 "Photo: Monique McKinley")
It is a common occurrence for the main entrance of CSUSB to be congested with traffic. Last Thursday, however, cars were not the only ones filling the intersection.
Students and teachers took to the streets on Thursday March 4, 2010, to participate in the "Day of Action." The rally, declared statewide by the CSUs, UCs and other publicly funded educational institutions, protested fee hikes, budget cuts, and layoffs at these schools.
The rally started at the intersection of Northpark and University at 11:30 a.m. where a little over one hundred students gathered with signs, megaphones and a common goal; to make their voices heard and urge leaders to make education a top priority.
As the students gathered, chants emerged from the crowd, from "our education, our future," to verbal attacks on CSU Chancellor Reed, the man many blame for the budget debacle. Motorists passing by and entering the university honked and cheered in support of the rally.
The march towards the Pfau Library lawn started towards noon, where more had joined the crowd. Once at the lawn, chanting grew louder and the rally officially begain.
Students portrayed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chancellor Reed in a dialogue, making them out to be unwilling to compromise, and insensitive to the needs of students. During the rally, Reed was referred to numurous times as "Chancellor Greed."
Fliers were handed out to those in attendance, bringing to attention all the effects of the cuts and the sallaries of the top paid executives in of the CSUs, including the $421,500 salary that Chancellor Reed rakes in every year.
Different speakers were brought to the stage, ranging from professors, students, alumni and more; each urging that students take action and make a difference in the situation public education is facing.
"Over the last two years, $19 billion have been cut from public education statewide," said Sociology professor Patricia Little. "We are going to make sure this ends."
According to the California Facutly Association (CFA), among the billions cut from education over the past two years is $1.4 billion from the CSU system alone. This lead to nearly 5,300 fewer classes being offered and 2,600 fewer teachers than in 2007.
"Do you really know what today is about?" Theatre Arts lecturer Leslie Bryant asked the crowd. "These events are taking place all over the state to support public education. We need to put the funding back in public education, We are sick of furlough days, where you don't see your teacher, yet students are still held accountable for work that should be done in the classroom."
As the budget cuts continue, more students say they have found themselves making sacrifices that can negatively impact their scholastic careers.
ASI President James Fukazawa brought up two textbooks during his speech, pointing out that they were the only two he could afford in the past two years
"I was cut from the only two classes I needed to graduate this spring, because I was unable to pay on time," Fukazawa said. "When I asked what I should do, they told me 'good luck.'"
Speakers also urged the crowd to spread the word and support the cause.
"Get a hold of your assemblymen and legislators," Bryant said. "Hold them accountable, you voted for them, and if they aren't doing their job, vote them out."
Students are being pressured to succeed and are now facing more obstacles on the road to graduation. With bigger class sizes comes less attention. The ideal student-teacher experience is being compromised.
Teresa Raef, a Shandin Hills Middle School teacher and CSUSB alum, took to the stage and spoke about how Califorina's budget woes have affected her classes.
"Everytime I get a class of 36 students, I know that they are going to suffer because they're not going to get the attention they will need," Raef said.
The rally also is a good lesson for students to take a stand on important issues in the community.
"Activism is exciting and a way to get your voice heard," said CSUSB student Ivan Aguayo. "We need to do more than this though. We need to have Get Out the Vote campaigns and research meetings with assemblymen and senators. In a way, we need to be the lobbyists."
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