California State Students Plan to Fast in Protest over Cuts

Yannie Yip Posting #4

Topic: Education

Title: California State Students Plan to Fast in Protest over Cuts

Author: Jennifer Medina

Publication: New York Times

Date: May 5 2012

Length: 970

          A dozen students at California State University declared a hunger strike in protest over tuition increases and cuts in courses and enrollment. The fasting protest has appeared recently at the 23 California State University campuses. The students have pledged to forgo solid food for at least a week, and perhaps longer if the administration does not move to meet some of their demands. They are demanding a five-year moratorium on student fee increases. They also are asking for a rollback of executive salaries to 1999 levels, because protesters believe that the administration has allocated too much money for their own salaries and perks, but not enough for faculty and facilities. For example, last year San Diego State University hired a new president with a salary of $400,000, about $100,000 more than his predecessor, while increasing tuition by 12 percent. Faculty members have been supportive of the student protests. The union representing faculty members had voted to authorize a rolling strike at campuses statewide after efforts to reach an agreement on a contract stalled after two years of negotiations. This rolling two-day strike would most likely happen in the fall, and would be the largest strike in state history that would affect more than 400,000 students. Beside salary issues, the faculty is equally concerned that the university relies too much on part-time lecturers, who teach a full load of courses but do not have tenure. These lecturers make roughly $50,000 year, about half of what a tenured professor make. University officials are trying to end a policy that automatically renews contracts for such lecturers, while the union is arguing that such a change would limit academic freedom.

          The CSU system has lost roughly $970 million in state financing since 2008, and administrators said that it was inevitable to increase tuition. Since the 2007-2008 school year, tuition has risen to $5472 from the previous $2772. If voters do not approve a tax measure on the November ballot pushed by Governor Jerry Brown, the system will face another $200 million cut. The administration said that if this occurred, they would be forced to further cut enrollment, eliminate roughly 3000 faculty and staff positions, and end some academic and athletic programs.