Walking across campus on Tuesday, students were crowding around the sorority and fraternity tables. Diligent efforts to raise money and get students to join their organizations were in full swing while people laughed and conversed with a sense of joy. Something was missing. Concern.  To my dismay there wasn’t any concern about what is happening to our education and around the world. I mean do the students of CSUN really care?

Some faculty members and students reacted with anger over an article about blow jobs in the Sept. 10 issue of the Daily Sundial. What shocked me was more people reacted to an article about “blow jobs” than the amazing articles about the Metrolink tragedy.

I was shocked at those who wasted their time and energy on a 600-word column about how blow jobs affect a relationship. From the looks of things here at CSUN, the reaction was the liveliest I’ve seen. That time and energy should be focused on fighting for our education that is hard to come by these days.

Why aren’t we protesting against those who threaten to take our education away? Why aren’t we concerned with issues like job loss, budget cuts, healthcare or more troops going to war? Why aren’t we fighting for causes that are worth fighting for?

Right now our country is in a battle to provide healthcare for those who simply can’t afford to pay for it.  Some people get healthcare through work but it’s not enough for their children.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2008 almost 20 percent of the California population is uninsured.  In an economic crisis like this students should be vocal regarding this important problem.

There are approximately 14.9 million people unemployed in this country. Once again, students should be speaking out about causes such as this.

The increase in job loss affects all of us.  Without jobs, students are unable to afford tuition, books, food, etc.  And how many of those jobless are parents with children in college?  Without a job, are parents unable to provide their children with an education?

Financial aid is not what it used to be.  There are more and more students being forced to get a student loan because they don’t qualify for financial aid.

Faculty members have lost 9.23 percent of their annual salaries this year because of the recent budget cuts.  As we all know students are experiencing furlough days.

Because of the recent budget cuts, classes were cut and the class sizes increased.  We are paying more for education but we are getting less of one.

In America we have the right and freedom to voice our opinion, but we ignore it when it comes to causes that matter most. Did we as a society forget what freedom of speech means?

This year alone tuition went up 10 percent and to add insult to injury that 10 percent turned into a 30 percent increase.  We should be fighting for our rights as students. The idea that we don’t speak out against these educational travesties is an insult to democracy and our freedom.

Many went to the “Vent at the tent” to express their anger about the recent budget cuts, increase in tuition, and not being able to add classes.  But it seems that’s all it was: a day for people to vent. Then what? It’s over? We vent, feel better and skip away merrily?

Many people expressed their opinions and frustrations that week, but what about other days? Where are the protests, rallies and walkouts? We need to continue to fight for our education and future.

I understand that people need to have fun and go out on a Saturday night.  I also understand that students have other concerns such as jobs and trying to graduate on time, but really, how are we going to graduate on time when there are no classes available? What happens after graduation? What about your future? When is it a good time to be concerned about these issues? The time is now.

As students we have a chance to change what is happening to us now, so instead of wasting your energy on an article about blow jobs, voice your opinion on causes that matter because in the end, what we do have is our voice, freedom and democracy.

The students and faculty have wasted no time in voicing their complaints and anger over the recent budget cut crisis that has taken CSUN hostage. The Daily Sundial has been publishing stories regarding the problems students and faculty are facing and who is to blame. The reactions are helping the campus to band together, as students learn that they are not alone. This is a widespread problem that has hit all fronts in Matador land.

The idea of being proactive by way of reaction is more than evident. Faculty and students are coming out in large numbers to share their horror stories as a part of the affected CSUN community. These span from the class shortages, tuition hikes and financial aid decreases.

One of the most impactful consequences are the furlough days. These are mandatory days off that the faculty and staff must take without pay. The faculty must take nine furlough days in both the fall and spring semesters. This affects not only the students learning experience, but their readiness for their future endeavors after school.

In essence, students will have three to four class sessions cancelled during the semester, as well as the California State University system giving diplomas and degrees without the proper education.

The complaints are being heard and the action sought. The “Vent at the Tent” as well as student rallies are under way and being planned. The “Vent at the Tent” has seen more than 1,000 students and faculty members stop by to voice their frustrations and angst.

The question that must be asked now is how do we stop this problem from getting worse?

As a unified campus community we must have a vision and plan to quell the problems we face. The answer is constructive progress and many on campus are offering their solutions.

The following are a series of quotes and ideas on how to solve the problems that have darkened and stirred up the campus this first week of the semester. They are from students, professors and regional service representatives.

“The administration got pay raises before the furloughs were announced. They make much more than the faculty and staff at CSUN.
To me education must be prioritized. Higher education must take precedent.”

-Audrena Redmond,
Lead Regional Services Representative for the California Faculty Association

“The Assembly Bill 656! This is an oil extraction tax all other states have other than California. This taxes producers, not consumers that will go to higher educations in the state such as CSU, UC and Community Colleges.
The CSU would take more of the share because the UC has other sources of revenue.”

-Lucia,
Representative for Student for
Quality Education.
Junior, Business Law

“The government should make education priority and not fund other projects that are irrelevant.”

