Chabot Spectator

Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Graham, Paige Cal State University East Bay students sign a banner on April 24,2007. The banner is in protest of the 10 percent fee raises for student that will be sent to the legislature as a symbol of intent.

Media Credit: Graham, Paige A student at CSU East Bay protest against the tuition increase encouraging students to "Walk it Out."

Media Credit: Graham, Paige A number of students sign the banner in protest of their money going towards administrative perks.

"CSU is run by thieves." Holding signs such as these, Cal State East Bay students walked out of classes and stood together in protest against proposed student fee increases on Tuesday, April 24.

Organized by members of the CSUEB Student Coalition, the walkout began at noon and continued for over an hour with nearly a hundred students gathered around Meiklejohn Hall.

"We're here to stop the proposed 10% fee increase and to make our voices known to the California Legislature," said Lili Marquez, a political science major and spokesperson for the Student Coalition.

Marquez expressed that students are very upset with the multitude of fee increases over the past few years. She explained that since 2002, fees have already increased by 76% and if the new fee increases are approved, fees will be 90% higher than fees charged in 2002.

"The fee increases are going into the hands of undeserving administrators and paying for executive perks," Marquez said. "Every year tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars are given to CSU executives for housing and car allowances. We students feel like we're being robbed."

Marquez also stated that not a single penny of the fee increases would be used to pay for the salaries of new or current faculty members. "Instead, we're paying a former CSUEB president, Norma Rees, hundreds of thousands of dollars for work she supposedly did on a special project."

"The administration wants to raise fees, and at the same time, they are cutting back on classes," said Alexandra Jansen, a psychology major and American Sign Language minor. "They've cut ASL classes, and the ASL classes are not even being taught by deaf teachers."

Near the end of the walkout, Marquez encouraged all the students in attendance to sign a large banner that would be delivered to California legislators. "If you don't want more fees, then sign this banner," Marquez said.

More than a half dozen university police officers were on the sidelines watching the student walkout. But the protest was peaceful throughout.

"You guys can go home," Marquez and others told the officers as the protest ended.

Marquez hoped that events such as this walkout would increase student awareness and action against the fee increases.

"Students at other CSU campuses have also scheduled protests this week, and CSUEB students are the first."

The California Legislature is expected to vote on the student fee increase issue in the middle of May.

"Our next step is to continue lobbying the legislature to stop the fee increase proposal." Marquez said. "Higher education should be affordable, but it won't be with these increased fees."

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