For years, when people talked about a "student movement," they referred to something that was perhaps more theoretical than tangible, a force that was more wishful thinking than reality. That is no longer the case.
Throughout the country and especially in California, students are becoming mobilized, having been jarred out of their apathy by an combination of fee increases, predatory loan practices and assaults on their access to higher education that have become even more unacceptable in recent years.
In California especially, we have seen this in action. In September, tens of thousands of students participated in actions across the state, joining with faculty, staff and other community members to send a message to the state government and the University of California administration that the situation was unacceptable. In October, hundreds gathered at UC Berkeley to plan further moves through the spring. Through the fall, actions were organized, Regents' meetings disrupted and thousands of students mobilized in the wake of tuition and fee hikes. Throughout that time, California saw some of the largest campus protests in a generation.
Now, at the beginning of a new spring, students from across the state and the country are gearing up for several months of intense action and advocacy. This coming week will see national actions in support of the DREAM Act, which would ensure educational access and a path to legalization for undocumented students who, under the current system, are denied the opportunities that their peers enjoy.
Additionally, March 4 will see strikes and marches in California and across the nation, with actions reportedly planned in other states such as Rhode Island, Michigan and New York. Later in March, students from across the country will attend the United States Student Association Legislative Conference to discuss possible solutions to the problems that college students face and meet with national legislators to advocate for them.