Feature Archives

To kick off the new school year on Teachers 4 Class War on Free Radio Santa Cruz, l@s Maestr@s (the hosts) spoke with Jeff Duncan-Andrade once again, about the conditions facing teachers this year and every year in the California school system. Jeff has been a frequent guest on the show, and he's the closing speaker at this year's Teachers 4 Social Justice conference in San Francisco on Saturday, October 10th.

On September 24th, students, faculty, staff and alumni at University of California (UC) schools participated in a day of coordinated walkouts and rallies in defense of the future of public education. Hundreds rallied at the base of the UC Santa Cruz campus to protest the privatization of the UC system, which includes student fee hikes, faculty and staff furloughs and layoffs, executive pay increases, and cuts to courses, programs and services. The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) held a daylong strike at all UC schools, with pickets at the main and west entrances of UCSC from 6am–6pm.

Disorientation Guide Collective writes, "So you've gotten to the University of California at Santa Cruz. Congratulations! What now? The ideas the University produces about itself construct an ideal image of what awaits you here: an image of fulfillment and understanding, a picture of the life you might build for yourself after you get your degree. So how couldn't you be idealistic and excited? After all, you’ve arrived at one of the most beautiful places in the world and prepared yourself for the journey of a lifetime."

Cabrillo College students held a demonstration on September 25th in Santa Cruz to stand against injustice and support their fellow student, Colter White. Colter's friends and supporters say his character and integrity make a huge impact around campus. Due to a misunderstanding, Colter is facing a year in prison for a parole violation.

On Thursday, September 24th, students at UC Santa Cruz began the occupation of the Graduate Student Commons as part of a day of action at all UCs across the state. The building is located in a central location on campus, across from the Bay Tree Bookstore. The occupiers held a dance party on Friday the night and another dance party on Wednesday night. By Thursday morning, the occupation had come to an end.

On Thursday, September 24th, actions against the budget cuts, fee hikes, layoffs and furloughs at University of California campuses took place throughout the UC system. Workers, graduate student employees, students and faculty held a strike, walked out, and demonstrated in defense of public education and fair labor practices. Pickets, rallies and general assemblies took place from 6am onwards on the UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz campuses.

A widely circulated email, republished on Indybay, theorizes that UC Santa Cruz is in the process of completely closing the historic UCSC Arboretum. A volunteer at the world-famous botanical garden states, "They are doing it by steps to prevent a public outcry."