College students will join peers in march on state capitol building
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers IN PROTEST- California State University Channel Islands students Nasim Khansari, left, and Michael Williams, right, plan to leave the Camarillo campus Sunday with some 50 of their peers and travel by bus to Sacramento to join 1,100 other CSU students on a march Monday to the state capitol building. The 1,150 students, representing all 23 CSU campuses across the state, are protesting the governor's proposed cut of $386 million to the CSU system.

Sean Colletti, a second-year English major at California State University Channel Islands, said he's been guilty of not acting on his convictions. That ends Mon., April 21 when he'll join some 1,150 other California State University students in a Sacramento march to protest the governor's proposed $386-million cut to the CSU system.

"Apathy is everywhere you look," said Colletti, 19. "There are only a select few who are going to do something about that."

The California State Student Association, which represents 417,000 CSU students, is sponsoring the march and has invited 50 students from each of the 23 campuses across the state to join in a halfmile walk from a Sacramento hotel to the steps of the state capitol building.

Nasim Khansari and Mike Williams, both 21, are among the CSUCI students organizing a group to participate in the march.

"It's a wonderful feeling to know we're part of something bigger," said Khansari, who's majoring in both political science and history. "The biggest reward you can ever get (is) making a difference."

Khansari said, however, the sea of CSU students is unlikely to sway the governor.

"I think it's important to throw it out there; just being considered is important," she said. "I think that's a pretty powerful message, a powerful image- all those students walking to the capitol."

Williams said the community atlarge should care about possible cutbacks to the state-school system because parents not affected now may later want their children to attend the county's only four-year public university and they won't be able to.

"It's a joy to see other students stand up for their education," said Williams, a third-year communication major. "It's important that each campus go up there to collaborate . . . make our voices heard for CSU."

Earlier this year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed a 10 percent cut in state programs and services to close a $14billion deficit California faces next year.

Recently, a coalition of faculty, administrator, employee and student groups- the Alliance for CSU- staged rallies at the Camarillo and other CSU campuses.

Alliance officials said that, for the CSU system to absorb what amounts to $386 million in cuts, it may have to close three campuses or eliminate courses and increase class sizes on all campuses. If the Legislature approves the proposal, the alliance also said CSU will probably have to turn away 10,000 qualified students next year.

CSUCI halted admissions for first-time freshmen on Feb. 1, about two months earlier than usual.

CSUCI President Richard Rush has said CSU will have endured close to a $1-billion loss since 2002 if the Legislature approves the current proposal. The stateschool system is still reeling from the state cutting more than $500 million from its budget in 2002 and 2003, he said.

Jaimie Hoffman, coordinator of new students, orientation and transition programs at CSUCI, said, "I really feel passionate that students need to know (what's going on), and they need to be the leaders in educating our citizenry."

Hoffman knew Williams and Khansari were politically active on campus and asked them to help organize a group to participate in the march.

People shouldn't count out CSU's newest and one of its smallest campuses, she said.

"We want people not only to know we're there but very active in what's going on," said Hoffman, who'll accompany the students on the Sacramento trip.

Will CSU students have made a difference when the budget is eventually settled? "I don't know," Hoffman said. "What I do know is we can all have a voice and that it matters to us."

CSUCI students will leave the campus on a bus for Sacramento on Sunday morning. They'll stay overnight and meet with peers from other CSU campuses at 9 a.m. Monday at a hotel before the half-mile walk to the state capitol. The cost is free for CSUCI students.