SAN MARCOS (CNS) - Students and faculty at Cal State San Marcos walked out of classes Monday morning to protest the management of the California State University system.
At 9 a.m., protesters left classes as part of Students & Faculty Week of Action — which features marches, rallies and teach-ins across the CSU campuses — to gather at Kellogg Plaza. At noon, the plaza will be the site of a peaceful demonstration.
The protesters are asking the CSU system for a variety of actions, including:
- Providing financial transparency and ending budget cuts and layoffs
- Declaring the CSU campuses a sanctuary from Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Defending Ethnic Studies and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
Additionally, they opposed the Time, Place and Manner policy, which limits when free speech can be practiced on campuses.
"A 'Time, Place and Manner' policy allows the CSU to fulfill its educational mission by helping to maintain an environment where its operations and work can be safely conducted without disruption, in accordance with the highest standards of institutional integrity, and with recognition of the rights, privileges and responsibilities of university community members and members of the public," a statement from the CSU reads.
In February, CSUSM students and faculty organized a protest to demand that Chancellor Mildred García and CSU San Marcos President Ellen Neufeldt declare the campus a sanctuary space.
No students were barred from entering the student union’s non-reserved areas, nor did anyone need police escorts to access the public areas of the building. Additionally there are no classes held in the student union.
CSUSM's Student Leadership and Involvement Office cited two groups involved in the protest — Students for Justice in Palestine and Chicano Student Movement of Aztlán — with violations of student code of conduct. Others received Time, Place and Manner violation letters.
The protesters believe student activists are being targeted while their tuition is being mismanaged.
"It's ironic that, at the bottom of the letters, it lets students know that this violation may cause them anxiety and that the administration recommends they reach out to a counselor for assistance," said Sharon Elise, a CSUSM professor. "That would be nice, except much of our money is going towards the militarization of our police rather than counseling."
CSUSM released a statement to ABC 10News about today's protest, saying in part: "CSUSM cares deeply about and is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for each and every one of our students, staff and faculty members on our campus... CSUSM has always followed established student conduct procedures, ensuring due process for all individuals involved. The university does not pre-determine disciplinary outcomes, as each case is reviewed individually based on the nature of the violation. We make every effort to ensure the process is developmental."
There will be protests at CSU Bakersfield today, CSULA on Tuesday, CSU Long Beach on Wednesday and CSU Fullerton and Sacramento on Thursday.
"Together, we are taking a stance against systemic attacks on students and faculty, so we may ensure that the CSU remain a place where education, activism, and equity matter," a statement from the California Faculty Association read.
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