March intended to protest budget cuts to CSU, tuition increases
Holly Szkoropad
Issue date: 3/12/09 Section: News
To combat a shrinking budget and rising fees for the California State University system, SJSU students will meet with other students from across the state to rally in Sacramento on Monday to attend this year's March for Higher Education.
Next semester, about 3,000 incoming SJSU students will be cut from enrollment and students will face a fee increase of about $300, according to the California Faculty Association Web site.
Associated Students is sponsoring three buses to drive about 140 people to the capital, to encourage SJSU students to join, said Kathryn Linder, the director of external affairs for A.S.
"I think San Jose State has a legacy of, during the '60s, being just as much as an activist campus as Berkeley," Linder said. "I would love to see us get back to that. I think the beginning stage is making it easy for students."
Linder said that, so far, there are so many empty seats that A.S. may only sponsor one or two buses, instead of three.
"I have no problem spending student fees to go do something that's good for students," Linder said. "What we don't want to do is spend student money on things that aren't going to be worthwhile."
Since the budget deficit is leaving all sources for higher education with shortfalls, community colleges, the University of California system, and other California State University students from across the state will also participate.
Students for Quality Education, a statewide organization, is also sponsoring March for Higher Education, which it became involved with for last year's march.
SJSU members are scrambling to get the message out to students using every outlet possible, via Facebook, tabling at the Student Union and passing out fliers.
"The only way that change has ever been made is when a small group of people make a lot of noise," said Julian Rosenberg, the president of the SJSU chapter of the club. "If a small group of people are pushing in this direction, everyone moves just a little bit."
Next semester, about 3,000 incoming SJSU students will be cut from enrollment and students will face a fee increase of about $300, according to the California Faculty Association Web site.
Associated Students is sponsoring three buses to drive about 140 people to the capital, to encourage SJSU students to join, said Kathryn Linder, the director of external affairs for A.S.
"I think San Jose State has a legacy of, during the '60s, being just as much as an activist campus as Berkeley," Linder said. "I would love to see us get back to that. I think the beginning stage is making it easy for students."
Linder said that, so far, there are so many empty seats that A.S. may only sponsor one or two buses, instead of three.
"I have no problem spending student fees to go do something that's good for students," Linder said. "What we don't want to do is spend student money on things that aren't going to be worthwhile."
Since the budget deficit is leaving all sources for higher education with shortfalls, community colleges, the University of California system, and other California State University students from across the state will also participate.
Students for Quality Education, a statewide organization, is also sponsoring March for Higher Education, which it became involved with for last year's march.
SJSU members are scrambling to get the message out to students using every outlet possible, via Facebook, tabling at the Student Union and passing out fliers.
"The only way that change has ever been made is when a small group of people make a lot of noise," said Julian Rosenberg, the president of the SJSU chapter of the club. "If a small group of people are pushing in this direction, everyone moves just a little bit."
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