a day of action at all UCs across the state. The building is located in a central location on campus, across from the Bay Tree Bookstore. The occupiers held a dance party on Friday the night and another dance party on Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, the occupation had come to an end. Read More and View Photos

photo gallery >>

Rally and Walkout at UC Santa Cruz to Defend the Future of Public Education

Published on September 24, 2009 in Education, Labor

Demilitarize and Deprivatize UC On September 24th, students, faculty, staff and alumni at University of California (UC) schools participated in a day of coordinated walkouts and rallies in defense of the future of public education. Hundreds rallied at the base of the UC Santa Cruz campus to protest the privatization of the UC system, which includes student fee hikes, faculty and staff furloughs and layoffs, executive pay increases, and cuts to courses, programs and services. The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) held a daylong strike at all UC schools, with pickets at the main and west entrances of UCSC from 6am–6pm.

Rallies took place at the base of UCSC, amplified courtesy of People Power!’s human-powered bicycle generator, at 12pm and 3:30pm. After the 3:30pm rally, students marched and occupied the intersection by the Bay Tree Plaza. From there, it was announced that a building occupation was underway, and people moved to the Bay Tree Plaza to support an ongoing inhabitation of the Graduate Student Commons. Read More and View Photos

photo gallery >>