CSUS Campus Protests, Falls Short

With the faint sound of the “Furlough Blues” being sung by student and faculty alike, the noon-time protest against fee increases and mandated furloughs on Sept. 2 was underway.

The group of around 200 converged upon Calif. State University Sacramento’s campus quad in an attempt to voice their frustration and unrest on the college’s Board of Trustees’ decision to manage the financial deficit left by the lack of state funding coming in. This decision includes raising student fees by 32 percent and forcing staff to take unpaid days off which adds up to a 10 percent cut in pay.

The hostility was definitely in the air, but seemed lack-luster due to the fact that a megaphone was seldom used. And when it was used, the message trying to be conveyed to the passing students seemed to be lost on them. Maybe it was because almost a quarter of those passing by had iPod ear buds in their ears, drowning out the anger the speakers were throwing out to their unenthused audience.

While the speakers consisting of students and staff did their short, seemingly hushed speeches, some staff had the daunting task of going around to the on-lookers begging them to do something, anything to stop this “madness” by passing out informational flyers. One such staff member pleaded to students to get everyone they knew to call or e-mail the college’s chancellor Charles Reed. He also suggested getting the older generation in on the fight saying that “the higher-ups only care about what the people with grey hair have to say because they vote and are involved. They don’t think the young ones have the voice to do it. So get your grandparents involved to help against fee increases.”

But let’s be honest, a good 75 percent of students at CSUS are in the age range of around 18 to 27 years old. They are adults, and they do not need Grandma and Grandpa helping them fight against the “tyrannical” actions of their college. By being adults, they should not scream and cry like children when something does not go their way (but without a megaphone, it really doesn’t give the same effect). This is a difficult time for almost everyone financially, and it could always be worse. In the instance for Calif. state workers, their pay cuts are up at 15 percent and state services have been compromised for the first three days of each month. Not only is it a burden on state workers financially, but it is also troubling for those looking to the state to get services rendered to them in a timely manner.

Another interesting not about these particular flyers is that they included contact information for the college’s president and chancellor and in bold letters at the bottom, the words “if you don’t complain, they’ll assume that everything is okay”. Well, of course it’s not okay. Paying more out of your pocket for anything is definitely a hindrance. But unfortunately, it is a necessary burden we have to bear, otherwise where else is the money going to come from to bridge the deficit? It might even come out of your Grandma’s and Grandpa’s social security or pension, so you might want to think twice about having them send an angry e-mail to the chancellor on your behalf.

But in any case, these are difficult times, and it does not help if one is being just as difficult. Look at our state government if you want a prime example of that. There needs to be some kind of flexibility and acceptance. This may be painful experience now, but hopefully this too shall pass.