The first month of the year has passed us while the economic times feel no different than they did back in 2009. Now students have to adjust to more budget cuts that are upon the horizon. Thankfully, everyone has been pressuring the government to save our education.In Washington DC, we have Martha Kanter, under secretary of Education and former Foothill-De Anza chancellor, fighting to protect our education from any proposed federal cuts or attempted mismanagement with the support of Hal Plotkin, senior policy adviser to the secretary of education and former Foothill-De Anza board of trustee member. Here on the home front, students, faculty and administrators have been doing their part in trying to save the state’s education. De Anza President Brian Murphy has been in Sacramento pleading the state government to avoid making any more cuts. At the same time, he has been persuading students to speak up against any more political meddling in their futures. Other educational institutions in the state have also been doing their part. Teacher’s unions have voiced their concerns regarding overcrowded classrooms. UC President Mark Yudof has been doing his best to limit service cuts while making many personal sacrifices. In an attempt to adjust to state cuts, maybe Yudof has been responsible for cutting vital services, academic programs and faculty across the UCs while raising tuition for the students along with proposing more fees based on a student’s major. In way, Yudof has become less of a president and more like the Despot of the UCs. If this continues, Yudof will be leaving his position as a very wealthy man while having driven the UC system into bankruptcy and burning ashes.So while champion educators are out fighting to save our future, all hope seems lost when leeches like Yudof play their fiddle during times of crisis. Maybe then we all could learn from Emperor Nero and enjoy the fine wine as we watch the world burn.