Protest At Sac St.

Thomas S. Ball

“Well you say the budget’s cut, why don’t you tell me something new? I’ve been singing about the state budget cuts since 1992. Well it’s time to stop the nonsense and I’ve got some things that you can do, Cause we’ve got to work together to get out of these furlough blues.”--- The Furlough Blues

It’s that time of year again. As they start the fall semester, students used to being greeted with long lines at the financial aid office, and books not being in at the bookstore now are in for something extra.

This fall at Sacramento State and other CSU campuses students are being hit with a double whammy; 32 percent fee increases and a 10 percent reduction in class time.

This is a result of the new contract that the California Faculty Association agreed to as part of the budget agreement signed by Gov. Arnold Schwartsenegger and the Legislature on July 24.

According to the CSU budget office, in 2009 the average cost to under-graduate students will be $4,026.00, which is double what it cost students in 2003.

One of the provisions of the agreement, designed to save the state money, is the inclusion of Furlough days.

For many students this means classes being canceled and fewer days of instruction.

The Furlough day provision is at the heart of the current protests because they force teachers to take un-paid leave during the semester.

On Wed, Sept. 2. Students and faculty gathered together in the quad at Sac St. to protest the effects of the new contract.

Some of the protesters played instruments and sang protest songs, then they lead the crowd in chants of “they say cut back, we say fight back.”

CFA president Kevin Wehr said, “We’re talking to people spreading the message to the community that students & teachers need to be united and staff & students are paying 32percent more to get 10 percent less.” Wehr also said, “ we’re out here to make sure this doesn’t become bossiness as usual.”

The developments are vary troubling for students. One such Student is Kristina Lee who is the co-chair of the Progressive Alliance.

Lee said, “I understand the need to trim some fat from the budget, but I don't think that furloughs are the way to do it. I also think it hurts California in the long run because with decreased incomes, state workers will be buying and investing less. Additionally, stressing them out by decreasing their pay stresses them out, and (it) lowers (the) morale and productivity. Challenging state workers to come up with ways to decrease their departmental budgets and implementing viable ideas seems like a better way of cutting spending, even if it takes longer to do and costs a little more.”

As a result of the budget crisis Sac St, along with the other CSU’s, has already stopped accepting applications for new students in 2010. Un-fortunately it seems that now the students that are left are going to be receiving a lower quality of education at a higher price.