Students and faculty members gathered last week for a general assembly held by the De Anza Associated Student Body Senate and Students for Justice. The meeting was intended to organize students’ efforts to reduce budget cuts statewide. The event, held in conference rooms A and B on Nov. 19, was moderated by members of the student senate and attended by about 40 students.
The assembly began with a statement by De Anza College President Brian Murphy, who asked students to get active and fight the budget cuts that have closed the doors of transfer universities such as San Jose State, and have left many De Anza students unable to take the classes they need.
Murphy explained that the transparency of the fiscal situation on campus, coupled with the actions of the student government to assemble and organize the student body, will help make changes for the state of education funding in California.
Murphy’s main message to all members of the De Anza community was to simply be active in this struggle.
“In order for students to make a difference they need to get creative, act quickly and show their pride in De Anza,” said Student Senate President Marlo Custodio. “When winter comes, or when spring comes, De Anza is not going to look the same. If we don’t advocate, by the time people want to take action because it gets hard, it’s going to be too late.”
John Milton, professor emeritus, said, “There needs to be a group who believes in education.” He asked students to “take back your school, take back your country, take back the world, and get out there.”
The assembly commenced with proposals for two events the student government suggested for activism.
The first day would be a call for action. The Student Senate proposed this day to be Jan. 13, which would coincide with the Governor’s revision of the state budget. The participants decided that students and faculty should walk out of classes and engage in flash mobs to petition the budget cuts.
The second event, called the Stawtewide Day of Action vs. the Budget Cuts, planned for March 4, will coincide with student actions from UC and state schools. The senate will be funding busses to take students from the campus to march in Sacramento, similar to an event that took place last year.
The assembly finished with the ratification of a committee who will coordinate outreach to students to make these days of action as successful as possible.
Mohamed Shirazi, vice president of Student Rights and Campus Relations, was happy with the outcome of the assembly. “The activist students will always show up, no matter what … The apathetic students coming in here and voicing their opinions, I really appreciated that,” Shirazi said.
Followup general assemblies are schedule to happen on a weekly basis, and information can be found at www.deanza.edu/dasb.
Portions of the general assembly can be heard at
