SSU students, faculty join budget protests

Students and faculty at Sonoma State University will join others in California and other states today in planned protests of education budget cuts.

Rallies, marches and teach-ins were scheduled at all 23 California State University campuses.

Similar events are planned at campuses in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and other states where legislators are slashing education spending to close huge budget shortfalls.

Deep budget cuts during the height of the recession two years ago led to sharp tuition hikes, employee furloughs, course cutbacks and reduced enrollment at the CSU and University of California systems.

This is the second protest in as many months at SSU, where a "Day of Action" was held to again protest cuts that could inpact student classes and enrollment.

The protests were focused on $500 million in proposed budget cuts facing the CSU system, an 18 percent reduction. The University of California system is facing a similarly stark reduction.

SSU's share of the pain was estimated at $7.5 million, but figure was expected to grow.

"What's at stake is really the future of the California State University and the ability of this whole generation to get a college education," said Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association, which is working with students and workers to organize the demonstrations. "We feel the students deserve better and the state deserves better."