While the UC Board of Regents was meeting in San Francisco, about 200 students from UCSC gathered at the Porter College quad to protest a proposed tuition hike. At the San Francisco meeting, the regents were planning to decide whether to go ahead with an 8 percent tuition hike, on top of last year’s 32 percent hike. The students were furious at the prospect. In 2001, they noted, tuition was $7,695. In the 2011-2012 school year, it will be $11,124.
“I have actually started looking into European schools,” said one student. “My job doesn’t pay me enough to live in Santa Cruz,” said another. “We’re not getting what we’re paying for,” said a third.
During last year’s protests, students occupied Clark Kerr Hall for several days. This year they couldn’t. The university had taken precautions and locked the building down. Instead, they occupied the Terra Fresca restaurant in the University Center building for about 20 minutes. After arguing with employees, most of whom are also students, about the action, the protesters headed to Quarry Plaza, where the demonstration disbanded. Read more at Santa Cruz Sentinel and KSBW.
