NEWS Elections
• Students • Faculty • Staff Page 5-7
OPINION
FEATURES
- Why should we not clean up? - Summer school cuts cause students to stay
A losing battle A student’s passion to save a life
Page 9
A&E - What does your fashion say about you? - Battle in Wonderland
Page 10
Page 8
April 5, 2010 volume 20. issue 12 chaffeybreeze.com
MARCH IN MARCH
Using a variety of props, thousands of students protested in Sacramento on March 22 against the education cutbacks.
NANCY AVILA AMBER YASIN
A
bout 15,000 students, faculty, administrators and constituent groups from UC, CSU and community colleges — including 27 students from Chaffey — fervently exercised their democratic rights as they peacefully rallied in Sacramento on March 22. This protest, known as the “March in March,” was held to express discontent and to object to the educational budget cuts that have devastated public colleges all across the state. Community colleges have been hit the hardest. They have had to chop away many course offerings, lay off faculty and staff and drastically reduce indispensable services. Organized by the Student Senate of California Community Colleges, this march has become an annual event. One of the demonstrators representing Chaffey was Eduardo Rivera, EOPS counseling program assistant. “We used to service a little over 1,000 students, but now only about 800,” Rivera said. “Almost half of our services were cut.” He said that funding for purchasing textbooks and for transportation was also
Are you aware of crimes committed on campus?
Yes No
affected. “Now we can’t make education us. Stop terminating our education!” While most of the protesters united their as accessible as we could before,” he said. Rivera also attended the march last year voices as they chanted, small groups of and expressed his frustration in finding the students attended their scheduled appointments with legislators. situation relatively unimproved. As students ate lunch in the state capi“From this march, I hope that our voices be heard, our assemblymen understand tol, there was a discussion of the events how important education is and that they happening between faculty and students. Although they were originally schedstop the cuts. We put these people in powuled to meet er and I hope with Senator students realize Robert Dutthat. We have to “ We don’t want to stay commu- ton, one parhave faith that group there is a democ- nity college students. We want to ticular of Chaffey sturacy and hope that legislators transfer out. But we can’t take the dents met with Larry Venus, the care about edurequired classes.” legislative aide cation,” he said. for Dutton. The groups of “Senator marchers rallied on the Capitol steps, all the while chant- Dutton’s goals include education, public ing, “No cuts, no fees, education should be safety, and social services. Last year, taxes free” and “We are students, we are united, were raised and that still did not solve the we will never be divided,” while others budget problem. So raising taxes is off the table for Senator Dutton,” Venus said. “We beat their drums in unison. One of the speakers, Richael Young, have to live within our means this year. graduate and former president of Student The decisions are not easy. Senator Dutton Senator for California Community Col- knows the value of an educated workforce. leges, encouraged many of the students If we get our spending in line now, things will get better later on,” he said. and said Chaffey students and faculty also spoke “We are not going to stop marching and rallying, until they make a commitment to with Rosalind Escobar, consultant for Sen-
Follow Us On
Become a Fan On
@ChaffeyBreeze
Search for Chaffey Breeze
13% 87%
-NANCY AVILA
ator Gloria Romero. Also in attendance was ASCC President/Student Trustee James Applewhite II. He shared his concerns with Escobar. “Doors are closing on us,” Applewhite said. “We don’t want to stay community college students. We want to transfer out. But we can’t take the required classes.” “If there’s anything Senator Romero can do to protect funding, she will do it,” Escobar said. “We understand that this is happening too fast. Community colleges got a double whammy. The Senator understands the importance of keeping community colleges running. But sometimes those things that are the most logical don’t make it through the capitol,” she said. Though no clear solutions were presented, Escobar explained that there are no plans to cut Cal grants because that would be a major setback for students. “But how do we get things from this conversation and make them a reality?” Applewhite said. “I was sitting here talking about the same thing last year.” Escobar encouraged students to get involved in their community and read up on current events and politics. “They are going to listen to you is in your district. So make an appointment with your legislator,” she said. “We all need to work together to find solutions.”
This week’s question: Do you feel this semester has gone by too quickly?