Sac State sit-in

[Rusty Shackleford]

http://www.news10.net/news/article/133586/29/Protestors-demand-CSU-chancellors-resignation
so, today there was a walk out at California State University Sacramento.

It started officially at 12:20 and at first it started out with only a hundred or so but quickly grew to roughly a thousand or a few hundred more than a thousand.

then, there was a march to the sacramento building which is the administration building.

in about 10 minutes it became a sit-in speak-in type deal and by about 1:30 pm the crowd tapered off to maybe 500, 2 hundred inside and maybe 3hundred outside.

as the hours passed people left as the discussion became whether or not to stay over night.


ill update in a sec.

[Rusty Shackleford]

ok, so, it ended up with about 30 people and we were debating whether to stay past closing which makes it a commitment pretty much.

the main issue was whether our demands were worthy of actually risking it.

we eneded up staying and our demand is to speak with the president of the university, gonzalez.
also, there was a demand to hand some of the banners made by some art students which there was no answer to even... i mean, seriously, they cant even allow for some banners to stay?

the decision to meet with the president was inspired by the sit ins at other campuses where they ended with meetings but the president of this school was in long beach.

anyways, yeah. so, the CFA bought us pizza and its now almost 10.
theres 15 of us left and more may be coming back. and theres even word of someone possibly coming up from fullerton to join us.

also, the police are currently not hostile.

the group that organized this was Students for Quality Education which is on a bunch of campuses in CA

so yeah...

ill update more over the course of the night. computers are collective property right now :D

there are some radicals here.

3 PSL people and a person from the SO. some Mechistas and so on. its a good introduction to radicalism for a lot of these people participating too. yes, many may be liberals, but they know now that obama and brown are shyte.

[theblackmask]

Awesome to hear from the frontlines...keep it up, bro.

[Rusty Shackleford]

im trying to keep out of decision making as much as possible in certain cases only because i am not a student here, and the PSL didnt organize it. the SQE is the leadership here.

so far its doing good though.

[wunderbar]

That's great, I had forgotten about this, but it's great that you're there (I go to a community college and there was nothing planned). I know an SEP member who goes to CSUS, but I guess he's not there right now. Edit: I guess he was there earlier today.

[Iraultzaile Ezkerreko]

Our group here in Georgia did this last week at Georgia State University. Good luck!

http://georgiastudents.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/gsphe-confronts-the-gsu-administration/

[Rusty Shackleford]

im actually a CC student too but yeah im here with the CSU students. right now, fox 40 is filming us and NPR and KCRA 3 had some coverage.

[wunderbar]

I saw coverage on CBS13 earlier as well, though it looks like it may have been earlier in the day.

[apawllo]

Best of luck to you and the rest of those involved.

This seems to be a pretty good piece on the subject statewide:
http://thosewhouseit.wordpress.com/2011/04/13/wave-of-brief-occupations-sweeps-california-10000-march-on-all-23-csu-campuses/

[Rusty Shackleford]

yeah erlier there was a ton of people


right now people are starting to go to sleep.

theres 3 cops here but they havent been a problem all night so im not really expecting any detentions or anything of the like. which is good i got work tomorrow :lol:

[Rusty Shackleford]

ok, so people are still sleeping but some are waking up. shit ton of news crews out here.

7:00 am the president is supposed to come by. hopefully students will be coming by to support us in the morning.

some people just gave interviews too.

[Rusty Shackleford]

so, theres a possibility that it will enter a second night.

[Tablo]

Woah, guess the talks didn't go so well.

[Rusty Shackleford]

yeah. theres a bit of organizing going on right now. there has been a development of a divison of labor :D

[Le Socialiste]

there has been a development of a divison of labor

What do you mean?

[A Revolutionary Tool]

What do you mean?

They have assigned different tasks amongst themselves.
Ex: Person A goes and hands out fliers, Person B calls people to try and get them down, Person C does something else, another one sits there, etc.

That's what he's talking about I think.

[thriller]

Keep the struggle alive! I lived in Santa Cruz for a while and left right before the UCSC campus occupations happened. Let us know what happens.

[Rusty Shackleford]

so yeah. its definitely a second night.

cops were given orders that people can only exit now. no re-entry.

im not there right now because i have to sleep.

ive only slept 2 hrs at most in the last 40ish hours and i have been on my feet for a good portion of it.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Ill give an update on the situation there in the evening. i have work today.

but, i forgot to mention. the California Teachers Association is calling to occupy the State House on May 9th.

Also, May 1st there will be a march in Sacramento for once!

