Berkeley ASUC Resolution in Support of March 4th Events

A Bill in Support of the National March 4th Day of Action



Authored by Christina Urista, and Elliot Astral Goldstein

Sponsored by Christina Oatfield


WHEREAS, on October 24, 2009 more than 800 students, workers, and teachers converged at UC Berkeley at the California Coordinating Committee Conference; and


WHEREAS, the California Coordinating Committee is a coalition between students, teachers, and workers across all sectors of public education, including K-12, community colleges, state colleges, and the University of California; and


WHEREAS, the California Coordinating Committee was formed in an effort to preserve and save the quality, access, and excellence of public education in California;


WHEREAS, the California Coordinating Committee democratically voted on localized actions throughout all sectors of public education in California for March 4th2010; and


WHEREAS, the October 24th Conference inspired other public educational campuses across the nation to also defend their educational rights in response to the national fiscal crisis, and to take action on March 4th, 2010; and


WHEREAS, the UC Berkeley General Assembly voted on a strike on the day with picket lines at the UC Berkeley campus, followed by a march to Oakland’s Ogawa Plaza; and


WHEREAS, the mass rally to Oakland stands in solidarity with all public educational sectors in the East Bay, including K-12, community colleges, and state campuses; and


WHEREAS, the standards of access, quality, and excellence in all sectors of public education are threatened or have diminished under the charge of those who have been entrusted to defend and promote them; and


WHEREAS, UC President Mark Yudof has mishandled the current crisis, therefore galvanizing University employees, faculty, staff and students to launch their own statewide vote of “No Confidence” in his leadership; and


WHEREAS, the ASUC already supported democratizing the Regents (SB 251, Spring 2009), before the Regents passed a devastating 32% fee hike on November 19th at UCLA, only two Regents opposing the increase,


WHEREAS, the State of California has continually disinvested in public education across all sectors of higher education, essentially failing to uphold the Master Plan for Higher Education in California,


WHEREAS, the California K-12 public school system faced $5.2 billion dollars in cuts from 2009-2010, failing to uphold the minimum funding levels under the voter approved Proposition 98; and


WHEREAS, Governor Schwarzenegger’s new proposal to fund higher public education does not include California’s K-12 public school system; and


WHEREAS, although separate from the California Coordinating Committee, the March 4th National Day of Action to Defend Public Education stands for the same cause and is endorsed by SAVE UC, UC Berkeley Solidarity Alliance, UC Berkeley General Assembly, UC Berkeley Graduate Student Organizing Committee, the California Labor Federation, the California Faculty Association, the California Federation of Teachers, United Teachers of Los Angeles, United Educators of San Francisco, AFSCME Local 444; and


WHEREAS, under its Constitution, the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC) is committed to effective student participation in all areas of student concern; and


WHEREAS, the ASUC is deeply committed to upholding the quality of education in public higher education institutions in California and is in solidarity with all sectors of public education in California;


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the ASUC stands in support of and participates in the March 4th National Day of Action to Defend Public Education as a concerned body of student representatives.


THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ASUC stands in solidarity with all sectors of public education, including students, teachers, staff and workers in the K-12, college and university sectors fighting to defend their educational rights on March 4th 2010.


THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the ASUC President and External Affairs Vice President are authorized to write letters to the respective stakeholders, including the student body, in support of the March 4th National Day to Defend Public Education, including UC Berkeley’s localized actions to: strike, march to Ogawa Plaza, and demonstration in Sacramento.


THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that ASUC supports and will use its resources, peoplepower, and channels of communication to increase awareness and mobilize students leading up to and on the March 4th Day of Action.