-Jonathan Levian,
Junior, CTVA Electronic Media Management

“Stop giving funding to the inhumane society. We need money more than they do. Please stop funding the jailbirds!”

-Sam Schwartz,
Junior, Broadcast Journalism

“They are giving priority registration to freshman. We need to plan better. The older we get the harder it is to enroll in the classes we need. Also, they need to stop building new structures. Spending money in advance should not be an option. We could use the money they used for the Performance Arts Building, Science Building and the new student housing.

-Cody Colegrove,
Junior, Broadcast Journalism

“Can’t say for sure, but more money needs to be here at CSUN.”

-Evan Tanaka,
Junior, Kiniseology

“I don’t think there is a single solution, it’s a series of problems. But legalizing marijuana and taxing for the education system could help. I just can’t believe they would take money away from education.”

-Steve Cho,
Senior, Asian American Studies

“Restoration and support. We have a master plan for higher education that dates back to the 1960s. The drop in state support is a shame.”

-Charles Hatfield,
English professor, CSUN
“The federal government is going to take away our stimulus next semester. It’s only going to get worse. The fed stimulates our schools, education and economy. We as students need to be heard. If we are heard, the federal, state, and local government will hear us and understand the problem.”

-Rebekah Cooper,
Senior, English major

“Protest, protest, protest. Reach out to a mass number of students and encourage them to join the campaign. Educate students as to why education is so expensive in California and as to why in other places higher education is cheap (Canada) or free (Cuba). Demand that California government re-distribute the wealth from the ultra-wealthy in West L.A., Porter Ranch, etc. and put it back into public goods and services.
We have to work together to change the government and fight for a more just system.”

-Julia Riber Pitt,
CSUN alumnus, Class of 2009

The idea of protest and assembly is slowly but surely formulating on campus. CSUN has never felt so close and together. It took something unfortunate and defeating to band us together to fight for our rights and education. It is still not a movement, but it seems to be heading that way. We need to stand as one unit and continue our march for a state-funded education.
As the mantra states at the “Vent at the Tent,” “The CSU is part of the solution to the state’s budget problem.”

Earlier this summer, California State University students received the news that tuition for this fall semester has increased roughly 30 percent due to millions of dollars in state of California budget shortages.

Nearly $600 million was cut from state funding for the CSU system in the midst of a record crisis in California’s history, prompting the CSU Board of Trustees to approve additional increases in university fees that apply to all students.

In addition to the 10 percent increase that was announced in the spring, annual tuition was raised $672 for undergraduates, $780 for credential program students and $828 for graduates, not including a $33 per unit increase for non-residents.

“This is really bad,” says Jackie Guzman, who studies broadcasting and travels to CSUN from downtown Los Angeles. “If they would have given us more time it would have been much better, but they gave us so little that many of us are not going to be able to afford tuition.”

Like many other students, Guzman received news of the increase just weeks ago and had little time to pay the balance by the Aug. 17 deadline.

“We think we can pay a certain amount but then they send me an e-mail that we have to pay more,” she said. “At this time, I’m not going to be able to go full-time because I don’t have all the money.”

Many will find it hard to find a way to stay in school due to the suddenness of these changes, says Vice President of Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand.

“Because the state has been resistant to (increasing) fees over the years, they go up in spurts when there are certain crises, like the current crisis we have right now,” he said. “So they all go up all at once…and it’s almost like a law of gravity. You can escape it for so long but then you pull back.”

Who will this influence most? Hellenbrand thinks it will be the people in the middle, those that might not necessarily receive any financial aid or reward this year because of the state budget cuts.

“It’s the people in the middle, from $40,000 to $100,000 [a year], who are going to be squeezed; the middle class because they are too ‘rich’ to be supported by Pell grants, and the tax credits don’t mean nothing to them to make an impact. Those are the people who will be affected the most.”

International students are struggling to pay the extra expenses as well. Nikhil Ghoudthalla, a student from India who majors in mechanics, says that his family has had to help him by sending him money to cover the unexpected costs.

“For me, university prices have increased nearly $1,000 in six months,” said Ghoudthalla. “In this peak time, I’ve had to borrow.”

Financial aid was also increased to deal with the rising fees, but only to certain students. Some programs were cut down while some were adjusted automatically to cover the changes. For example, the SUG awards (State University Grant) were raised, but it isn’t known yet if the Cal Grant awards will be increased, too.

All over the country, students, teachers and staff are feeling the pinch as universities modify their state financial aid programs, cut down enrollment and establish new policies such as furloughs to adjust to budget cuts that are resulting from the nation’s recession.

The progress of college fees is undeniably troublesome for most students as they have only gone up and will continue to do so. Some may have to postpone or drop out.

“What will happen is that people will stay in college longer because they’ll be working more,” Hellenbrand said. “I don’t think that we’re going to see a lot of people dropping out … because the economic benefits of finishing college still outweigh the benefits of not finishing. I think people will still see it as an investment.

“You and me may call it morally unfair,” Hellenbrand said. “The young deserve what the older people got, but society doesn’t work within the laws of fairness.”

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?