2009 California college tuition hike protests
Encyclopedia
The 2009 California university college tuition hike protests were a series of protests held on college campuses in the University of California system
and elsewhere in California
in September through December 2009. Protests were mostly made up of students, although faculty, school employees, and others joined in the protests as well. They were protesting against a 32% rise in tuition costs which was approved by the University of California Board of Regents. Protesters were also demonstrating against a cut in pay other cutbacks for the university system.
. The response was major spending cuts for its state institutions. The University of California school system was also dealing with large budget deficits. In an effort to curb its deficits, the University of California Board of Regents
decided to pass an tuition hike for all 10 universities in the system, as did the California State University Trustees
for all 23 universities in their system. The Regents and University of California President Mark G. Yudof decided to increase tuition by 32%, which would push the annual costs above $10,000 for the first time ever. Yudof's response to the tuition increase was "When you have no money, you have no money" and said that it was an "unfortunate" consequence of the budget deficit.
A major cause of the university system's budget deficit was due to a lack of state support going to higher education. University officials said the tuition increases were needed as they have already done all they could with spending cuts. In the protests, students would point this out by showing that "California #1 in Prison Spending," yet only "#48 in Education." The tuition hike is a two-step increase with the first hike set to go into effect at the beginning of 2010 and the second for the fall semester of 2010. When the Regents voted to pass the tuition hike on November 18, 2009 many students as well as professors and university faculty broke out in protests. The protests have been compared to similar protests which occurred in the 1960s at California universities.
protested by having a bake sale and selling cupcakes at $30,000 each.
Major protests against the tuition hikes broke out on the 18th of November 2009 after the regents' vote and in the following days. Students sit-down strikes, blocking cars from entering the universities. Students also hijacked several university buildings, locking themselves inside. Major protests broke out at UC Berkeley
, where 41 students were arrested for trespassing for locking themselves inside Wheeler Hall
. At UC Santa Cruz
, over 100 students participated in a sit-in at the campus' Kerr Hall. They occupied the building for an entire three days before surrendering to police. Professors participated in the protests as well, many boycotted by not teaching in the days following the vote to raise tuition
At UC Davis
, 51 students and 1 faculty member were arrested at the main administration building. 60 students were arrested at UC Berkley on December 11, 2009 for occupying a school building. At least one faculty member at UC Berkeley (Integrative Biology Professor Robert Dudley) was arrested while observing the protests.
Students chanted slogans such as "Whose university? Our university!" and "Yes we can take back our university."
After the Board of Regents voted students protested outside and chanted "Shame on you" as the Regents left.
Demonstrators occupied an administration building at San Francisco State University
for over 23 hours and led to clashes with police until they were eventually forced out.
Along with demonstrations and protests, many professors and graduate students continued to teach classes but incorporated short "teach-ins" in the 5-10 minutes at the end of class, to highlight the proposed (and since then, enacted) tuition increases. Teach-ins often contrasted the cost to attend UC compared to comparable private institutions like MIT and Harvard, as well as the salaries of top administrators (Mark Yudof compared to Susan Hockfeld and Lawrence Summers).
's home and threw torches and broke windows. No injuries were reported and 8 of the protesters were arrested by police.
Over 200 students were arrested while taking part in the protests, while many others were taken into police custody for questioning. Faculty were also among those arrested.
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
and elsewhere in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in September through December 2009. Protests were mostly made up of students, although faculty, school employees, and others joined in the protests as well. They were protesting against a 32% rise in tuition costs which was approved by the University of California Board of Regents. Protesters were also demonstrating against a cut in pay other cutbacks for the university system.
Background
Beginning in 2008, the state of California was dealing with a major budget deficit2008–2009 California budget crisis
The U.S. state of California had, and still currently does have, a budget crisis in which it faced a shortfall of at least $11.2 billion, projected to top $40 billion over the 2009–2010 fiscal years.-2008:...
