| More Info | Day of Action against:
UC BUDGET CUTS!-TUITION HIKES! (AGAIN?!?)
-Proposal to change fees to TUITION (falling into line with the historical trajectory of privatization of the UC)
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-Additional 8% increase of already cost-prohibitive student fees/tuition, forcing students to pay a whopping $12,000+ when including student services fees
-Cuts to progr...ams, classes, wages...
-In addition to the already decrepit status of public education. FIGHT BACK!
And any negative impacts of the budget cuts.We must unite to save our school!!!!!ROLLBACK TUITION HIKES AND WAGE CUTS NOW! INSOURCE WORKERS AND FIX CALIFORNIA’S PRIORITIES NOW!
Public education is in crisis. Politicians and the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) demands that we—UC students and workers—pay to safeguard their bottom-line. The budget cuts have resulted in:
1. A proposed 8% tuition imposition, DIRECTLY AFTER last year's 32% tuition increase that affected all students, even though tuition and fees already went up more than 105% 2000-09 .
2. Classes in all subject areas being drastically cut while the remaining classes are being increased to unmanageable sizes; teacher’s assistants (T.A.) are being made responsible for 80-100 students in some units and asked to cover more than one class (lecture) in others. In some departments (like sociology and psychology), continuing graduate students in good standing are losing funding because they are no longer being hired as T.A.’s in spite of the shortage caused by increased enrollment and fewer classes!
3. The elimination of critical educational programs like SAAS, which provide assistance to low-income and first-generation students.
4. Paralyzing cuts in staff, hours, and operations for UCI’s libraries and Gateway.
5. The use of subcontracting to AVOID giving campus workers even the most basic union wages, benefits, and legal protection through third-party hires that profit by paying these workers miserable wages with “little to no” medical benefits, sick days, or vacation.
6. Statewide pay cuts, forced furloughs (unpaid temporary leaves of absence), and LAYOFFS for university and hospital staff, lecturers, and faculty!
While students are being run dry by cost-prohibitive measures, the State legislature shows no qualms with defunding public education while proposing a 31% tax break to the rich . Likewise, UC administrators, CEO’s, and CNO’s have no problem with giving themselves regular raises and bonuses. The median bonus given to CEO’S and CNO’s was $39,000 last year; the median salary is $555,000 (UCI Medical’s CEO) . Last year, Terry Belmont (Associate Vice Chancellor for Medical Center Affairs and CEO) received a 22% salary increase—bringing his yearly income to $659,000. Dr. Peter Breen (UCI Medical Center), who was accused of forging surgery records and resigned in 2007, had a yearly salary of $472,000 . Several executives received 11% to 59% higher than their predecessors. The regents also voted to give “administrative stipends” ranging from $24,000 to $58,625 to several employees, without any extra duties, and added several new highly paid executive positions. And yet, Gov. Schwarzenegger and UCOP chief Yudof dared tell us that the economic crisis is forcing all of us to make sacrifices.
WE DEMAND the State fix its priorities and adequately fund public education (UC, Cal State, Community College, & at all elementary/ secondary levels) and healthcare; no more bailouts or tax breaks for the rich!
WE DEMAND tuition hikes stop, associated fees be rolled-back to affordability, and full employment for continuing graduate students because the UC system is being gentrified.
WE DEMAND all faculty and staff pay-cuts be withdrawn; all laid-off lecturers, staff, and service workers be rehired; and all service workers finally be inhoused (hired directly by the university).
WE DEMAND State lawmakers, UCOP, and UCI’s administrators publicly fight on behalf of the students and workers—not against us.
WE DEMAND transparency in all budgetary decision-making and shared governance to be SHARED.
WE DEMAND WE NO LONGER BE MADE TO SACRIFICE FOR THESE BOSSES! If it’s time to make sacrifices, these administrators and politicians must be forced to lead by example and take massive wage cuts, retroactively return their bonuses, refuse their posh allowances, and sacrifice their pensions before attacking the people who make the UC work.
STUDENTS, WORKERS, & COMMUNITY: SOLIDARITY IN DIFFERENCE! UNITE!!
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• 12pm NOON RALLY AT THE FLAGPOLES: PLEASE COME SUPPORT UCI AND PROTEST THE BUDGET CUTS TO PUBLIC HIGHER ED IN CALIFORNIA. FEATURING: SPEAKERS REPRESENTING STUDENTS, FACULTY AND WORKERS!
• TEACH-IN on Wednesday, 11/17/10, in room ____ (TBA)
Stay tuned for follow ups!!! |
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