KCBA - Monterey, Salinas, Santa Cruz - News Weather-UCSC Students Protest Budget Cuts

UCSC Students Protest Budget Cuts

SANTA CRUZ, Calif- The UCSC Graduate Student Organization joined graduate students at all UC campuses in declaring its full support of a UC-wide walkout.

The group states that the decisions being made from the UC Office of the President damage the quality of education, research, teaching, and work opportunities at the University of California.

The student group is calling to action all graduate students to walkout in support of the statewide faculty walkout.

UCSC  students showed their concern and anger today with the big tuition fees that they have to pay because of the state's financial crisis.

Lizzy Bernard even got up on a light pole to get her message across"How can they call this a public school if they don't offer everything ," said Bernard.

 The UC Board of Regents will vote next month on reducing enrollment and raising tuition by 32%. In May they approved a 9.3% hike on tuition.

 The U.C. Student Association President was one of the many that grabbed the mic and fired up the crowd. Victor Sanchez said the UC system is charging fees like private universities, forcing many to drop out. "There is a need for alternative forms of revenue and those sources have not been sought we know what the problems are," said Sanchez.

Jim Burns with UCSC said they don't want to make cuts but student need to understand that the state under funded the 10 campus system by half a billion dollars this year. "You can't make cuts like that without impacting programs and things that people care about," said Burns. 

Many students don't buy that, saying state cuts are 4% out the UC systems $19.2 billion dollar budget. "I feel like my education is being compromised if it doesn't look like we are not prioritizing our workers our professors," said a senior at UCSC.