WALK OUT protest at CSU Hayward

Cal State Hayward students will walk out to demonstrate their opposition to the overburdening cuts to the CSU and the Compact Deal between Chancellor Reed and Governor Schwarzenegger on Wednesday, May 26 at 12 noon. Students will be joined by faculty and staff as they march to Mission Boulevard, between Harder Road and Carlos Bee Blvd., to make a strong public statement that funding higher education needs to be a priority in California.

“California remains one of the strongest economies in the world because of the innovation and creativity of our people. If we fail to foster those qualities in our higher education, California runs the risk of no longer being on the cutting edge of all that is new, bold, and necessary for human progress,” says CSU Hayward student Ray Grangoff.

The Governor's May Revise and the recent compact agreed to by Chancellor Reed do not reflect California's commitment to a quality and affordable higher education system. The Governor/Chancellor compact was made without consultation of students and does not meet with student approval.

In addition to a $240 million cut to the CSU, undergraduate students will face a 14% fee increase for 2004-05 and an additional 8% increase in each of the two subsequent years. Teaching credential candidates will face fee increases of 20%, while graduate students will face an increase of 25%. It is important to note that CSU fees were raised by the Board of Trustees an average of 40% last year and they just recently voted to approve the fee increase for 2004-05.

“The high tuition fees and California’s high cost of living make it nearly impossible for students to afford their college education,” says Trisha Tahmasbi, a CSU Hayward student. “I know many students are re-thinking whether or not it is still worth pursuing a college degree in California,” said Tahmasbi.

Those students lucky enough to be admitted to CSU campuses will be paying more money for less service. CSU student Norma Gutierrez explains, “Computer lab hours have already been cut on our campus, outreach programs face severe cut backs, and the limited amount of classes available will make it very difficult to graduate in a four year period.”

Equally troubling is the fact that many qualified students will be denied admission all together. The CSU estimates that 23,000 students will be denied access to CSU education in the fall 2004; that is in addition to the 10,000 students denied access during the 2003-04 school year.

For more information about the walk out and budget cuts to the CSU, please contact Raymond Grangoff, a member of the CSU Hayward student coalition against the budget cuts, at grangoff@hotmail.com or (510) 220-8683.