If You're Wondering if the Chancellor & the Board of Trustees Cares About Workers...

...they don't.

CSU Chancellor Reed

For some reason, Chancellor Reed & the Trustees felt they needed to hold a closed session meeting in the Hyatt hotel down the street, instead of having the meeting in their usual space: their multi-million dollar Chancellor's Office (located on a street literally called "Golden Shores").

The problem is that the Hyatt is currently under boycott by hotel workers under Unite Here Local 11.  And not only have workers and community members asked them months ago to honor the picket line and not cross it, but state Assembly Speaker John Perez, Superintendent Tom Torlakson and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom all wrote a letter asking them to honor the picket line and just hold their meeting in the Chancellor's Office instead.

...And they promptly crossed the picket line anyway.

I bet these folks leave lousy tips, too.

Cal State LA Mistakenly Told 500 Students They Were Disenrolled

Wuh oh!  So it looks like Cal State LA accidentally sent dis-enrollment letters to 500 students who were on academic probation, but were not actually disqualified from continuing to enroll.  These letters were sent out on the week of December 27th.  "Happy fricken holidays from Cal State LA", eh?

LA Times Blog has it all here.

Mark Yudof's Thriller

Yes this site is about the CSU, but this video is so awesome it warrants further exposure. Check it out:



Lyrics:
Start of the quarter, and something evil's lurking in the dark
Inside your inbox, your billing statement almost stops your heart
You try to scream, but you're not loud enough to reach the Board of Regents
You start to freeze, McDonald's isn't hiring right now
You're marginalized

'Cause this is Yudof! Mark Yudof
He'll stand up for his students, as long as it pays off
You know it's Yudof! Mark Yudof
You're fighting for your rights while your fees go up, go up, go UP!

You hear the protests and realize that he simply doesn't care
600,000 a year just isn't quite enough to share
You close your eyes and hope that this is just imagination
But all the while he's laying out by the pool on your dime
It's bamboozling time

'Cause this is Yudof! Mark Yudof
Goes to all the Regent meetings, and he stays awake for some
You know it's Yudof! Mark Yudof
He's not fighting for your rights as your fees go up, go up, go UP!

CSU East Bay's Limpia (Cleansing) of Warren Hall

On May 4, 2010 close to 100 students performed a very dramatic "limpia" (cleansing) of the bad energy emanating from Warren Hall, their campus administration building. From the director of the video:

We cleansed one of the most recognized buildings of CSUEB, Warren Hall. We did this "limpia" to get rid of all the bad energy budget cuts, tuition fee hikes and teacher/staff layoffs have brought to our campus.

"La Limpia de Warren Hall" had its grand opening on TENT CITY, a 24-hour event filled with music, performances and teach-ins put on by many of the most active CSUEB organizations.

Special thanks to Luz Calvo and Eric Kupers for all the help and support on this Limpia.

Directed/Edited by: Vidal Ramirez.

 Check out the video below:





Easily the coolest student protest I've seen all year.

Students Disrupt Legislature with Song

One of the more creative protests on the March 4 National Day of Action for Public Education, here's this amazing video of Washington students disrupting their state legislature with their own version of Amazing Grace.  Check it out:

And here's the lyrics:

Amazing Grace no longer flows,
Dammed up by greed so crude.
I once could eat, but now I find
I cant afford the food.


The bright young minds of our country
Now wake to meet their doom;
So why should we apply to school,
When close ahead lies gloom?


What will we say in years ahead
When strewn across the land
Are wretches poor in heart and soul,
By greedy robbers damned?


Remember, Aristocracy
Made bank from others toil.
I say we have the right to fruits
Weve grown on Natures soil.


Aloud, lament all ye who hope
To have a better life;
If our priorities dont change
We all will end in strife.


Awaken Creativity,
and doom we may waylay!
Lets make a plan while we still can
And birth a better day!