Let’s try a ballot measure
Protests on University of California and California State University campuses opposing tuition increases have raised valid concerns about rising fees and overspending on excessive salaries of high-ranking officials. Unfortunately, the methods of protest — such as sit-ins, camp-outs, blocking passageways and other forms of civil disobedience — are counterproductive in obtaining the change that is needed. Such actions of protest likely will contribute to an increasing negative public image of this movement as it continues.
Instead, the protesters should place a Proposition 13-style measure on the state ballot to roll back and limit the increases in student fees. If such a ballot measure passed, it would legally compel the university’s Board of Regents to act likewise. Another needed reform would be to make the Board of Regents a publicly elected body.
Such an action could peacefully lessen the conflicts between the student protesters and the university officials — specifically, the police — in the future and obtain positive resolutions to this problem.
Thomas Randall Jr.
Davis
Short URL: http://www.davisenterprise.com/?p=108579
View this story on page A14
Posted by Letters to the Editor
on Dec 1 2011.
Last Login:
Filed under Letters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
No – it’s a waste of time. The Regents are established by the state constitution, so the same time spent getting signatures could be used on a more valuable measure – to replace the Regents with the Academic Council – i.e. the chairs of the Academic Senates of the various campuses. The Academic Senate is a democratic institution that is actually active on the campuses and knows what is needed.
Thanks for the advice, Mr. Randall, but it’s not true to say that civil disobedience creates a negative image. On the contrary, civil disobedience is an honorable and highly effective thing to do, when the situation warrants and in proportion to the offense being protested. Acts of civil disobedience are primarily acts of communication which serve to draw the public’s attention to matters which urgently require a social response. Your letter is a response to our civil disobedience, so then you should be praising us for doing the right thing and drawing your attention to this issue.
Incidentally, the protesters who were pepper sprayed on Nov. 18 were certainly not blocking a passage way. The sidewalk they were sitting on is in the center of a vast open quad area where people cut across at all angles.
I think you’ve drawn enough attention. Notice that the general media coverage has subsided already? Prolonging this tactic further will just negatively affect your images. Look at what happened at NYC and LA. General public has so much less sympathy towards them compared to the first week or so. If you don’t feel that, you are in an ivory tower just like whom you are accusing.