What Does it Take For a Student Protest?

Since the beginning of the semester we have seen Cal State Long Beach students try to protest the hike in tuition fees, but what does it really take for ALL students to speak out?
We have heard of students who marched up to Sacramento in large mobs to protest and yet there is no sign of more aid from the State. Some CSULB students share what it would take for the entire student body to form a large protest.
"For me I think it would take for the tuition to double at what it is now," said freshmen Saul Flores.
Others like Samantha Grimmick disagree and say that the way it is now is reason enough to have all students involved.
"I stood outside Brotman Hall, not all think like me so I think it would take another ten percent increase to have more students doing something about it," she added.
No matter what the opinions of students are, one thing is for sure: students do not want any more fee hikes.

Picture Credit: College Life

Farewell to Summer Aid

The 2010 summer session will no longer provide students with the opportunity of financial aid.
This means that if students are interested in attending summer school it will have to be self-supported. This is just another change due to the recent budget cuts.
Some students like Suzanne Pinn who is a junior criminal justice major, says that she is going to think twice about attending summer school because she is one of the many students at CSULB who depend on financial aid.
"I can't afford to take out a loan so I don't think I'll be attending summer school," she said.
In addition to elimination of financial aid for the summer session, according to a story on the Daily 49er the fees per unit will also increase. Fees will from from $217 from last summer to $250 per unit.
Aaron Mindiola a sophomore communications major said that "its already bad that they are taking financial aid away and now they also increase fees which will make it that much harder for students who really need summer school."

Story Credit: Daily 49er

Budget Talk at The Nugget

CSULB President F. King Alexander attended a Beer & Politics forum at The Nugget to address the budget issue.
President Alexander assured that there would be an end to all this as long as the State stopped cutting the budget from the higher education system.
There was a full house that night and it was good to see that students had tough questions for him.
"I attended with an agressive mindset," said senior art major, John Nyugen. "I wanted to make loud and clear that we (students) are tired of this and we want a solution fast," he added.
President Alexander answered all questions and urged students to remember that the bad guys are those run the State.


For the video click here.

Picture Credit: CSULB
Video Credit: Daily 49er

CSULB Recieves $2.6M for Research

The U.S. Department of Defense office of Naval Research will support the university's Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies.
According to a story in the Press-Telegram, co-director of the center, Steven Hinds, stated that part of the funds will be used to evaluate vessels to form a larger vessel that is capable of crossing the ocean at high speeds.
This type of funding serves a different purpose from the much talked about budget cuts, but it helps with funds that CSULB would otherwise not be able to provide.
In addition the new vessels would also have long, narrow hulls that would allow ships to go faster and at the same time use less fuel.
The U.S. military wants CSULB to evaluate SeaTrain technologies being developed by outside organizations.

Story Credit: Press-Telegram

Cookie for Cuts

Associated Students Inc. hosted an event called "Cookie for Cuts" to get students involved against the budget cuts.

The event served as both a fundraiser and a hands-on event for students to do something about the drastic changes the university has had to make. Students were able to to toss pies at a picture of the Capitol and write letters to be directly sent to Sacramento.

"This event was great, I participated by writing a letter talking about how the budget cuts have impacted me, " said Esmeralda Vargas, a sophomore communications major student.

Other opted to toss the pie at the picture to get some of that frustration out of their system.

Osvaldo Lopez, a junior history major stated that the pie toss to him meant that students will no longer take more budget cuts and that they are the "target" to help stop all this.

According to ASI students, the funds raised by the bake sale will be donated to the California State University system to support the fight to save higher education.

Picture Credit: Press-Telegram

Yet ANOTHER Furlough...

On a Monday when school should be just like any other day, campus is closed to all students and faculty.
November 2 and yet another furlough leaves students at CSULB with much to say.
James Chan, 21, business major said, "It's not so much that we don't have class because it is nice to have a day off but its the fact that we are still paying for those days that classes are furloughed is what bothers me."
Tuition has increased since the last academic year and now almost a semester over how do students feel about the crisis?
"Honestly, I do not care anymore," said Hemma Khzmann. "I don't have to worry about tuition anymore since I graduate in the spring."
There are different reactions from students across campus depending on how much more time they have until graduation. Furloughs to some many not be a big issue and take advantage of the time off.
"Since the library is my usual place to study and it was closed I didn't study so I used the time off to visit family during the long weekend," stated Andrea Carson.
The local KCAL television station reported live on Monday to speak more about the furlough.

Video Credit: KCAL

$1.85M in Federal Funding Heading to CSULB

Cal State Long Beach will provide its students with additional classes and course sections for the upcoming spring semester.
This comes as good news after the many reports have informed students of class selections being tougher as the budget crisis continues. The Press-Telegram reports that the funding will spare many classes and keep CSULB from eliminating some temporary staff positions.
The university did not enroll any new students for the spring semester and will continue to do that as a way to save money. The federal funding did not allocate money for this issue. It was also reported that for the next academic year, furloughs will most likely not be repeated which would mean that CSULB could face a $30 million budget hole. It would have to take a lot more federal funding to aid the university for the upcoming semesters.

Picture Credit: http://www.pnl.gov/

Story Credit: Press-Telegram

To Pass or Not to Pass?

