Student protest heads to the roof of UCSC administration building

UPDATE 12/8/14, 5:37p.m.: Protestors have left the roof of the administration building but all protests were described as peaceful. Staff inside the admin building were sent evacuated and sent home. University officials say they were prepared for the protests. “We were prepared for it, but we were also prepared for all sorts of events to be on campus. What’s most important to us is that the essential business operations of the university aren’t interrupted,” said Scott Hernandez, director of medial relations.

UPDATE 12/8/14, 3:00p.m.: At least one hundred student protestors are now on the roof of the administration building of the UC Santa Cruz campus. Staff is monitoring the students are they take turns speaking about what they feel is an injustice by the UC Regents.

12/8/14 :Hundreds of students walked out of classes Monday in another planned protest against the UC Regents.

Students organized the campus wide walk-out and rally at Quarry Plaza was held to protest the recent vote in November to raise tuition and against “University of California’s privatization.”

Regents’ approved an increase of tuition by 5% each year over the next five years.

State democratic lawmakers proposed a 17% hike for out of state students as well and UCSC student protestors say both of these plans value profit over education.

Students say that the Democrats’ plan will increase racial and class disparities in the
UC system by giving incentives at flagship campuses like Berkeley and UCLA to attract out of state students while not providing comparable funding increases for schools with a higher percentage of black, latin, and working class students.

UCSC students occupied the Humanities II building the week before Thanksgiving and voluntarily left on November 26. “The alliances that were founded during the occupation have created solidarity, and we will take further actions,” said undergraduate Ben Mabie.

In addition to planned protests, some student organizers have been holding regular meetings. Some have been circulating a pledge that expresses a commitment to prevent the implementation of the tuition hikes.

The pledge, which now has over 500 signatures, states: “We will act ceaselessly until we realize our vision of a maximally accessible university that answers to the demands of students, workers, and teachers that are this university.”