Hundreds rally at UCSC protesting budget cuts
On the first day of classes at UC Santa Cruz, several hundred demonstrators rallied against budget cuts that have led to sharp fee student fee increases, employee furloughs and enrollment cuts. Dozens of faculty members participated alongside students in a planned walkout to protest actions taken by the university’s president and governing board to deal with $800 million cut in state funding. The University Professional and Technical Employees union also went on a one-day strike to bring attention to its unresolved contract with the university. Several similar demonstrations took place on UC campuses statewide. Many faculty planned to teach students about the budget cuts, while others chose to join the protest… Assemblymember Bill Monning, D-Carmel, joined the hourlong demonstration, saying the problem of UC budget cuts is just one example of a state government in need of an overhaul. He repeated calls for an end to the two-thirds majority rule…
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by J. M. Brown, The San Jose Mercury News.