The Occupy Movement should give true sustainability advocates reason for hope. Sustainability isn’t just about cleaning up our environmental act, but about building a new society that respects peopleand planet. Sustainability happens when Earth justice meets social justice. At the core of this new society must rest equal access to higher education for all, no matter what their background or wealth. Occupy the so-called ‘Ivory Tower!’ Demand publicly-funded, affordable education.
-Justin Mog
Read more and see pictures from the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education’s blog post at “AASHE’s ‘Higher Education Occupation’ Project.”
Occupy UC Santa Cruz is planning the following:
What: Occupy Education UCSC Campus Shutdown
When: Thursday, March 1st – Rallies at 12pm and 5pm
Where: UCSC Main Campus Entrance, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz 95064
What: Thousands of students, faculty, staff, and community members rallying in support of public education from K-UC.The problems in California’s education system affect everyone, not just current students. The K-12 students of today are the UC students of the future, and the price tag for a college education is increasing, while vital services are simultaneously cut. We are asking for support of the Santa Cruz community, and hope you will join us in the activities planned over the course of the day. We are doing everything possible to ensure that this action will be safe for all participants, especially children. Aside from emergency vehicles, faculty and family student housing, health services, and psychological services, all other vehicles will be denied campus entry on that day.
On that same day, we will put forward a Tent University, an alternative vision of education to counter the agendas imposed by the UC Regents and other corporate elites. This alternative Free University will include outdoor classes, educational workshops, music, poetry, speeches, food, world cafe discussion, and a space to have conversations about ways forward. The Tent University will be an open setting at the base of campus for students, teachers, and community members to peacefully teach and learn together. All interested in teaching can contact organizers about scheduling a space by email (tentucsc@gmail.com) or on the strike website (http://march1strikeucsc.org/). Donations for food and materials are greatly appreciated and can be made through the website.
The events taking place on March 1st at UCSC will also serve as a stepping-stone towards a statewide mass mobilization to the state capitol in Sacramento on Monday, March 5th to shut down the political nervous system of the 8th largest economy in the world. On the 5th, students & teachers will travel to Sacramento to rally with more than 10,000 of our peers from other UC’s, CSU’s, community colleges, and K-12 schools. We encourage any interested parties to take advantage of free bus transportation (sponsored by the Re-Fund California Coalition) to Sacramento to participate in this historic action.
Ponderings of a Perplexed Primate 