Univ. of CA Students Mobilize

by Robert Simons / November 2009

BERKELEY, Calif.—California’s deep funding cuts in this year’s education and social programs have not been taken as quietly as the state administration had hoped. Universities, community colleges, and K-12 schools are fighting back.

On Sept. 24, some 5000 University of California at Berkeley students, faculty, and campus workers mobilized as part of a system-wide strike. They were joined by thousands more across all 10 UC campuses. That evening, a mass assembly at UC Berkeley voted to hold a statewide conference to coordinate the struggle to defend public education.

The resulting conference, held Oct. 24 at Berkeley’s Pauley Ballroom, attracted 800 participants from schools, community colleges, California State Universities, and University of California campuses. For the first time, students, faculty, and campus workers organized a statewide open and democratic assembly to plan and prepare a concerted and long-term fightback.

After hours of discussion, the meeting set March 4 for a day of strikes, marches, occupations, teach-ins, and other forms of mass action. The date was chosen in anticipation of March 15, the official deadline after which state law prohibits public-school teacher layoffs.

In addition, Nov. 18-20 was selected for an action to shut down the scheduled meeting of the University of California Board of Regents at UCLA. Thousands are expected to converge on Los Angeles that day as well as hold demonstrations at other campuses. The Regents are scheduled to vote then to increase UC student fees 32% for next year, bringing fees up to $10,302 per year. Already fees have been increased 9.3% for this year, or 250% in the last decade.

Dozens of custodians, physical plant workers, librarians, professors and others face layoffs and furloughs at UC. Meanwhile, UC President Mark Yudof gets paid $828,000, plus a free mansion.

The body voted to allow each sector to organize its own constituency in the manner it thought appropriate. “It is one thing for students to strike for a day or more,” said one UC Berkeley student activist, “it is quite another to organize the state’s 1100 school district union teachers and workers to do the same. We are just at the beginning of this fight and how we achieve the unity to win is the critical question.”

The Oct. 24 assembly showed that many students and education workers are well aware of the nation’s skewed priorities. “Bail out working people and public education,” said one student at an open microphone, “not the corporations and banks.” Another added to loud applause, “Fund education not wars!”

What was most impressive was the spirit of open discussion and debate that permeated the day’s deliberations. Everyone was welcomed, heard, and respected. A unanimous motion was approved to organize a follow-up statewide meeting in early 2010 to continue the struggle and to plan for March 4.