At Rally, Groups Call UC Hurricane Aid Inadequate

Some 100 students gathered on Sproul Plaza yesterday to protest what they said was the university's lack of concrete aid toward victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Students at the rally, which was organized by the International Socialist Organization, Berkeley Stop the War Coalition and a number of other student organizations, called on UC administrators to offer long-term accommodation and scholarships to displaced students studying at UC Berkeley, rather than only allowing students to stay for a semester.

"(The administration) needs to recognize that this is a long-term project.

They're only allowing for a semester when we all know that it'll take at least 60 to 80 days to drain. It's not enough," said graduate student LaToya Beck. "The administration should offer long-term accommodation, because if they don't, it'll be like the students are displaced all over again."

Protesters also demanded administrators waive all tuition fees for displaced students. Officials said since the the students are studying on "visiting" status, they are charged for fees through their home institutions and UC Berkeley is not collecting any fees from them.

"Until they have a place here, they're part of the Cal family. The whole campus has really rallied behind these students" said Esther Gulli, chief of staff for Genaro Padilla, vice chancellor for student affairs.

While plans are still in the works, the campus is prepared to offer a place to students up through the spring semester, Gulli said.

Protesters also drafted a list of demands, including giving academic credit to UC Berkeley students who plan on traveling to New Orleans to aid the relief effort.

"UC needs to do more than take in a token handful of students," said Derek Wright, a member of the International Socialist Organization and an employee of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "It's just an empty gesture."

Protesters also criticized what they said was the media's racist portrayal of the hurricane's aftermath.

"The depiction of black residents as looters, especially as whites are depicted as doing what they need to do to survive, is really ridiculous," Beck said.

Beck also pointed to what she said was a delayed response at the national level to coming to the victims' assistance.

"It's more than just how blacks are being portrayed, it's also about the amount of resources that are being dedicated to the crisis. The time it took for the national government was not adequate," Beck said.

Protesters at the rally also handed out red, green and black Mardi Gras beads to represent their reactions of sorrow, mourning and outrage at the way black Katrina survivors were being treated.

Donations for hurricane victims were also collected.

Tags: