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Florida State University students storm president's office to demand tuition equity
Florida State University students storm president's office to demand tuition equity
By staff
Tallahassee, FL- On Feb. 28, 35 courageous students gathered at the Florida State University (FSU) Integration Statues. At the very statue that symbolized the supposed diversity that Florida State claims, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and a broad array of organizations - including Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Dream Defenders and the Center for Participant Education - demanded tuition equity. This policy that would ensure undocumented students could afford the human right of obtaining an education and be granted in-state tuition like the rest of the Florida population.
The rally marked the end of Education for All Week, a series of events in support of tuition equity, which included teach-ins and classes to educate the student body on this important issue. In addition, the students petitioned to put a tuition equity referendum on the Student Government Association ballot, which passed with 72.2% of student voters.
At the start of the rally, student leaders gave several impassioned speeches. Speakers included SDS co-presidents Brianna Roman-Calderon and Andrew Arachikavitz, Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights president Cassie Barragàn, Center for Participant Education public relations officer Andreina Granado and the Dream Defenders local strategist Michael Sampson.
The students marched from the Integration Statue to the university president's office to bring their demands to the administration. The students sent a representative ahead to see if the president was available for a meeting, but the administration attempted to deceive students by claiming the president was not inside. The students saw through the administration’s lies and marched into the president's office, chanting to demand tuition equity. “Education is a right! Fight, fight, fight, fight!”
Avinash Ramanathan, Campaign Coordinator of FSU SDS, said “The energized students stormed the ivory tower of President Barron's office and demanded that he meet the people's grievances of the discriminatory policy that is FSU's - and the greater state of Florida’s - tuition rates.”
The students all crowded into the office and demanded that the president show himself. Barron finally succumbed to the students and agreed to meet their demands. He vowed to support tuition equity and allow for increased involvement for students in the process. He agreed to involve five students in the Student Affairs Committee.
Mili Chapado, Policy Chair of Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, said "Student groups at other colleges and universities are gaining momentum. We should strive to work with them to push for tuition equity state-wide."
The campaign is in full swing and is gaining increased traction. Students for a Democratic Society plans on holding administration’s feet to the fire to ensure that they fulfill their promises with continued pressure through future student actions. In addition, the students will pressure those in power in the Florida legislature, through weekly call-ins as well as a statewide SDS action on March 20 at the Capitol.
Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]
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Liking this thread mate, seeing more student action in recent years, including occupy events amongst UK students and both student/lecturer strikes.
A critical area of activism which should be encouraged, students have both motivation, disposable time and wealth of knowledge and ideas - they could be the stepping stone for influencing wider society
You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one
With our love we could save the world, if they only knew...
Florida SDS rallies at Florida state capitol for tuition equity
http://www.fightbacknews.org/2014/3/...fd4c-263618165
Florida SDS rallies at Florida state capitol for tuition equity
By Robbey Hayes | March 22, 2014
Read more articles in Student Movement
Florida students demand “Education for All" Florida students demand “Education for All" (Fight Back! News/Staff)
Tallahassee, FL – Around 50 people from Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), along with community members and other allied organizations gathered on the steps of the Florida State Capitol, March 20, to demand “Education for All.” They called on the Florida legislature to vote on and pass HB851 and SB1400, bills would charge undocumented college students in-state tuition as opposed to out-of-state tuition.
Tuition equity, as it has come to be known, would grant the same tuition rate to any student in the state of Florida, regardless of his or her documented status. SDS has been fighting for the last year to bring local tuition equity policies to college campuses in Florida. Most recently, they have been advocating for bills in the state legislature that would be a step towards a fair and affordable education for every single student in the state.
The rally included a round of speeches from organizers of the Florida State University, University of South Florida and University of Florida SDS chapters. Other speakers included leaders of immigrant rights advocacy organizations, undocumented students, community members, statements from Florida university administrations, and Florida state senators and representatives.
After the speeches, protesters marched from the steps of the old Capitol building to the inside of the new Capitol building where they gathered between both chambers of the legislature. There students aligned themselves in rows and gave energetic speeches, told personal stories and chanted, as many state representatives, officials, media members and other bystanders watched.
“The reason this issue has come this far is because of the work SDS and our allies have put into struggling for tuition equity for undocumented students,” said Chrisley Carpio, an organizer with University of Florida SDS, in an impassioned speech. “We believe that every student in this country has the right to a higher education, and we won’t stop fighting until we make that a reality.”
HB851 and SB1400 have both received bipartisan support. Most recently, Governor Rick Scott has come out in favor of the bill giving qualified undocumented Florida students the ability to pay in-state tuition. His statement is the latest in a long list of supporters, including Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford, various Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate, and university administrators like University of Florida President Bernie Machen.
Despite the bipartisan support, the bills are becoming targets for political posturing, as legislators aim to make additions to the bills that would significantly water them down. Most glaringly, changes in the House bill require students to spend four consecutive years in high school to qualify for the in-state rate.
