rocor//creative commons

Contact Josh Escobar at jescobar@dailycal.org.

The post Haunted places on campus (part 2 of 2) appeared first on The Daily Californian.

The Cal Student Orientation is your first impression of the incredible smarts and urban eccentricity that is Berkeley. We at the Clog sure haven’t forgotten our own CalSO experiences. If you’ve already had your CalSO years and years ago, we hope you’ll find something you can relate to in our stories, and if you’re a new freshman admit, we hope you’ll learn something!

Freshmen, meet Tele-BEARS. 

How sweet were the days in which I had no clue what Tele-BEARS was. If only it really were an intergalactic bear floating somewhere out there in space. But it’s not. It’s your worst nightmare.

I can recall both my sense of naivety and the aching of my calves while trying to keep up with my CalSO leader heading into Tolman Hall. I had no course control numbers written on a notepad — just a bunch of classes I thought I would be interested in (a list that I would soon realize was useless). Upon finding an unoccupied computer, I sat listening to what sounded like the fast-forward Terms and Conditions in a sketchy infomercial on how to work the thing. After nodding, acknowledging, “Yes, I totally understand completely,” when we were asked if we understood their directions, I was released to attack the beast — in less than 30 minutes.

I proceeded to add and drop classes like I knew what I was doing. My heart would break a little each time I was wait-listed for a class I wanted to take that was my only option. Wasn’t college all about having the liberty to take the classes you wanted?

I didn’t have the best first Tele-BEARS experience, but I learned the importance of using ScheduleBuilder and having course control numbers and back-up plans ready. Lots of them.

— Karen Kwaning

Thank God for caffeine

It’s amazing that I was able to stay awake at all during CalSO. Because the transfer student CalSO is only one 12-hour day, I opted not to stay the night before. Plus, I didn’t want to pay to park my car overnight, because I knew that no matter what, I would be driving to Berkeley. Who knows — maybe my subconscious was telling me that although I’d never visited Unit 3, I definitely wouldn’t want to sleep there. So I woke up at 3 a.m. to drive to CalSO. Did I mention that I couldn’t fall asleep until after midnight?

I made it to Berkeley just as the sun was beginning to rise — or rather, just as light was starting to poke through the overcast sky. There were hardly anyone on the streets (an image I recall on days when Telegraph is bustling). I don’t think I have ever seen Berkeley as quiet as I did that morning. I parked at Underhill right before 5 a.m., and I’m sure I was the first student to show up that morning. So I just relaxed in my car until I could head over to Unit 3 to sign in.

For the rest of the day, as many incoming Cal students will soon find out, I practically sprinted from one end of campus to another, trying to acquaint myself with as many new resources and people as I could in 12 hours. It was one of the most tiring days of my life, but that also means that I’ll never forget it.

I would like to thank caffeine — both Starbucks and Dr. Pepper — for making my CalSO experience possible.

— Jessica Rogness

Is that a … mustache? 

I had a CalSO leader with a mustache … who was a girl. She was super friendly and laid back and introduced our CalSO group to the joys of falafel and vegan dining options at Cal. She got me thoroughly  excited to be at a liberal-minded college after living a very conservative region of Orange County for so long.

— Liz Zarka

From SoCal to NorCal

My CalSO experience started at the Oakland Airport the night before orientation. I arrived about as wide-eyed as any suburb-slicker would; admittedly, I was a tad nervous but still eager to take on the big city (truthfully, Berkeley is quite a modestly sized city. It felt big at the time). As I strolled through the airport, I emphatically quipped “Go Bears” to an older man with a Cal sweatshirt; I saw Berkeley merchandise at a vendor’s window. Soon, I was walking with an unwarranted sense of belonging. I felt at home.

Unfortunately, all those good feelings disappeared when I arrived at BART. As a native of southern California, public transportation was never my strong suit. But in a stellar example of the pride, friendliness and ubiquity of Cal’s student body, I saw a fellow Bear wearing a Berkeley sweater. I asked her if she was en route to the school and thankfully, she said yes. I was guided through the terminals, through Center Street and right to the west side of campus. Needless to say, I was awestruck by Berkeley’s unique blend of urbanity and forest.

