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The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

The Student News Site of San Francisco State University

Golden Gate Xpress

Students rally for transparency at SF State

SF+State+Sociology+student%2C+Gary+Pei%2C+holds+a+sign+as+he+crosses+the+street+during+a+rally+in+which+students+came+together+to+bring+attention+to+a+variety+of+issues+happening+on+the+SF+State+campus+on+19th+and+Holloway+in+San+Francisco%2C+CA+on+Wednesday%2C+April%2C+13%2C+2016.+%28Alex+Kofman+%2F+Xpress%29
SF State Sociology student, Gary Pei, holds a sign as he crosses the street during a rally in which students came together to bring attention to a variety of issues happening on the SF State campus on 19th and Holloway in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, April, 13, 2016. (Alex Kofman / Xpress)

A group of around 25 students rallied on 19th and Holloway avenues Wednesday to bring attention to the wide range of issues affecting SF State as of late.

Issues surrounding the College of Ethnic Studies, the California Faculty Association and an independent financial analysis released last week were among the concerns of the students.

“Hey hey ho ho where did my tuition go,” students chanted as they held up colorful signs in front of the main entrance to SF State.

Students from different programs around campus such as the College of Ethnic Studies and the California Faculty Association hold signs during a rally in which students came together to bring attention to a variety of issues happening on the SF State campus in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, April, 13, 2016. (Alex Kofman / Xpress)
Students from different programs around campus such as the College of Ethnic Studies and the California Faculty Association hold signs during a rally in which students came together to bring attention to a variety of issues happening on the SF State campus in San Francisco, CA on Wednesday, April, 13, 2016. (Alex Kofman / Xpress)

The students marched to a section of grass in the quad and held a teach-in, broadcasting information over a small portable speaker to a group of SF State students. The rally and teach-in aimed to share information about issues involving tuition and funding and also provided an update on the CFA strike. An independent financial analysis released last week provided information used during the rally.

“It makes me realize that there’s no transparency at all within this entire institution,” said SF State junior Alex Parks, who attended the teach-in. “I lost a lot of respect for (President Leslie E. Wong) recently. As I learned more and more about him, he’s kind of a shady guy.”

A related cross-campus forum between City College of San Francisco and SF State was held April 6. The forum was to address the absence of a proposed 2016-2017 SF State budget. The attendees also voiced concerns about tuition and other issues discussed at the rally.

“While the budget planning process is underway, we will not know the official state budget until it is provided to us by the Governor in late June,” Jonathan Morales, SF State director of news and new media, said in an email.

“Frankly, I am pissed about what I am hearing,” said Shaniece Valencia, a College of Ethnic Studies student who attended the forum.

Valencia also expressed the stresses she endured trying to maneuver around the lack of stability she has received from SF State.

“I am up literally at 2 o’clock in the morning trying to figure out how I am going to pay for another year of school as tuition is going up. How am I going to get into my classes if my classes and my faculty are going to be gone?”

Morales said Wong has called for the creation of budget advisory committees in each of SF State’s colleges, including the College of Ethnic Studies, in order to engage the entire campus in the budgeting process.

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    goodmaabMay 3, 2016 at 8:38 am

    Sfsu foundation now U.corp and the expenditures on expansion prior caused the financial burden Google “corrigans viewpoint” back in 2000 and 2001 or go look at the journalism departments old sfsu xpress files… Parkmerced and sfsu have been in cahoots for a long time taking advantage of students “student living redefined” and tuition hikes to pay for cost issues on housing the new library and the new in progress mashouf center. Why did they not fix existing buildings why the huge build out? Value engineer the sfsu master plan and cut back admin and planning salaries ….

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Students rally for transparency at SF State