Occupy textbooks!
Angry over tuition hikes, slashed resources and hefty pay raises for top administrators, students at UC Irvine will be demonstrating today with a “study-in.”
Reads the Facebook page: “Bring your notebooks, your textbooks, your laptops and bluebooks. Bring lawn chairs, tables, couches, blankets, coolers, picnics, and anything you need to WORK COMFORTABLY and DEMONSTRABLY! Bring some snacks to share too! Sharing is caring :]!”
Those crazy rebels.
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The productive protest, organized by Take Back UCI, will take place at 11 a.m. outside Aldrich Hall, the school's administration building. It will last “til dark” and begin again tomorrow at 11 a.m. and run “til whenever.”
An explanation of why they're doing it:
WHY?Between 2000 and 2011 TUITION has NEARLY TRIPLED. STUDENT LOAN DEBT is up 500% since 2000 to $830 BILLION nationally. In the last four years California SCHOOL FUNDING has been CUT by 23%.WHERE IS THAT MONEY GOING?Not to students. UC administrators LAY-OFF PROFESSORS, INCREASING CLASS SIZES and making MORE WORK for LOW-WAGE TAs and contract faculty.UC Regents keep increasing the number of managers and executives, and their salaries. In fact, ON MONDAY the REGENTS VOTED TO INCREASE the SALARY of 10 ADMINISTRATORS AND MANAGERS, including MEREDITH MICHAELS, VICE CHANCELLOR of PLANNING and BUDGET at UC IRVINE who will now be paid 9.9% MORE, $247, 275.!!!
“Let's remind admin what we are all here for,” organizers say, “the ability to study and learn!”
Now, how can parents get their kids to fight back by doing their homework?
