National Day of Action for Education, which is an event that advocates the democratization of the CSU, the decrease of tuition and the resignation for Chancellor Charles B. Reed, ended early Thursday at CSUN due to lack of participation.
Student participation waned around 3 p.m., after the first session of workshops, which took place after the rally.
CSUN’s Student for Quality Education, a student advocacy group, cancelled its last two sessions, with the exception of one workshop from the second session, according to the group’s organizers Edgar Ramos, 22, a junior majoring in art.
“I only attended one workshop from the first session and the other one from the second session,” said Susana Amezcua, 19, a sophomore double majoring in Chicana/o Studies and sociology. “I think there was some confusion about the workshops and the sessions.”
Ramos believes the workshops were a test for the group. It is the first time SQE has implemented workshops during such a major event, he said.
SQE only facilitated the first round of workshops, which consisted of Reclaim the CSU, How To Be An Activist and AB 540 Students. Save Ethnic Studies was the only workshop from the other sessions that was offered.
The Reclaim the CSU workshop, facilitated by students, discussed the 318 percent of tuition increase since 2002. It also touched upon the backgrounds of the CSU board members as well as their 71 percent salary increase since 1998.
SQE, which is a not a chartered CSUN organization, works closely with the California Faculty Association, but experienced several setbacks while organizing the event.
Equipment that was supposed to be have been provided by Associated Students was not available during the time the group initially requested, according to SQE organizer Cathie Pacheco, 21, a senior majoring in gender and women’s studies and Central American studies.
The group then switched the time of the rally and hundreds of fliers with the incorrect time went to waste.
“There was miscommunication during the rally,” Ramos said, “But there was a good student turnout of people wanting to be informed.”
