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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Editorial: Outrage directed at Regents better spent against Sacramento - The Highlander - Opinions

Editorial: Outrage directed at Regents better spent against Sacramento - The Highlander - Opinions

Editorial: Outrage directed at Regents better spent against Sacramento

By Editorial Board

Published: Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Updated: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 14:11

Editorial Graphic

Irin Son / Highlander

Last Thursday, the Regents voted 15-5 to increase student fees and tuition by eight percent to take effect next fall quarter. As with last year's approval of a 32 percent fee hike, students voiced their protest during the hours leading up to and following the decision to increase student fees yet again.

By this point, however, it should be clear that the Regents must have at least some inkling as to why so many would protest any attempt to raise student fees. While it remains important to continually pressure the Regents to act with the best interests of Californians and students in mind, there are other avenues of approach that students and activists should consider with regards to preserving an accessible, affordable higher education.

In other words, the fight to preserve higher education must evolve past simplistic Regent-bashing and bludgeoning.

Granted, it is deservedly easy to demonize those who directly control the University of California and its affairs for everything they have done and failed to do. On more than one occasion, students have pointed out a myriad of ways