University of California students are gearing up for Thursday, Mar. 4, the state's designated Student Day of Action to protest higher education budget cuts. But with the events of last week, including a spate of racial incidents at UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis, the day has come to hold a greater significance.
According to the blog StudentActivism.net, Mar. 4 has become a countrywide phenomenon -- 100 events are scheduled in 28 states to protest the condition of higher education in America The UC Regent Live(blog) has a full schedule of tomorrow's events across in California, including film screenings, marches and rallies.
(see a MAP of events)
Yesterday, hundreds of UC students traveled to Sacramento to protest the myriad issues afflicting the state school system and what they view as a flimsy response from the system's administration in response. At UC Berkeley, two hundred students, clad completely in black, gathered for nearly three hours to bring attention to the racial tension on their campus and others in the system. In Sacramento, two Berkeley students were arrested while lobbying Assemblyman Jim Nielsen (R-Yuba City) to sign a letter pledging more support to schools.
UC System President Mark Yudof, who has responded effusively on his Facebook and Twitter accounts to recent events, met with state leaders yesterday. According to his Twitter, he met with Department of Finance Ana Matosantos to discuss the system's budgetary needs and was "very encouraged."
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