March against fee hike
Sarah Quadri
Issue date: 10/17/03 Section: News
For the second time thousands of community college students are expected to gather outside the state capital in Sacramento to protest proposed budget cuts and fee hikes.
The College of Marin student government will provide transportation and lunch to COM students who wish to join the March 15 protest rally, said Walter Biggart, COM's delegate to the California Student Association for Community Colleges.
"Thousands of students marched last year to Sacramento to protest unfair treatment of the community colleges by the state and we did make a difference," said Biggart. "They were thinking of raising the fees to $24 per unit...but instead it came down to $18 per unit."
Gov. Schwarzenegger has announced plans to increase community college fees to $26 a unit, a 44 percent hike.
Biggart said concerned students need to demonstrate their endurance. "Once isn't enough,'' he said. "We need to go back again this year.
A component of the rally will be the Missing Student Project, an artistic protest featuring life-si8ze fiberglass models of students representing people who will no longer attend community colleges due to fee increases and budget cuts, said Biggart. Each community college in the state participated by painting one male and one female sculpture. Later in the year the entire collection will be sent to each community college as a traveling exhibit.
COM students planning to participate will board their bus at in Parking Lot 6 at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, March 15, and return to the campus at around 5 p.m., according to a flyer issued by the Associated Students College of Marin and the Student Senate. For information, phone (415) 456-4072 or visit Room 241 in the Student Services Building.
Rally-goers will see life size fiberglass models to add artistic component to the march, said Biggart. The Missing Student Project was started to represent the students who can no longer attend school due to fee increases and budget cuts, said Biggart. Two life size models - one male and one female- were sculpted and sent to community colleges throughout California to be painted and represent that school, said Biggart. The fiberglass models will be displayed on the March and will later be sent collectively to each community college to exhibit in their community.
Students are urged by the Associated Students of College of Marin (ASCOM) and the Student Senate to voice their opinion on the budget cuts and fee increases. Transportation and lunch will be provided by the COM student government. Students can sign up in advance in the Student Service Building Room 241. For more information contact ASCOM at (415) 456-4072.
The College of Marin student government will provide transportation and lunch to COM students who wish to join the March 15 protest rally, said Walter Biggart, COM's delegate to the California Student Association for Community Colleges.
"Thousands of students marched last year to Sacramento to protest unfair treatment of the community colleges by the state and we did make a difference," said Biggart. "They were thinking of raising the fees to $24 per unit...but instead it came down to $18 per unit."
Gov. Schwarzenegger has announced plans to increase community college fees to $26 a unit, a 44 percent hike.
Biggart said concerned students need to demonstrate their endurance. "Once isn't enough,'' he said. "We need to go back again this year.
A component of the rally will be the Missing Student Project, an artistic protest featuring life-si8ze fiberglass models of students representing people who will no longer attend community colleges due to fee increases and budget cuts, said Biggart. Each community college in the state participated by painting one male and one female sculpture. Later in the year the entire collection will be sent to each community college as a traveling exhibit.
COM students planning to participate will board their bus at in Parking Lot 6 at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, March 15, and return to the campus at around 5 p.m., according to a flyer issued by the Associated Students College of Marin and the Student Senate. For information, phone (415) 456-4072 or visit Room 241 in the Student Services Building.
Rally-goers will see life size fiberglass models to add artistic component to the march, said Biggart. The Missing Student Project was started to represent the students who can no longer attend school due to fee increases and budget cuts, said Biggart. Two life size models - one male and one female- were sculpted and sent to community colleges throughout California to be painted and represent that school, said Biggart. The fiberglass models will be displayed on the March and will later be sent collectively to each community college to exhibit in their community.
Students are urged by the Associated Students of College of Marin (ASCOM) and the Student Senate to voice their opinion on the budget cuts and fee increases. Transportation and lunch will be provided by the COM student government. Students can sign up in advance in the Student Service Building Room 241. For more information contact ASCOM at (415) 456-4072.