School of Hard Knocks

A 15-tent semi-circle encampment near the campus bell tower remains after an impressive turnout for the statewide mobilization to shut down the UC regents meeting last week at the traditionally non-radical UC Riverside campus. Executive decisions from the ridiculously compensated 26-member board of political appointees that has led to the escalating cost of tuition and cutbacks in the classroom have made for increasingly contentious demonstrations at the six bi-monthly yearly meetings. The energy that fuels the discontent lingers after a 32-percent tuition increase was made a few years back in combination with 900 layoffs.

Students at Berkeley who shut down Wheeler Hall back then were left with broken bones by UC police.

The second and final day of the UC regents’ agenda this time around came to an end with pepper ball projectiles after nearly 500 students, faculty and community members were able to surround and temporarily shut down the meeting in an organized process that led to multiple skirmish line stare downs with UC police in riot gear. The steps of the walkway in between the Highlander Building and Costo Hall was the scene of the longest standoff of the day as the swelling crowd made UCR Chancellor Timothy White the subject of jeers after a brief appearance on a balcony overlooking the protest.

A life-size, well dressed effigy of UC President Mark Yudof was made to represent an empty suit. His salary is more than President Obama’s.

Access points all around the building complex were secured by lines of police to prevent further disruptions. Officer Stern from the UCR Police department gave multiple dispersal orders to the crowd, but most the protestors would not budge. The chanting of “Education should be free, not just for the bourgeoisie” came early and often after 18 protestors were able to sit-in and delay the morning session for nearly an hour. Some held signs that read “California #1 in Prison Spending, #48 in Education” and “Don't foreclose our classrooms,” along with “Fund the public interest.”

In addition to a swift and just reverse of tuition costs, cuts and layoffs, the list of demands from students and organizers include the removal of Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau at Berkeley and Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi at UC Davis, for the heavy-handed treatment of peaceful student protestors. Amnesty for protestors that face charges was also a demand along with filing charges against police who have been filmed brutalizing student protestors. Student organizers also want all UC campuses to become sanctuaries for undocumented immigrants and the implementation of a UC-wide DREAM Act.

Students in the UC, CSU and community college systems have seen six straight years of tuition increases with less educational services. The continued deterioration of the ’60s era legislation that came from the California Master Plan for Higher Education which affirmed UC tuition should be free has led to a burgeoning, system-wide student movement. The 23-campus California State University system total tuition and fees increased by an average of about 25 percent last year alone. The minimum GPA requirements to qualify for Cal Grant A will go up from 3.0 to 3.25 in the next budget proposal from Gov. Jerry Brown.

Protestors came from as far away as UC San Diego, along with aspiring future transfer students from Riverside Community College and San Bernardino Valley College. The still going strong Occupy Riverside participants were met with others from Occupy San Bernardino. A facilitator from Occupy Los Angeles made use of the human mic to turn attention away from riot police to a peaceful resolution as tensions flared under the afternoon sun.

When word swept the crowd around Highlander Building that an escape route has been chosen for regents to leave campus, there was a mad rush to North Campus Drive. It was there that protestors found three UC administrators—Lawrence Pitts, a provost and executive vice president of the system; Jack Stobo, a senior vice president; and Marie Berggren, vice president of investments—were about to leave inside white campus parking lot attendant trucks. Police officers stood around the trucks for an hour as students would not move from the street.

“We were sitting down when they decided to attack with their batons and pepper spray paintball guns,” says UCR alumnus Seth Andrews. Protestors had been able to place police barricades at both ends of the street before the Riverside County Sheriff’s and Riverside Police departments were on scene to back up UC officers to clear the protestors.

Kenneth Ehrlich and Humberto Rivera were arrested for felony assault on a police officer. Ehrlich for hitting an officer with a handheld sign, and Rivera for hitting an officer with a metal barricade.