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Stripping the Student Body? UC Walkout Goes Naked

By Kim Krawiec

(Thank goodness it?s the students and not the faculty)

As we reported earlier, the UC faculty walkout is planned for tomorrow, September 24 ? the first day of class for eight of the ten UC campuses.  Many events, including teach-ins, rallies, and the like are planned for tomorrow, and a number of other protest events have marked the lead in (most notably a protest that temporarily delayed Wednesday's regents meeting at which approximately 15 people ? including university employees protesting furloughs and other cuts ? were arrested).  But the most blog-worthy protest to my mind has to be this naked protest by UC Davis students. (Photo, courtesy the Sacramento Bee, at right).

The lack of clothing (the protesters wore bathing suits, but held signs across their fronts that made them appear naked) ?was designed to symbolize that students are ?being stripped? of their right to accessible, quality public education,? after University of California President Mark Yudof proposed to raise fees 30 percent over the next year.

One of the signs read: "Yudof is stripping the student body," while protesters chanted "Higher tuition, we can't make it. Three more grand, we'll get naked," and "Oppose Yudof. Take it off, take it off."

The protesters also urged students to participate in Thursday?s walkout, which is expected to include students, labor unions and faculty across the UC system.  As of Monday, more than 1,000 UC faculty and 1,200 graduate students had signed online petitions in support of the walkout.

But according to Scott Saul, associate professor of English, many junior faculty will cancel their classes and join the walkout, though they did not sign letters or petitions, because they felt "structurally vulnerable."

Meanwhile, plans for a strike by the local chapter of the University Professional and Technical Employees union received a boost this week by the Coalition of University Employees.

The coalition has promised solidarity with the union and is currently seeking authorization to strike on Thursday from the state Public Employment Relations Board, said Amatullah Alaji-Sabrie, the chief negotiator for the Coalition of University Employees.

According to the Daily Californian:

Walkout activities will begin Wednesday with a teach-in featuring faculty speakers at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Auditorium. In addition, some faculty will conduct their own activities on Thursday, but a rally scheduled for noon on Upper Sproul Plaza will bring supporters together for one large event. The assembly is aimed at publicizing the impact of state budget cuts and the resolve of faculty, students and staff to continue efforts into the coming months. The Daily Californian will be providing real-time coverage of Wednesday's teach-in and Thursday's events.

I assume that other campuses are hosting similar events.  Luckily for us, organizers say this is only the beginning of organized efforts to reverse the impacts of state budget cuts to the 10-campus system.  And you know what that means ? more protests, more drama, perhaps more naked people, and certainly more news from us here at the Lounge.  Because we?re true to our motto: wherever academics are fighting, complaining, or misbehaving in a public setting, we?ll be there to follow it.

Prior Lounge coverage:
The Drama Returns: UC Prof Walkouts Planned
Student Reaction to UC Faculty Walkout: Not Good
We Know Drama, And Its Name Is The University of California
UC Civil War Expands to Law School
Are All UC Schools Created Equal?
Are Fish Tacos The New Latte?

Recent news coverage:
Campuses Plan Variety Of Walkout Activities (Daily Californian, Sept. 22)
Why a Faculty Walkout Is Needed Now (Daily Californian, Sept. 22)
Campus Community Readies for Walkout (Daily Californian, Sept. 23)
Walk the Talk (Daily Californian, Sept 22)
Money problems sowing discontent in University of California system (Bay Area News Group, Sept. 21)
Dozen UC Davis students flash flesh to protest fee hikes (Sacramento Bee, Sept. 22)
Massive fee hikes planned at University of California (Sacramento Bee, Sept. 17)

Full post as published by The Faculty Lounge on September 23, 2009 (boomark / email).