The next day, I woke up bright and early to get ready for orientation. As I sat in 2050 VLSB, getting my “bear”-ings, an advisor enthusiastically said, “ Even some of your classes will be taught by Nobel laureates!” The person sitting next to me casually looked down the aisle to make eye contact with his friend, turned to me, and casually said, “Yeah, his father is a Nobel laureate.” I was starstruck and a little overwhelmed. But looking back, that is Berkeley in a nutshell: Academic excellence is somehow both revered and everyday. CalSO, like Berkeley in general, is special because it prepares its students for bigger and better things.

— Griffin Mori-Tornheim

Image Source: ctsnow under Creative Commons.

Contact the Clog Staff at clog@dailycal.org.

The post Our CalSO memories, Clog style appeared first on The Daily Californian.

At around 5 p.m., a female UC Berkeley student was talking on her cellphone and walking eastbound on Hearst Avenue when she passed a bus stop near Tolman Hall, where a man asked her a question regarding a bus, according to a UCPD crime alert. The victim answered the question and then walked southbound onto campus, where the suspect caught up with her a few moments later.

He then grabbed her arm and brought it toward his exposed genitals while trying to pull her into nearby bushes, according to the crime alert. The victim fought back and escaped toward Hearst.

The victim was not injured during the encounter and reported the incident to UCPD Thursday.

The suspect is described as a 5’3’’ medium built male in his late 30s with an average weight and black or grey short, straight thinning hair. He has a pock-marked complexion with some facial stubble, and was wearing a faded black hooded sweatshirt, light blue jeans and old white shoes, according to the crime alert.

The post UC Berkeley student escapes attempted sexual assault on campus appeared first on The Daily Californian.

The SAFER program defines a “Poor” rating as “buildings and other structures expected to sustain significant structural and nonstructural damage and/or result in falling hazards in a major seismic disturbance, representing appreciable life hazards.”

A “Very Poor” rating is defined as “buildings and other structures whose performance during a major seismic disturbance is anticipated to result in extensive structural and nonstructural damage, potential structural collapse, and/or falling hazards that would represent high life hazards.”

The SAFER report first identified 95 buildings marked as “Poor” or “Very Poor,” totaling 27 percent of campus square footage. Since then nearly 75 percent of the needed repairs have been completed, according to Christine Shaff, communications director for Facilities Services.

UC Berkeley has used state funds marked for campus capital improvement only for seismic repairs since 1997. It was originally estimated that it would take 20 years to upgrade all buildings labeled as “Poor” or “Very Poor” but it is likely to take longer because state funds used for this project have been reduced in recent years, according to Shaff.

The post Map: UC Berkeley buildings rated seismically ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Eugene W. Lau/Staff

Two men were arrested on felony charges during a protest at Tolman Hall on Thursday night and several people were injured, following a sporadically violent daylong demonstration against proposed student fee increases.

The men, Drew Phillips, 25, and Richard Clemons, 30­­­ were arrested on felony charges Thursday night. Neither are UC Berkeley students.

Phillips allegedly assaulted an officer with a shield he was carrying, said UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode. The officer was injured and sought her own treatment, and Philips was arrested at 7:58 p.m. for wearing a mask for an unlawful purpose, felony on a police officer and resisting arrest.

While DeCoulode said that he has not heard of any student or bystander injuries, seven police officers were injured. Two went to the hospital, and the others went to seek their own medical services.

At around 9:00 p.m., when Tolman Hall closed, tensions heightened as protesters began to attempt to leave the building.

“We had never told people they had to leave, because they seemed to be doing so naturally,” DeCoulode said. “We were monitoring the doorways because the custodial staff locked the doors at the building’s closing time.”

Freshman UC Berkeley student Stephanie Benitez said she witnessed four police officers attacking a man — likely Clemons, although she did not specify the man’s name — because he tried to exit the building.

“I told the police to just take a second to listen to him scream,” said Benitez, who said she was at Tolman Hall until about 10 p.m. “This isn’t even an issue about tuition anymore. It’s about morality. How can you go to sleep at night knowing you did this to an innocent kid?”

DeCoulode said there was a scuffle at the door at about 9:04 p.m. and Clemons, who appeared to be leaving the building, allegedly assaulted an officer from behind and pushed him. During Clemons’s arrest, police used physical force and batons to take him into custody, for their own protection and because he was resisting arrest, DeCoulode said. He was booked for felony on a police officer and resisting arrest.

“He may have had some minor injuries, but I am not sure,” said DeCoulode.

