What started as a dozen students in the grass of the Quad grew to hundreds as megaphone-wielding speakers convinced their peers to join a walkout in protest of San Francisco State University’s administration.
Thursday’s walkout was organized by the Student Union after their five demands were not met by the administration. After a rally, hundreds of students marched around campus.
The demonstrations came after negotiations with President Lynn Mahoney and Provost Amy Sueyoshi. The subsequent email exchanges left members feeling like the administration is stalling or attempting to offload responsibility onto faculty for how they have responded to the fiscal crisis, according to Student Union media liaison Brain Yan.
“This is just one of many diversions and lies the administration has used to try to place blame for their decisions anywhere but themselves,” Yan said, referring to how faculty in the classics department have told the Student Union that the administration threatens layoffs or more cuts if departments decide not to merge.
The walkout happened on the same day as the “Gator Block Party” intended to facilitate student Fall 2026 registration with a poster promoting free tacos, less stress and better schedules.
“If they want students to come get registered for their classes, they should make this a university that people want to register at,” Yan said when asked how they felt about the event coinciding with the walkout.
Michael Jackson playing from speakers in the Malcolm X Center was drowned out by the speeches and chants coming from the people gathered in the grass — the crowd of demonstrators with their backs turned against the decorations, completely focused on the speakers backdropped by the administration building.
“I did not choose SF State for its administrators, who sit on their six-figure salaries, to send wordy emails, full of excuses, empty platitudes and blaming everyone but themselves for their decisions,” said Student Union member and cinema major Shaun E in their speech.
E described how cinema lecturer Brian Benson’s classes were cut overnight after teaching at SFSU for 15 years.
“[Benson] was not only an educator, but an important resource, actively working in the field, and he is just one of hundreds across our school whose classes have disappeared overnight,” E said.
Bobby King, SFSU director of communications, said in an email that the university has been transparent about having to make adjustments to align with the declining enrollment.
“Obviously, there are things that we will not be able to do with enrollment that is 30% lower, but UBC and the Institutional Review Committee have both worked diligently to identify appropriate ways the University can align enrollment and budget.” King said in an email. “We are looking for compassionate ways to avoid layoffs – like with the current voluntary separation program.”
Wren Teng, a third-year ecology, evolution and conservation biology major, was walking to their class but stood to listen in on the speeches before continuing on their way. They described feeling frustrated with class cuts that result with students having to take extra semesters to graduate.
“It’s good to see so many people come out and stand together and have a uniformed message,” Teng said, adding that SFSU’s problems go beyond Mahoney’s office. “That’s only if the [CSU Board of Trustees] listens, and the school board is in SoCal.”
Moises Araica spoke during the rally and described feeling pumped up after initially feeling shy. He explained how his immigrant background motivates him to advocate for higher education and inspire new generations.
“I understand that everyone has their own issues, and have family members, they have jobs,” Araica said. “But at the end of the day, you’re paying for this. This is your future. Don’t you want more from it?”
On top of SFSU’s commuter identity and students prioritizing grades, Yan explained a psychological aspect of the budget cuts.
“I think a lot of people on this campus don’t feel empowered to do things,” Yan said. ”A big part of that is Lynn Mahoney, Amy Sueyoshi, this administration has unleashed massive cuts across the university. People don’t feel like they can do anything.”
Yan said recent mass demonstrations illustrate a growing sense of self-determination.
“People are seeing not only that something is wrong with the system that we live in,” Yan said. “People are also seeing that they have the power to change things.”
Sociology lecturer faculty Ryan Moore is glad that students are showing out in support of them, showing that they care for the quality of higher education.
“I still have my job, but we’re all in a really precarious situation… the working conditions that we face as teachers affect our students,” Moore said. “I kind of live in pretty constant fear that I’m going to be next.”
Political science professor Ron Hayduk expressed how student learning conditions are directly tied with faculty working conditions. Hayduk said that the administration could do better at helping achieve the university’s pedagogical mission.
“It’s so awesome to see these many students and faculty and staff, increasingly united and organized and active,” Hayduk said. “I think that it’s gonna really make a big difference.”
Vi Lee, a Student Union elected-leader, led a march through the Quad after speakers concluded. The march passed by the fine arts building, before proceeding by Cafe Rosso and looping back toward the quad area. With megaphone in hand and a smile across their face, Lee initiated chants that echoed throughout the procession.
“The students united will never be defeated,” Lee said.
Editors’ Note: This story was updated to correct the spelling of a name.
