Dear Bullfighters,

American society is a mass of adult babies who want the future to spoon-feed them, coddle them, rock them to sleep, and pay their bills. It is time to wake up, children, take out the pacifier, climb out of the crib, rip off the diaper, fling its fecal contents right into the unblinking eye of this blatant façade of a properly functioning educational system, and give it pinkeye.

Soon, in The Game of Life, along the highway during the college years, will have a square that says, “Get robbed blind by well-dressed academic thieves.” After landing in that square, everyone is still in debt at the end of the game. Just like at the end of the highway in that tedious game, when a CSUN student is graduating, where they get to toss their cap off in glee, they will have to stop and ask themselves: After this game, has anything in life actually changed? Maybe CSUN graduates should keep their caps for those cold days standing in line with the 1,000 other applicants applying for one job.

Alternatively, if the degree does not get a CSUN graduate enough pocket money to make it by in the future, remember, there is always something within everyone that the government gladly pays to collect and use: blood plasma.

Jokes aside, the students have power in leadership, expression, and unity, but something about the current grim reality is making CSUN hesitant to act. The feeling is in the air, but the distraction is so much more enticing to remain comfortably numb from the events happening around and to this school.

This epidemic probably far surpasses this campus into a generational and societal outbreak. Apathy is not a cure. In fact, indifference is a far worse punishment for everyone’s future than violent, aggressive reaction or simple civil disobedience.

The solution is for students to become the leaders of their respective schools, organize awareness groups, and plan peaceful demonstrations. Sit-ins are great because protesting can be combined with homework. No one says anybody has to actively do anything besides sit in the dean’s office and get him or her to notice. Plan shifts, make T-shirts and posters, and bring sleeping bags … it could be a long night for the most adamant students. Faculty may even join the efforts.

Is CSUN a civil, obedient, law-abiding student body? Does anyone else feel like the students are on a factory line treadmill slowly moving toward the final educational furnace known as graduation? If it seems that certain freedoms are being denied within the bureaucracy of the school, it’s true. Many who turn to the university for new avenues of success are being blocked. If finding a major has been too difficult, consider a liberal studies degree, because there is no fast track to graduation if a student is undeclared.

New students know that achieving a manageable timetable to experience the full collegiate experience and graduate in comfort is, or will be, a lofty mirage. Super-seniors, now in their scholastic golden years, are not receiving a senior discount at the Sierra Center buffet, let alone finding graduation easy. This university should put the cliché, “it’s my way or the highway,” as the first sentence of their mission statement because that is, literally, CSUN’s encompassing reality.

Viva La Matador,
Quint “Effing” Flint
Disclaimer:  Quint Flint is an actual student at CSUN, who wishes to remain anonymous.  Look to your left, right and behind you.  Anyone can be Quint Flint.

At the start of this summer we faced the worst stage of our financial crisis.  News was saturated with continuous Wall Street woes, business’ crumbling and storefronts becoming vacant.  Jobs were lost every Friday, as it became the worst day of the week rather than the one people looked forward to. Jobs were scarce, the news scarier.

If that wasn’t enough to stomach, celebrities were dying off in droves.  The myth that celebrities die in threes was rewritten this summer.  It was more like sixes and sevens.   For a while everyone was watching their step or looking over their shoulder.  It was a grim summer for celebrities and the job market.

The constant harassment of negative news has created a tense energy that has left many feeling insecure and frustrated.  It was an edgy summer and it’s continuing into the fall.

For a time we were just spectators, unfazed bystanders that shook our heads in sorrow for the hard times.  As students, we were granted immunity.  That was short-lived.

The truth is that our state is in a dismal financial crisis.  The fact that California is in the worst financial shape of all 50 states is preposterous.  The repercussions of this became tangible when students began registering for fall classes.  Classes are limited and hard to come by.  Even students whose class standing is senior are having a difficult time enrolling in classes that are key to their graduation this winter and spring.

