Campus community unites March 4 to support higher education funding
March 1, 2010 -- March 4, designated as a state-wide day of action, offers an opportunity to highlight the critical need to fund higher education and restore state funding to the California State University (CSU).
March 4 Day of Action activities are planned for SF State .The impact of the budget decisions made by the state legislature affects the entire campus community. The Education Budget Action Committee (EBAC), comprised of representatives of SF State faculty, students, staff and management, has met regularly to share information and coordinate the campus-wide efforts to influence the state's budget process.
"It is now up to the state legislature to fund the Governor's budget," Derek Aitken, associate director of government relations, said. "We must impress upon our elected officials the need to do so. The March 4 Day of Action is an opportunity to reach out to the campus community and beyond to make the case for supporting higher education."
Through a series of e-mails, phone calls and advertisements, EBAC has encouraged campus-wide advocacy for appropriate budget support for the CSU.
Activities have included working with faculty, alumni, parents and students to contact their legislators, write opinion pieces for their local papers and participate in special action days, reports Aitken. Upcoming actions include activities on March 4, March 22, April 27 and May 24, all of which are designed to focus attention on the legislators in Sacramento.
"Devastating budget cuts to public higher education have raised anxiety and frustration across the state," Shawn Whalen, chair of the academic senate, said. "We are hopeful that activities on March 4 will help channel those reactions into a productive dialogue with legislators over the future of our state, while preventing the kind of disruptive and unproductive reactions that weaken the coalitions that are so important to our success."
March 4 will include a range of activities designed to build unity, raise awareness, entertain and teach the campus community how to communicate effectively about solutions to the budget crisis.
"It is so important for everyone to get on board," said Brigitte Davila, lecturer in Raza Studies and chair of the California Faculty Association's political action committee at SF State. "Faculty and staff can engage in peaceful, non-violent and meaningful protest on March 4."
Schedule of Events for March 4, the SF State Day of Action for Public Higher Education:
10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Informational Picket Line on 19th Ave. and Holloway.
12:15 to 12:30 p.m.: Picket Line march to Malcolm X Plaza
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Political Theater and Spoken Word performed by SF State talent, addressing the budget cuts
1:30 to 3 p.m.: Do-It-Yourself Protest signs and T-shirt stenciling (bring a T-shirt, if you can)
2 to 3:30 p.m.: Teach-in scheduled on Malcolm X Plaza
3:30 to 4 p.m.: Board MUNI or shuttle to BART (Anyone boarding at 19th Ave. MUNI with a March 4 T-shirt or protest sign will receive a pass for boarding)
4 to 4:45 p.m.: SF State community will gather and meet at the steps of the Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center before proceeding to the stage area.
5 to 6:30 p.m.: Rally for California’s Future, San Francisco Civic Center. Stand together with Pre-K to Higher Education educators, parents, students and all those who work in the public sector to send a message to Sacramento.
For further information:
Learn about activities planned for March 4 by visiting http://www.takeastand4publiced.org/or contacting Brigitte Davila at lawebjefa@gmail.com or 415-531-9743 (cell).
Learn what you can do to become an advocate for SF State:http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/budgetcentral/
Learn more about CSU-wide budget news and activities:http://blogs.calstate.edu/budgetcentral/