[Rusty Shackleford]

god damnit i missed it. i had work last night but this is what ended up happening. SFPD even came to sac in Riot Gear.
http://sacstatesqe.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/riot-e1302964304471.jpg?w=675
http://sacstatesqe.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/riot2-e1302964351616.jpg?w=675


Riot Police

Posted on April 16, 2011 (https://sacstatesqe.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/riot-police/) by sacstatesqe (https://sacstatesqe.wordpress.com/author/sacstatesqe/)
The following is a short press that was released to a local news channel about the events that occured early this morning:
This morning on the fourth day, April 16 at 3:24 A.M. we were met with the administration’s opposition expressed through a riot taskforce.
Earlier that morning at approximately 12:30 A.M CSUS police entered the building for the first time accompanied with San Francisco State police. We were told that the new forces were needed, and that our own police were showing them the layout of our building. At this time we asked to be updated about the situation and we were refused that request.
Our police liaison Yeimi Lopez, again approached CSUS police with questions and she was told that they could no longer release information, and that they were following the orders given to them.
At 3:24 AM there was a police officer at the front doors unlocking the entrance, when asked what was happening and why, we were told that he could not answer that question. At the same time police were assembling in a militant formation with full riot gear, batons, and a large amount of zip ties. They were approaching sleeping students from multiple directions within the building. They threatened with force that if we did not leave we would face arrest. Our police liaison met with Lieutenant Christine Lofthouse that if we did not leave the peaceful demonstration that we would face arrest.
When the police moved in to take action there were only about 4 students awake out of 27. The campus police felt that it was necessary to wear full riot gear, and act in a threatening manner to a completely non violent student movement.
THIS IS HOW OUR ADMINISTRATION TREATS STUDENTS
We were approched from two different directions, and they slowly advanced on us students, and continued until we were all outside, where the police preceeded to lock the doors using the zip ties that were already prepared. Then baricaded the front entrance by personally blocking it with a line of officers.
Now we are reasonable people and we understand the police did not take it upon themselves to act this way. In order to take such extreme actions they were given this command from the administration.
After having a great line of communication between our police liaison and the CSUS police, it is odd that suddenly that line of communication was cut off. The police would know first hand how we act and that we are truly a non violent group. We kept our space clean, and respected the property.
We ask that as others read this keep in mind that although we were threatened with force and we ‘voluntarily’ left as a group we still consider this action a SUCCESS. The type of action we take and the type of change we are demanding will take time. This is not a 100 meter dash, this is a marathon. This is only the beginning, we are committed and we will see this through. To put it in the words a fellow activist said “even though we walked away from our sit in, we have not walked away from our movement”.
Please know that we hear your support loud and clear and that it is so energizing to our group to know that we have such widespread support. I dont think our administrations are preapared for us, and everything we are capable of.
Lets keep on keeping on folks!



also, there was a vote to establish a website and twitter feed on the first night. and on the third night the event was shut down.

https://sacstatesqe.wordpress.com/


in a few hours there will be a coalition meeting at Sac State and there may be a vigil tonight in mourning of the death of education.

the CSU system may literally not exist in a few years. CCs are going to not accept 400,000 or more students in the fall and fees rose form 26 to 36 dollars on CC campuses per unit.

Teachers have called to occupy the State Capitol building on the 9th of next month.
and i heard of other possibly public occupations happening in the state next month.

in the early morning of the 3rd day, the Sac State Sacramento Hall Occupation was ended. there was a victory though, even though its small, they did win a statement (http://www.csus.edu/sacstatenews/Articles/student-demonstration041511.html) on the schools website and a mass email i believe.

[wunderbar]

Also, May 1st there will be a march in Sacramento for once!

There was one last year! Only a small turnout and probably little to no publicity.

[Rusty Shackleford]

There was one last year! Only a small turnout and probably little to no publicity.


no wonder i never heard of it :lol:

[Rusty Shackleford]

FULLERTON OVERNIGHT OCCUPATION - Solidarity from Sac State
UPDATE:
So, this morning i found out about this from a PSL comrade at CSUF and she said its likely to go into a second night. there was a rally and march again at CSUS and there was a solidarity chant for Fullerton students.


Students at California State University in Fullerton staged a sit-in protest on campus Tuesday. The protest was in response to the university president's refusal to sign a widely circulated students' statement defending education.
The "Declaration to Defend Public Education" statement was created by students and faculty to protest the deep budget cuts in the California University system.
The school president Milton Gordon did not sign the statement, stating concerns about some of the statement's language regarding faculty teachers and contracts.
The sit-in began Monday night around 9 p.m. after a meeting between students and the university president ended in a stalemate. Dozens of students stayed the night, sleeping on the floor of the school's main administration building.
The students say they refuse to leave until the school president reconsiders his decision and agrees to work with students on a joint resolution fighting education cuts.
The California State Fullerton students were joined by students from other schools including California State Dominguez Hills and more students from several other schools were expected to join them throughout Tuesday.