. The response was major spending cuts for its state institutions. The University of California school system was also dealing with large budget deficits. In an effort to curb its deficits, the University of California Board of Regents
Regents of the University of California
The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California. The Board has 26 full members:* The majority are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms....
decided to pass an tuition hike for all 10 universities in the system, as did the California State University Trustees
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
for all 23 universities in their system. The Regents and University of California President Mark G. Yudof decided to increase tuition by 32%, which would push the annual costs above $10,000 for the first time ever. Yudof's response to the tuition increase was "When you have no money, you have no money" and said that it was an "unfortunate" consequence of the budget deficit.
A major cause of the university system's budget deficit was due to a lack of state support going to higher education. University officials said the tuition increases were needed as they have already done all they could with spending cuts. In the protests, students would point this out by showing that "California #1 in Prison Spending," yet only "#48 in Education." The tuition hike is a two-step increase with the first hike set to go into effect at the beginning of 2010 and the second for the fall semester of 2010. When the Regents voted to pass the tuition hike on November 18, 2009 many students as well as professors and university faculty broke out in protests. The protests have been compared to similar protests which occurred in the 1960s at California universities.
Protests
Demonstrations were held in September and October 2009 to protests state cuts and layoffs at university campuses in California. Major protests held on September 24 and October 15 were against staff cuts, layoffs and student tuition and fee hikes. Students at California Maritime AcademyCalifornia Maritime Academy
The California Maritime Academy is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system and is one of only seven degree-granting maritime academies in the United States...
protested by having a bake sale and selling cupcakes at $30,000 each.
Major protests against the tuition hikes broke out on the 18th of November 2009 after the regents' vote and in the following days. Students sit-down strikes, blocking cars from entering the universities. Students also hijacked several university buildings, locking themselves inside. Major protests broke out at UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, where 41 students were arrested for trespassing for locking themselves inside Wheeler Hall
Wheeler Hall
Wheeler Hall is a building on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley in Berkeley, California. Home to the English department, it was named for the philologist and university president Benjamin Ide Wheeler.The building was opened in 1917...
. At UC Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
, over 100 students participated in a sit-in at the campus' Kerr Hall. They occupied the building for an entire three days before surrendering to police. Professors participated in the protests as well, many boycotted by not teaching in the days following the vote to raise tuition
At UC Davis
University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis is a public teaching and research university established in 1905 and located in Davis, California, USA. Spanning over , the campus is the largest within the University of California system and third largest by enrollment...
, 51 students and 1 faculty member were arrested at the main administration building. 60 students were arrested at UC Berkley on December 11, 2009 for occupying a school building. At least one faculty member at UC Berkeley (Integrative Biology Professor Robert Dudley) was arrested while observing the protests.
Students chanted slogans such as "Whose university? Our university!" and "Yes we can take back our university."
After the Board of Regents voted students protested outside and chanted "Shame on you" as the Regents left.
Demonstrators occupied an administration building at San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
for over 23 hours and led to clashes with police until they were eventually forced out.
Along with demonstrations and protests, many professors and graduate students continued to teach classes but incorporated short "teach-ins" in the 5-10 minutes at the end of class, to highlight the proposed (and since then, enacted) tuition increases. Teach-ins often contrasted the cost to attend UC compared to comparable private institutions like MIT and Harvard, as well as the salaries of top administrators (Mark Yudof compared to Susan Hockfeld and Lawrence Summers).
Violence
Despite nearly all of the protests being peaceful, violent protests occurred. Between 50 and 70 protesters attacked UC Berkeley chancellor Robert BirgeneauRobert Birgeneau
Robert Joseph Birgeneau is a Canadian physicist, educator, and university administrator. He is the ninth chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and was the fourteenth president of the University of Toronto from 2000 to 2004.-Biography:The first from his family to finish high school,...
's home and threw torches and broke windows. No injuries were reported and 8 of the protesters were arrested by police.
Police response
Officers from the university police departments, local county sheriff's offices, California Highway patrol and state police were all called out during the protests. Riot police responded to the protests with riot gear.Over 200 students were arrested while taking part in the protests, while many others were taken into police custody for questioning. Faculty were also among those arrested.