Last night, I didn't sleep well. I kept dreaming that I missed the bus to the University of California (UC) Regents meeting. At 4:25am, I finally got up, boiled water, and drank maté. By 4:40am, I headed toward campus on my bike. The stars in the sky looked beautiful. I wished for a safe and effective visit to UC Los Ángeles. I greeted two students also wearing black (mourning the death of our university) and also meeting the 5am bus to Westwood.
Thirty-five of us students and workers (overwhelmingly people of color) boarded the 5am bus. Our driver, Juanito, got us to UCLA campus by 7am. We, the initial UC Santa Bárbara delegation, walked to Coval Commons, the site of the Regents meeting. A tent city occupied the main lawn on UCLA campus. Last night students from all UC campuses held a Crisis Fest, which included music, art, cooking, and preparation for the second day of protest (November 19).
By 7:10am, students and workers from all over the state began marching outside of Coval Commons building. I soaked up the energy, added my voice to the chants, and took pictures.
At 7:45am I met with an organizer with the University of California Students Association, who prepped me on my role as a 'whiteliner.' Through this position of privilege, I would have the opportunity to speak directly with the Regents and attend the meeting. Another student leader from UCSB also entered the meeting. We both managed to meet and speak with several key people, including Regents, Chancellors, and non-voting officers before the meeting and during breaks.
Explaining that students felt angry and left out of the planning and decision making, I asked Regents what they had done to address the dire situation, besides increasing student fees. Not surprisingly, the individuals skirted the question. One told me to hold the new Chief Financial Officer accountable for increased transparency. Another threw his arms up and said, "What? Don't tell me you think we [the Regents] can do anything." In response, I said, "You hold positions of tremendous power." He nodded, but deferred responsibility to state legislators.
The most receptive Regent I spoke with emphasized the need for a coordinated advocacy group (alumni paired with students) to lobby local legislators in order to prioritize higher education. Regent Leslie Tang Schilling even mentioned the exorbitant state funding spent on the prison industrial complex. I think she felt inclined to speak with me because when I had initially approached her, I thanked her for her family's donation to build the Tang Health Center on the UC Berkeley campus. Still, at the end of the day, this Regent voted to approve the student fee increases.
The day prior, the UC Regent Committee on Finance had already voted to approve the 32% total student fee increases. Today we all expected the Regents to approve the action proposed by President of the UC Regents, Mark Yudof. Before the vote, several students and workers addressed the Regents. Most shared personal experiences, and almost all repeated, "I challenge you, UC Regents, to live up to your responsibility and make the UC accessible and affordable." One student said, "Instead of going to my campus job today to pay toward my increased student fees, I chose to attend this meeting in protest of the increased student fees. UC Regents, what is wrong with this picture?"
Regents curtailed the public commentary time. Several students and workers pleaded for air time. This moment proved especially frustrating for me. The Regents did not want to listen to those most affected by their choices. Police lined up in front of speakers and escorted all the public out of the meeting.
Throughout the entire meeting, students' voices could be heard from the protest outside. The constant background noise of chants did not dissipate. Regents unanimously voted to approve the student fee increases. The Student Regent case the sole vote of disapproval. By 1pm, the Regents had adjourned the meeting. We walked downstairs to exit, where police told us we had to remain in the building. The Regents gathered in the lobby. Student protesters had surrounded all exits of the building, including the underground parking lot. We waited for at least 30 minutes. I took pictures of the protest.
One Regent passed by with four police officers and said, "What is there to be afraid of? It's just a bunch of kids!"
My colleague and I decided to exit. As soon as we got outside, we began informing students. By this time, hundreds of protesters had gathered and maintained a strong line around the entire building.
The police manned the barricades. Around 3pm, the campus police declared the protest unlawful-- anyone still gathered would be arrested. Students maintained the line and kept on chanting. While I did not witness this, I learned that police had escorted remaining Regents out of the building and into a van. Students shouted, "Shame on you!"
The next major step is to channel our anger toward state legislators. A march for education is scheduled for March 31 (César Chávez Day). Students across California from community colleges, California State Universities, UCs, and high schools will converge in Sacramento and demand that accessible, affordable, quality higher education move to the top of our state's priorities.