“This is just one step towards getting tuition equity for undocumented students, but it’s not enough,” said Veronica Juarez, an organizer with Tampa SDS and Raíces En Tampa. “Ultimately we will fight to have all the amendments removed because it’s not real tuition equity if there are still restrictions on the ability undocumented students have to get a higher education.”
Later in the evening after the event, HB851 passed on the House floor in a vote of 81-33. It is a huge victory, but the campaign still has a long way to go for true education equality. SDS is committed to making education accessible for every student in the U.S. and continues to work towards that goal until there is education for all.
Florida students rally to demand Tuition Equity
Florida students rally to demand Tuition Equity
By Conor Munro
Gainesville, FL – On April 21, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) chapters from around the state of Florida gathered for an emergency rally at the State Capitol in Tallahassee. The event was organized in response to Senator Joe Negron’s blocking in the Appropriations Committee of SB1400, the bill that would allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at Florida universities. A small group of Republicans in the Senate is desperately attempting to prevent tuition equity legislation from being voted on, despite overwhelming support from immigrant communities, student activists and Florida’s universities. The majority of Florida voters support the bill and it has already passed comfortably in the house.
Over 20 students took part in the sit-in at Senate President Don Gaetz’s office and demanded to meet with him. Security guards prevented the protesters from entering the president’s office but students rallied outside instead, chanting, “What do we want? Tuition Equity! When do we want it? Now!” After 15 minutes Sen. Gaetz bowed to their pressure and met with a delegation from the group. In the meeting students asked Gaetz to guarantee that if the bill is brought up from the floor, that he would give it a fair chance to pass.
Chrisley Carpio of University of Florida SDS was part of the delegation. After the meeting she said, “Senator Gaetz told us that he would do everything in his power to prevent tuition equity from passing. What kind of sham democracy do we have in this state where a few racist politicians can obstruct the will of the people?”
The protest continued throughout the day and more students joined the sit-in. Zachary Schultz from Florida State University SDS told Fight Back! that students plan continue protesting until the end of the legislative session on May 2. He said, “There is still a chance for tuition equity to pass. We need to do everything we can to hold these politicians’ feet to fire.”
There are two ways that tuition equity can pass without going through Senator Negron’s Appropriations Committee. It can be attached to another bill or brought up from the floor by a two-thirds majority vote. In addition to the ongoing demonstration in the capitol, Students for a Democratic Society plans to hold call-ins targeting key senators as part of their national Education for All campaign. With less than 10 days remaining in the legislative session, the fight is on for tuition equity and SDS is leading the charge.
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Florida Students Win Vote on Tuition Equity
Florida Students Win Vote on Tuition Equity
By Chrisley Carpio
Tallahassee, FL - Students achieved a victory late last week when the Florida Senate passed tuition equity. On May Day, 2014, the Florida Senate passed House Bill 851 mandating tuition waivers for undocumented students at public universities. Presently, Florida’s undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition, three times the in-state tuition rate. After attending and graduating from Florida high schools, many are denied equal access to higher education by the out-of-state tuition rate.
Students rallied, prayed, and protested over the course of last week at the Florida Capitol, organized by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and members of the Florida Immigrant Coalition. Passing the bill hit a roadblock when some Republicans refused to move it out of committee or bring it to a floor vote. Students quickly mobilized, despite studying for final exams. Education For All activists arrived outside the Senate Chambers to sit-in and protest demanding Senate President Don Gaetz and the bill’s sponsor, Senator Latvala, put the bill onto the floor. With the constant presence of student organizers and press, the Senators passed H.B. 851 with a vote of 26 to 13. Now it is only a matter of days before Governor Rick Scott signs the bill into law.
Students in Florida won this victory by organizing on their campuses, passing student government resolutions, meeting with university administrators and presidents to gain their public support, and rallying outside and speaking at university board meetings. Statewide organizing by immigrant rights and student groups built a broad movement that the politicians were forced to respond to. Many of the student groups work within the national Education For All campaign, which fights for tuition equity throughout the country.
“I’m happy to announce that tuition equity has officially passed in the Florida Senate!” said Colleen Baublitz of SDS at a May Day event in Gainesville. “I also want to emphasize that the struggle does not end here. Students in Florida should keep fighting locally to protect these tuition waivers, and students in other states should fight for tuition equity, financial aid for undocumented students, and their admission into universities in states where it is still prohibited. The campaign is not over until equality for all immigrants is achieved.”
Read more News and Views from the Peoples Struggle at http://www.fightbacknews.org. You can write to us at [email protected]
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Fight Back! News · P.O. Box 582564 · Minneapolis, MN 55440 · USA
Right on, good to see the FSU campus getting rocked
Noel Ignatiev: "Treason to whiteness is loyalty to humanity"
Marquis de Sade: "You young maidens, too long constrained by a fanciful Virtue's absurd and dangerous bonds and by those of a disgusting religion, imitate the fiery Eugénie; be as quick as she to destroy, to spurn all those ridiculous precepts inculcated in you by imbecile parents"