If passed assembly Bill 656 could possibly help aid the higher education deficit.

How can this help students? If passed, there will be a 9.9 percent tax on oil and gas that is extracted in California. The tax money collected will then be used to fund the system. The bill could raise approximately $1 billion.

Members of the California Faculty Association collected pledges from Cal State Long Beach students as reported on the Daily 49er.

"I was glad to sign for my approval to this bill, it's about time that oil companies are forced to stop being so greedy," said Sociology major student,Vanessa Anderson.

The bill is currently sitting in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee after being introduced in Febuary and having passed many other committes.

Photo Credit:www.csueu.org

Upper-division Forced to Graduate

Cal State Long Beach students with 140 units already completed were notified that they must file for graduation in order to make room for newer students.

Students must file to graduate either in the Spring or summer 2010 graduation. This gives no more room for students to be flexible with their schedules. The worst part about it is that if students do not file for graduation, a hold will be placed which will prevent them from registering for upcoming semesters.

Lynn Mahoney, associate vice president for undergraduate studies, stated that there would be some exceptions for those in a "very compelling circumstance." Students would have to follow a certain process and wait for a committee to review the forms students have to fill out.

The Daily 49er reported that there are 1,420 seniors who have completed more than 140 units and half of them have already filed for graduation. The point of this is to make room for those entering CSULB in hopes of getting their first degree. It is not known how long this policy will last although Mahoney stated that its expected to last as long as the "CSU continues to experience unprecedented budget and enrollment changes."

In the meanwhile those who are on their way to 140 units are told to make up their minds and not waste any time. Space is limited now more than ever and CSULB students now have to conform to these changes.

Picture Credit: Robbie Eich

Daily49er.com

CSULB Furlough Protests

Students from the Fine Arts department gathered up last Friday to protests furlough days along Seventh street.
Banners were set up along the road making drivers notice and honk as they drove. These students felt like they had to do something about it because they believe thier major is most affected by the amont of time they spend on campus.

"It's like our second home here, and for them to tell us we can't be here really affects us," said protester Desiree Nava.
Like many other students, they too depend on the interection with their professors and these furloughs just take time away from that.

For the complete video report on this protest click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czxF6F1ZGsM

Picture Credit: www.daily49er.com/beachnews

More and More Students Run to Financial Aid

Cal State Long Beach students are receiving $27 million more financial aid than past years according to Interim Provost Donald Para who spoke on behalf of President F. King Alexander at last Thursday's Academic Senate meeting.

Students are not letting the budget cuts get in the way of their education and are now taking the initiative to seek financial aid. Para also stated that although there are 2,200 fewer students on campus this year, the number of students receiving financial aid has gone up.

This comes as good news for those students who are feeling the pressure the most. It is a relief to know that there are initiatives being taken by our school leaders to get more federal funding for scholarships and other financial services on campus.

Picture: Brotman Hall

Picture Credit: http://www.csulb.edu/

Looking Ahead to the Summer

The College of Continuing and Professional Education (CCPE) is scheduled to work closely with the academic departments and campus admisnistrative offices to help plan the 2010 summer session.
CCPE is going to be a part of this to help plan which classes are the most needed by students and also establish priorities for courses being offered. This is something that will effect students directly because it would mean there will be less classes being offered during the summer session than past years.
As more changes are being made to future academic years, students need to plan out their schedules more carefully and not depend so much on the summer session to take classes.

Students Fight Back!

As fees are being increased and fewer classes are being offered at Cal State Long Beach, students are gathering up to spread awareness.

Students for Coalition is a new club on campus that focuses on getting students involved in making a change in the budget crises by getting their voices heard. As stated on the club's brochure, "We are a coalition of students who are concerned and yes, a bit angry over the current status of public higher education. We are ready to converse, step up and make demands."

The group meets every Wednesday at 2p.m. in the Raza Resource Center Room F04-262. The club is hosting an informational mixer next Tuesday in the Multicultural Center and it is opened to anyone.

"Some people feel like they can't do anything about it, but in reality they can," said Christina Alvarez, member of the Students for Coalition club.

Picture Credit: www.csulbsociology.wordpress.com

Possible scenerios for the 2010-11 budget at CSULB

The budget crises continues to be the main topic for Cal State Long Beach faculty and staff members at the Academic Senate meeting.
The Daily 49er reported the story in its newspaper talking about the 3 scenarios that could possibly take place next academic year. Scenerio 1 would consist of $1.5 million in mandatory costs along with no additional state reductions or fee increases, and a $9.5 million fee-revenue loss due to enrollment reduction. Scenario 2 demostrated a 10 percent fee increase along with the same mandatory costs and $5 million in state reductions. Last, scenrio 3 would include a projected 10 percent increase in state reductions; none of which help solve the problem according to Mary Stephens, vice president of administration. To get the full PowerPoint slides and get infornation on the budget click on Budget Central.
Changes are invitable and it's just a matter of knowing what changes and what it will mean for students. As of now, a $20 million problem is being anticipated along with having to reduce enrollment by an additional 10.8 percent, or 3,044 full-time students at CSULB for the upcoming academic year.

Picture Credit:

www.csulb.edu