For Immediate Release Contact: Lisa Cohen, 310.395.2544
March 24, 2008 Alice Sunshine, 510.384.1967
MEDIA ADVISORY
THOUSANDS JOINING ‘ALLIANCE FOR THE CSU’ TO OPPOSE GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Cal State U. faculty, students, staff and administrators have overfilled venues to organize against the cuts; A new coalition is in formation to reach out to community supporters
SACRAMENTO—All Campus Budget Fight Back Meetings are coming this week at Humboldt State on Monday and CSU Fullerton in Orange County on Tuesday, while more than 2000 are expected at an outdoor Budget Fight Back Rally at Cal State Long Beach on Wednesday.
The CSU Long Beach rally is expected to be the largest yet in a snowballing campaign to restore funding for the 23-campus California State University system and to avoid yet another student fee increase.
At large meetings of more than 1000 at each of San Francisco State, Sacramento State, and San Diego State last week, the new coalition effort, the Alliance for the CSU rapidly signed up people to carry the message beyond the campuses that “The CSU is the Solution” to a troubled economy.
Members of the CSU Board of Trustees will join students, faculty, campus officials including campus presidents, CSU employees, and administrators at the events.
Budget Fight Back events also will take Thursday at CSU Channel Islands in Camarillo in later weeks at Cal State Los Angeles, San Jose State, CSU Bakersfield, Cal Poly Pomona and CSU Chico.
There will be a media availability 30 minutes prior to each campus meeting, and when the meetings start, the media is welcome to stay and cover the events.
The Governor proposes to cut $386 million from the CSU budget for the 2008/09 academic year at a time when the economy is lagging, businesses are desperate for skilled workers, the State’s infrastructure needs massive improvements, and disadvantaged and middle-class students are finding it harder and harder to afford a college education.
Faculty, students, staff, and the Administration know that the CSU is the solution to our State’s economic challenges, not the problem. The CSU educates the State’s skilled workforce, graduates the majority of minority students in California, and contributes over $7 billion to the State’s economy.
Cuts to the CSU would force the system to turn away at least 10,000 qualified students, hike student fees yet again, eliminate classes, lay off teachers and increase class sizes. In other words, cuts to the CSU will further damage the economy.
Below, please find an updated schedule of events occurring throughout California this week and beyond.
UPDATED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS – as of March 24, 2008
--Mon, March 24, Humboldt State, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 12-1 pm, University Center’s Kate Buchanan Room
--Tues, March 25, CSU Fullerton, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 11am-12:30 pm, Titan Student Union
--Wed, March 26, CSU Long Beach, Budget Fight Back Meeting, Noon, Speakers’ Platform (next to Student Union)
--Thu, March 27, CSU Channel Islands, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 12-12:50 pm, Petit Salon
--Wed, April 2, Cal State Los Angeles, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 12-2 pm, Golden Eagle Ballroom
--Wed, April 2, San Jose State, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 12-1 pm, Student Union Ballroom
--April 3, CSU Bakersfield, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 10:30-11:30 am, Icardo Center (gym)
--April 8, Cal Poly Pomona, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 12-1 pm, Student Speech Area (“The Pancake” in mid campus)
--April 8, CSU Chico, Budget Fight Back Meeting, 10:30 am, Selvester’s (on campus)
