Absolutely!
Keep a hands off policy and let the whiners starve themselves.
Posted on 05/27/2009 7:57:51 AM PDT by SmithL
SANTA CRUZ -- More than 100 students and staff from UC Santa Cruz gathered at the foot of campus Tuesday to launch a hunger strike aimed at urging administrators to reverse course on budget cuts that opponents say disproportionately affect students of color.
About two dozen people, some attending the noon rally organized by the nascent Students of Color Collective, pledged not to take nourishment until a long list of demands is met. The demands include blocking cuts to the Community Studies and Latin American and Latino Studies departments, as well as hiring full-time directors for the American Indian Resource Center and Women's Center.
"We've tried education, we've tried negotiation," third-year Community Studies student Chelsea Long said. "This is our last tactic."
Members of the Students of Color Collective pledged to stay in front of the campus entrance at Bay and High streets from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day this week to answer questions about their cause. Even though this group has no intention of camping out overnight, their movement is nonetheless reminiscent of the Tent City controversy that pitched demonstrators against the administration over fee hikes and other issues in 2005.
Campus spokesman Jim Burns said it was not immediately clear how campus leaders planned to handle the possible health-related problems that could stem from a student hunger strike, which have happened at UCSC previously. He also could not immediately say whether campus officials are working with striking students to address their demands.
However, Burns did say, "We appreciate and share the frustration of students and others over continued reductions in state funding to UC. And in the wake of last week's election, we're bracing for even further cuts. In that environment, protecting every program is neither realistic nor possible."
The campus is facing at least $13 million in state cuts by July 1 on top of no funding for inflationary costs, such as utilities. But those cuts are likely to deepen as California lawmakers determine how to close a $21 billion statewide deficit made wider by last week's sound defeat of revenue-generating ballot measures.
UCSC Campus Provost David Kliger has left it up to division heads to make cuts, and has said his previous recommendations to cut the pay of top administrators was denied by the UC Office of the President.
In front of a backdrop that included a large sign declaring "Welcome to the University of Institutionalized Colonialization," students took to a microphone calling on the administration to save jobs and programs designed to attract and retain students of color -- a key demographic point that campus administrators like to promote when there is improvement. In fact, this spring saw small gains in the percentage of students from underrepresented ethnic groups admitted to UCSC, with the largest group being Chicanos and Latinos.
For several weeks, Community Studies students and staff have been working together to encourage the dean of Social Sciences, Sheldon Kamieniecki, to reverse a decision to consolidate staffs that students argue will essentially drain Community Studies and Latin American studies of their effectiveness.
"Spiritually, we're strong enough to keep this going and it matters on a level bigger than budget numbers," said Ricky Quesnot, a fifth-year Latin American and Latino and Latina Studies student. "The cuts are being made in the name of money. They say, We are all feeling it,' but are we all feeling it?'"
Kamieniecki could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but Patricia Zavella, chair of the Latin American and Latino Studies departments, said she agreed that students of color, who make up 75 percent of her students, would be adversely affected by the dean's proposed cuts. Zavella said the layoff of two lecturers, Guillermo Delgado and Susanne Jonas, will eliminate the 12 courses they teach.
"They can't imagine how two people who have given such long-term instruction could just be cut like that," Zavella, who presented last year's prestigious Faculty Research Lecture, said of the student demonstrators. "But I don't like to see students going on a hunger fast. It scares me. This campus has a history of being brutal to student demonstrators. I would hate to see students get hurt, so I would hope the administration respects students' rights to protest."
Campus police have arrested students during past demonstrations, including the Tent City controversy, the 2007 Science Hill tree-sit protest and a 2006 standoff with authorities during a campus visit by the regents.
The Students of Color Collective is also demanding that UCSC be declared "a sanctuary campus for undocumented communities" and that Family Student Housing residents receive no rent increase next school year. The Collective argues the overall student fee hike of nearly 10 percent recently approved by the UC regents also diminishes the ability of students from historically underserved groups, like African-Americans and Latinos, to seek an education from UC.
Yvette Tran, a first-year psychology student who helped organize Tuesday's rally, said she hoped the hunger strike would force administrators to heed the demands and cut their own salaries instead.
"We are using an extreme tactic, but that's what we need to get our message across," said Tran.
Twenty-four people whining makes the news?
Maybe they’re on the Cindy Shehagan diet, fruit smoothies only.
You’re so right. The best thing for this hunger strike is, after about four or five hours, bring a bunch of pizzas and start eating in front of them. We’ll see how many of these pansy college kids have the discipline to stay in the ranks.
Given the cafeteria food there, they’re better off not eating.
It might do them well to go on a diet and start paying for themselves like the working stiffs do. Life isn’t fair and life isn’t free. They best get use to it.
“Twenty-four people whining makes the news?”
Two whiners of color or two homosexuals protesting anything is front page news for most Dinosaur Fish Wraps in Kaliforniakator Land.
>>”We’ve tried education, we’ve tried negotiation,” third-year Community Studies student Chelsea Long said. “This is our last tactic.” <<
HAHAHA!
Try getting a job.
This is gonna be an interesting depression. All the usual tactics will be tried and will fail. There are not that many americans alive that remember a time when the government simply could not solve your problems. You gotta do it yourself.
It may mean you don’t get everything you want. That’s life.
Exactly what do you do with a degree in Latin-American studies, or African-American studies??
Do they teach you to say ‘You want fries with that?’ in Spanish and Ebonics?
Is this one of those “rolling” hunger strikes? Where person A goes without food for 8 hours (skips one or two meals), then rolls the hunger strike over to person B, who “starves” for 4 hours, then on to person C.... etc.? Ya gotta love that liberal sticktuitiveness.
College students eat constantly, I can’t see them lasting much longer- its been almost a day.
I spent my summers visiting Santa Cruz when Iwas growing up,I recently drove through the place, what a pit.....what happened??
What kinds of jobs are Latino Studies grads prepared for? My children will be "students of color" someday, since we are Asian Indian, but they had better study a real subject, like physics, biology, engineering, or economics.
You’re so right. The best thing for this hunger strike is, after about four or five hours, bring a bunch of pizzas and start eating in front of them. We’ll see how many of these pansy college kids have the discipline to stay in the ranks.
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Fry some bacon near them. That’ll get ‘em. ;-)
“This is our last tactic.”
Let’s hope so!
Absolutely!
Keep a hands off policy and let the whiners starve themselves.
The cafeteria food there is excellent. I gather you've never eaten there.
What in hell does a ‘community studies’ major do?
Re: Exactly what do you do with a degree in Latin-American studies, or African-American studies??
I believe that is funded by several of Obama’s bailouts.
>>What in hell does a ‘community studies’ major do?<<
Flip burgers, while keeping a close eye on the customers.
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