By Over 100 students marched through the CSULB campus today taking part in the Million Student March, a wave of student protests on college campuses across the nation to demonstrate against various social and educational issues.
Over 100 campuses took part in the nationwide movement including Cal Poly, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Riverside and Santa Monica College.
“Today marks a day of awakening because today we begin to break the chains that limit our futures,” said a message posted to the Students For Quality Education Facebook page. “We will no longer stay silent against the injustices being committed against us the students.”
Student demands included tuition-free education, student debt forgiveness, and $15 minimum wage for all campus-based workers, according to the SQE Facebook page. SQE organizers at the rally also demanded justice for the Black Lives Matter Movement, Palestine and ethnic studies.
The march started at 1:30 p.m. near the quad on upper campus, paused for speakers and performers at the free speech lawn, and ended in front of Brotman Hall. A coalition of organizations made up the crowd, including Students for Quality Education, Black Student Union, La Raza, California Faculty Association, Students for Palestine and Sociology Student Association.
“They had a promise for us and there was a dream that is now lost,” Associated Student Inc. President Jose Salazar said speaking to the crowd at the free speech lawn. “This should not end here, this should go beyond the event to let our administrators, our leaders know. After all we are the future.”
Protesters carried signs with slogans like “Free education, no barriers, no business“ and “we the students of CSULB oppose tuition hikes.” Protesters chants included “college is for education, not for-profit corporation,“ “money for jobs and education, not for rich administration” and “when they cut back our education, we go into occupation,” just to name a few.
A peaceful police presence of five officers, including the University’s Chief of Police, met the students upon their arrival at Brotman Hall. At least two officers were positioned in front of the stairs leading to the president’s office. Police Lieutenant Richard Goodwin when asked if the police were there to prevent students from storming the president’s office said yes.
A storming of the President’s office to garner a response would not be necessary however, as President Jane Close Conoley emerged from her office about 10 minutes after students began chanting for her to address the crowd. President Conoley would appear a total of two times to address questions from the student organizations. Specifically she was asked on her stance on the racially charged events at University of Missouri and on potential tuition increases.
“Education is a right and black lives matter,” said Conoley. “You can count on my 100% support for making this campus safe for everyone and every voice. It’s not your job to fix it, it is my job to fix it, but you have to give me information.”
Terri Carbaugh, a media representative for the university, was also present during the student demonstration.
“We respect the student’s right to assemble and voice their opinions,” Carbaugh said. “Today is an example of students voicing their opinion and that is what college campuses are all about and we are listening to what the students have to say.”
Bystander Reed Reimers, a senior business major, noted that the protest was too intense for his own involvement but thought that the students were addressing legitimate issues.
“It is a disturbance, but important that it is happening,” Reimers said. “It is kind of intense, but if protesting is the way to address the issues then that’s the way to do it.”