This is a direct consequence of the budget crisis.  The California State University system is suffering immensely because of these cutbacks.  Availability of classes is dwindling, resulting in delayed graduation dates.  Even worse, the loss of financial aid and/or grants could become a reality for some if they are not enrolled as full-time students.

Forget the “let me grab my violin” quips, this is truly a sad story.  California has the eighth largest economy in the world and the woes of this state are trickling down to us students and our education.

We’re aspiring students anxious to apply ourselves, but can’t move forward because classes have been cut.  This is ludicrous and frustrating, but we must work to stay hopeful.

We must ask ourselves, what are the solutions to fix such strife?

As students and members of this great state we must ask how we can fix this? How can we sacrifice to make things work and gain the full availability of a state funded education?

All Matadors out there need to explore the boundaries of our existence for answers.  How can you individually help the deficit disappear?  Is there a way?

It’s called conscious, selfless thought.  Something that has gone by the wayside this past decade, which in turn helped contribute to this mess. We suggest mass consumption must stop and volunteering, communal activity must rise.  Collective efforts and communication must take shape.   Questions must be raised!  We must be proactive, not reactive.

Although, this is not the final answer, it’s a beginning. We are the life-blood of this institution, the future of this economy and voice of change.  What can you do about it? What will you do about it?  If we don’t step up our efforts, we’ll be the victims of a future where lack of education shapes our society.

Summer has always been associated with fun, relaxation, and a time to escape the stress as a student. Well, at least that’s what most of us are accustomed to. It couldn’t be any further from the truth for California State University students.

Going into my fifth year and what was intended to be my last semester, I now have to plan out a full year due to the Cal State budget cuts and fee increases. Not only does this impede my graduation plans, but raises the question of whether or not I’ll graduate. The thought of this is absurd, even laughable. At this point you can forget about a four-year graduation plan and replace it with a six-year plan.

Simultaneously, as students plan for a five and six-year plan, high school students looking to advance in higher education are being turned away as a result of these cuts.

The problems started when I checked my financial aid information and found I had received none. My heart dropped to the floor. I kept going back each day hoping it had changed.

The past four years, I’ve been a financial aid recipient. I didn’t know where to aim my frustration. All I could think about was how would I pay for school and it made me sick.

As this semester approached, I scrambled for answers. The plan was to quit my job in order to focus on what I thought would be my last semester, and apply to grad school. Sadly to my surprise, this would not happen. I no longer had a choice; working was not an option, it was a necessity.

By keeping my job, I faced yet another dilemma. If I kept working, I wouldn’t be able to take the final classes I needed to finish in December. This comes as a result of the few classes being offered as well as having my job schedule conflict with my class schedule. Therefore, for the first time in five years I had no other choice but to enroll at CSUN as a part-time student.

As if I wasn’t furious enough, CSUN sent out a letter that informed students about the increase in tuition. This is in addition to the 10 percent that was announced in the spring semester. As a freshman in 2005, tuition was around $1,600 per semester. It’s strange that financial aid awards would decrease while tuition continues to increase.

OK, tuition is not as high as the University of California systems, but it remains unnerving. I’m not sure who is to blame, but the blame game is not the answer. The government, CSU system and students of these institutions need to join together to fix this. We need our state-funded education back without the hurdles we’ve been presented with the past few months.

As the budget cuts and fee increases only get worse, we the students are seeing the direct consequences even more. As students, we need to see what we can do to better the situation, not as individuals, but as a whole. As demoralizing as it is, we need to keep a positive attitude. We need to believe that what we say does really matter. It is not wishful thinking but rather believing that we are a public institution driven by students who want to learn.

I understand everyone is affected by the budget cuts. School and faculty have had to take furlough days, but do they really understand the struggles students are going through?

We’ve paid our dues. Confidence is running thin during these harsh times, and one question continues to run through my head. How much longer will I have to spend here to get my degree?