UCLA faculty and students were chanting "Chop from the top!"
(photo by Albert Sabaté)

Hundreds of university students, faculty and workers assembled on the University of California, Los Angeles campus on the first day of class to protest budget cuts, tuition hikes and employee furloughs in the UC system.

Concerns expressed by protesters on signs, in speech and in song ranged widely but centered on anger at the University of California Board of Regents.  Many in attendance at the rally complained of lack of transparency and hypocrisy at the highest level of the UC system, noting that salaries at the bottom of the pay scale have been cut while board members' salaries remain untouched.

While those behind the microphone at the Thursday rally represented union workers, most of the crowd appeared to be non-union members who showed up despite the blazing heat to express solidarity, and to voice their own discontent with fewer student services at greater cost.

"The way the budget cuts work, the graduate students will probably be next," said Michael Nicholson, a second-year doctoral student in the English department.  "We're establishing that we're there for them so that when our money gets cut they'll be there for us."

"I'm not just out here for me," said protester Debbie Anisman, a staff biomedical researcher and second-generation Bruin.  "It's unnecessary to have fee hikes on the backs of the students and wage reductions on the back of the workers.  There's enough money in this enterprise to keep it going appropriately."

A 30 percent tuition increase at UC schools is in the works for 2010-2011, half of it mid-year, and the other half by the start of the following academic year.

Molly Cornfield, a sophomore at UCLA, said she did not oppose a tuition increase.

"If it improves the quality, it's worth it," she said.  "I'd rather have a better school than a better bargain.  But I can see why they wouldn't want it."

Many at the protest did not share the same positive view. Ben Ciotti, a recent graduate of UCLA, said he was shocked by how much the tuition has increased since he was in school. He also said it was unfair the way the funds are distributed.
 
"It certainly seems wrong when budget money goes to administration and not to teachers," he said.

The existing budget plan will impose furloughs to staff and faculty, reducing their pay between 4 to 10 percent. Protesters demanded that no furloughs or salary reductions be imposed on employees making less than $40,000.

Chants of "Chop from the top!" broke out at intervals from the crowd.

"For people making $40,000, 4 percent is a big deal," said Lynn Kessler, a researcher at UCLA. She pointed out that it would not represent a similar sacrifice to someone making $400,000.

Some, like undergraduate student George Chacon, had few specific concerns but joined the rally in support of the broader principles involved. 

"I've been raised around a lot of community organizations in Los Angeles, so I'm no stranger to this," Chacon said, cheerful and energetic on bullhorn duty. 

"This is a broad issue that's hitting a lot of our students.  They're increasing our fees almost yearly; they're cutting more services; they're cutting teachers, TA's, counseling services... Why pay more for less?"