Also Pizza Politics
(twitter)
sacstatesqe (http://twitter.com/#%21/sacstatesqe) CSUS SQE



Ordered solidarity pizza to our friends at #CSU (http://twitter.com/#%21/search?q=%23CSU) Fullerton!!!


on the second night of the Sac State occupation, someone from LA offered to buy pizza for us but by that time the police were ordered to not allow food drink or people in.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Defend the Sac State four!

http://sacstatesqe.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/sacstate4.jpg

4 of the organizers of the occupation are being invesigated by the CSU administration.

Last year, Chancellor Reed gave an executive order banning lawyers from student-administration meetings on behalf of students meaning they have no legal representation.

https://sacstatesqe.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/sac-state-four/

The Sac State 4 are four students who are being singled out by administration, and facing disciplinary action for their supposed involvement in the April 13th day of action and sit in.
They have a meeting today (4/28) with the administration to discuss what will be done. There will be a silent protest outside of Lassen Hall in support of these sudents. What the administration is doing to these students is unacceptable. Please show your support!!
More updates to follow.

http://www.statehornet.com/news/article_efedab48-736a-11e0-baae-0019bb30f31a.html


Four Sacramento State students, who were given misconduct notices last week, are being investigated for their involvement in the April 13-16 overnight sit-in at Sacramento Hall.
Leonard Valdez, vice president of student affairs, is investigating the students and held a conference Thursday to talk about the students' alleged violations, inform them of their rights and discuss the disciplinary process.

As of Friday evening, students were still negotiating an agreement with the conduct officer but no decision was made. The investigation is ongoing and the students will meet with Valdez again. If the investigation warrants sufficient evidence, a resolution can be accepted, otherwise a formal hearing will be held.
The misconduct notices received by the students stated that they acted in violation of the California Administrative Code policies, including the rules regulating the time, place and manner of individual expression and conduct on campus. The notices stated that the students specifically violated the policies about complying with administration or police and unauthorized camping and lodging.
The "Sac State Four," as referred to in a flyer, are Nora Walker, junior history major, Mildred Garcia Gomez, junior social work major, Amanda Mooers, senior sociology major, and Yeimi Lopez, senior communications major.
At the conference with Valdez, the students were not allowed to have a lawyer present, only an advisor.
Last October, Sac State president Alexander Gonzalez made the decision to ban lawyers from student disciplinary investigations and hearings on an executive order by CSU Chancellor Reed.
"This brings to light the limitations on freedom of expression and the unfair treatment of students because they don't have due process," Mooers said.
Prior to the conference with Valdez, students and Sac State Coalition members held a forum in the University Union and marched to Lassen Hall.
Two Sac State Coalition members and two students of the "Sac State Four" spoke at the community forum about the response of administration and police to student protestors.
Students, faculty and staff yelled chants of solidarity and marched in support of the "Sac State Four" as they walked hand-in-hand to their conference with Valdez.
Outside the building, students wore tape on their mouths in silent protest of the allegations brought against Mooers, Lopez, Walker and Gomez. They also held signs that read, "Defending public education is not a crime," and "Academic sanctions will not silence students."
The disciplinary action facing the "Sac State Four" was prompted by the sit-in on April 16, where 20 or so students slept in the administration building in protest of budget cuts. Threatened by arrest, the demonstrators were asked to leave by police in riot gear.
Aleksander Pavlovich, junior international relations major, told students, faculty and staff that he was studying in the AIRC building early Saturday morning when students at the sit-in were asked to leave.
Pavlovich was approached and asked him to leave by police who were shutting down the building because they were worried student demonstrators would vandalize the computers in the building.
Pavlovich said he understands the need for protection but there needs to be a calculated level of force used, especially since the students remained peaceful during the sit-in.
"If you're going in with a flak jacket and helmet, you're ready for violence," Pavlovich said. "I think this was very miscalculated use of force."
Kim Nava, director of news services, said San Francisco State police were brought in to help Sac State and Sacramento Police to end the sit-in because of a partnership between Sac state and San Francisco State.
"Police know the law and they communicated to the students that they were unlawfully trespassing," Nava said.
In an update last week by Gonzalez, he said the policies are written with the safety and health of the entire university community in mind.
Katherine Solger, junior sociology major, attended the protestors' vigil and community forum last week. She said the administration didn't need to use excessive police and shouldn't blame the students for staying overnight.
Solger said the allegations should be dropped because the demonstrators were only trying to help other students.
Diana Tumminia, sociology professor, said she is proud of the students.
"These students should be given an award, not discipline, for camping on campus for higher education," Tumminia said.
Stan Oden, government professor, said the students were exercising their rights and were never told the rules and regulations.
"It was a service to students and (they) shouldn't be disciplined," Oden said.