Dear students,
March 4 will be a statewide Day of Action in support of public education. Across California, faculty, students, parents, community leaders and workers -- from K-12 to University of California -- will take part in events to demand full funding of public education. This is a crucial time for advocacy for public education while the Governor and the Legislature negotiate a new budget that may include more cuts to UC and public education. The rallies in September and November have been effective: the Governor's office credited them with motivating his proposal to cap prison spending and increase the floor on higher education spending.
The UC system, the world's premier public university, is now at a breaking point. Students cannot get the classes they need even as they pay 45% higher fees, class sizes are ballooning, faculty have less contact with students and larger workloads, and staff work harder for less money. We are concerned about a future UC where thousands of eligible students are turned away, or take longer to finish their degrees. The future of the UC system must remain affordable and accessible to California's residents, in keeping with the Master Plan for Education.
On March 4, a Teach-Out will start at 12 noon at the Bell Tower. Students, workers and faculty will speak about the effects of the recent fee increases and budget cuts. The rally will continue with a march down University Avenue and rally in downtown Riverside.
For more information:
Facebook page of the Social Justice Alliance UCR: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=info&gid=142229676325
Free UCR Alliance web page: http://freeucr.org
