Nine seems to be the magic number for next year’s 2012-2013 academic budget.
A nine percent tuition increase was passed 9-6, with nine of 24 trustees missing from the meeting. Since when is nine of 24 a majority?
It’s just not right.
The tuition increase added more fuel to the fire spreading across college campuses in California, hoping to repeal the hikes.
In response, Occupy SFSU decided to camp out in front of Cesar Chavez Student Center. They plan to stay at least until the end of the fall semester.
If the encampment will only provide the student health center with more cases of hypothermia. They need to take the protest to the opposition.
Yes, we know letters don’t work. We have all tried to make a change by writing to our one-sided pen pals, our local politicians. This is part of the reason why occupation is the new tactic.
Let’s take this action to the offices of “the legislators who like the Republicans in Washington are standing between us and what we should have as citizens of this state and nation,” according to President Robert A. Corrigan.
If you want to go to their offices in San Francisco, the address is 455 Golden Gate Ave, Suites 14800, 14600, 14200 and 14300. According to Corrigan’s words, the legislators are there every Friday.
Check Google Maps to look for appropriate places to pitch a tent.
Before setting up camp last Thursday many members of a crowd of about 150 protestors heckled President Corrigan as he responded to questions and concerns about the recent tuition increase.
Corrigan should not be a scapegoat for a problem that is bigger than he is. He should be considered an ally for for the movement to make a change.
They are throwing darts at the pool table.
“I’m asking you, indeed I’m begging you, to bring the message to legislators,” Corrigan said.
He has a point.
It is a notable event that the president came out of his office to address students. He didn’t have to, he chose to.
Look at the actions of UC Berkeley and UC Davis administration as a comparison point for how poorly the administration could have reacted to the Occupy SFSU movement.
All the negative commentary did was push away the man who could help us get what we collectively need and desire: more money for higher education.
We’re not saying President Corrigan is a saint, or that he has been a perfect administrator. But to reject ideas from a man who has been with the University for 23 years is unreasonable.
Try some of his ideas and see what happens. You never know they might work and we might get some relief from the education budget turmoil that surrounds us.
The presidents of universities are not the ones who have the power to change. The power is in the hands of the legislature.
Let’s be smarter about this fight, and direct our anger and tents to the correct front lawn.
