Published: February 06, 2010
Dozens of UC Davis Students Hold Study-In to Protest Cuts to Student Space
Students Reclaim UC Davis Library By Holding Teach-Ins, Lectures, Film Screenings In Weekend-Long Protest
Over 75 UC Davis students kicked off "study-in" at their school's main library today, protesting the lack of student space on campus and the ongoing defunding of the school's libraries - with hundreds more students planning to join them as the weekend progresses. This study-in is part of an ongoing, system-wide student campaign against the imposition of funding cuts, fee hikes, and staff layoffs and furloughs by the UC President and Regents, as well as by the UC Davis Administration.
This protest comes one day after UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi - under pressure from student activists, who were advertising the study-in publicly - announced in a campus-wide email that the library would stay open throughout the weekend for the study-in, while acknowledging that "it's not been possible to completely protect the Library from budget cuts - our budget challenges are simply too great." Student protestors, however, stated that UC's budget crisis is caused by misplaced priorities, and argued that UC Davis' failure to adequately fund its libraries is a key example of the UC Administration's neglect of student services and workers' rights.
"We're tired of student services bearing the brunt of the University's budget cuts," said Sarah Raridon, a UC Davis senior. "We're holding this study-in today in order to take a stand against student space cuts, and challenge Chancellor Katehi to turn her rhetoric into meaningful changes in how student space is funded and governed on campus."
UC Davis library spending per student has been slashed by a massive 30% since 2001 - including huge cuts in 2003 and 2004, before the state budget crisis hit. The number of full-time librarians has also been cut, from 280 in 1992 to 203 in 2007. These cuts have had a huge impact on the library's quality: the ranking of the UC
Davis library dropped from 38th in the country in 2001 to 72nd in 2008, and further cuts over the past year will lead to a further decline. Students and staff argue that many of the budget issues at the library pre-date the current budget crisis, and are symptomatic of the overall mismanagement of vital university resources.
"Two weeks ago, the UC Regents approved a $321 million renovation of UC Berkeley's football stadium," said Laura Mitchell, a UC Davis senior. "This comes just a few months after the UC Regents hiked student fees by 15% in order to raise $330 million. UC doesn't have a budget problem; it has a spending problem."
Students rallied at the Memorial Union before marching to Shields Library, where they entered the building chanting: "No Cuts, No Fees! Education Should Be Free!" and "Chop from the Top!" Three banners, reading "We Are the Crisis," "Workers" and "Students" were hung in the main hallway of the library. The study-in is ongoing, and will include speakers, classes, film screenings, and discussions.
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