This incident escalated the action, according to DeCoulode. Right after the struggle, protesters outside threw a chair, pieces of concrete and a large base of a traffic cone at police officers, he said. A window was broken, and one officer was hit in the head with an object and sustained a concussion.

“There was a short period of time, at about 9:15 p.m., when we didn’t let some people leave because that’s when the objects were being thrown at the officers, and we didn’t think it was safe for (the protesters) to leave,” said DeCoulode. “I don’t know that any protesters intended to remain in the building, I think the number of students appeared to be on their way to leave when the altercation occurred.”

Phillips is being held at the Berkeley Police Department Jail Facility with bail set at $60,000. Clemons was sent Santa Rita Jail with bail set at $15,000, according to Alameda County Jail records. Their arraignment is set for 2 p.m. Monday at Wiley W. Manuel Courthouse in Oakland.

After the 12 p.m. rally in Sproul Plaza — where students, organizers and community members gathered to protest proposed student fee increases — approximately 150 protesters marched to Tolman Hall, arriving at about 1:20 p.m. A smaller group then entered the building, clashing with police — who used pepper spray against the demonstrators — as they entered.

“The police followed protesters to Tolman because we always monitor protests,” DeCoulode said. “We do it to ensure that they are able to do things safely for their safety and to ensure that they don’t block pathways or passageways.”

DeCoulode could not confirm the number of police present at the building but estimated that as many as 80 protesters went inside.

The post Two non-UC Berkeley students arrested during Tolman Hall protest appeared first on The Daily Californian.

About five people, some of whom had participated in Thursday’s Day of Action, stood under a tree near Tolman during the morning discussing the protest and methods of resistance, but dispersed by the early afternoon. Various local news media set up vans in front of Tolman, anticipating a possible continuation of the protest.

Besides a UCPD officer on a bicycle who dropped by Tolman occasionally between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., there was no police presence outside the building.

“We are keeping an eye on the area,” said officer Sean Aranas. “Who knows what is going to happen?”

When asked if he thought there would be further protests today, Aranas said “I don’t think so.”

One window on the outside of the lobby that had been broken when protesters scuffled with police last night was boarded up. Banners the protesters had hung from the second floor yesterday had been taken down, and it was business as usual for students and staff who walked in and out of Tolman throughout the morning.

The post Despite plans, no protest Friday morning outside Tolman appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Eugene W. Lau/Staff

Tensions between police officers and demonstrators fluctuated throughout the course of a campus protest Thursday, culminating in a violent scuffle when one man was carried from Tolman Hall by his arms and legs.

At about 9 p.m., after over seven hours of protest inside the building, protesters were chanting in the lobby of Tolman and police officers began to move towards the doors to prevent a small crowd of demonstrators outside from entering the building.

(Watch a five-video series of UC Berkeley’s day of action)

Protesters then began running toward the west doors and an altercation with officers ensued. One man was carried away and arrested after being forced to the ground by police officers.

During the altercation, protesters became riled and threw objects at police, resulting in a cracked window.

The demonstrators left the building around 9:10 p.m.

Propelled by persisting state budget cuts to the University of California and accompanying tuition increases, a group of around 150 left a noontime rally in Sproul Plaza and marched through campus. Led by a small contingent of about 20 bandana-clad protesters carrying makeshift shields adorned with artwork from famous works of literature, the group eventually reached Tolman Hall around 1:20 p.m and stayed for over seven hours.

A crush of around 70 protesters rushed the western doorway of the building, urging the crowd to follow them.

Police and protesters scuffled as officers tried to pull several protesters away from the doors.

In the melee, at least one protester was pepper-sprayed by two police officers, said UCPD spokesperson Lt. Marc DeCoulode.

Protesters and police clash in front of Tolman Hall. - Anna Vinget/Senior Staff

Once inside, protesters continued to rally, their clamoring cries of “They say cut back, we say fight back” and other chants reverberating down the halls. After marching the length of the second floor hallway, demonstrators eventually gathered in room 2308.

In the classroom, the tenor of the demonstration cooled to a largely calm discussion — save a few tense reactions to the presence of police officers and local television media — in which the demonstrators introduced themselves to one another and shared thoughts about the condition of the university and the state.

“My dad is a gardener, my mom is a maid — I come from immigrant families, and how the hell am I supposed to afford this education?” asked freshman Stephanie Benitez.

Should the UC Board of Regents approve a multi-year plan that could send tuition and fees skyrocketing to over $22,000 by 2015, Benitez said she would no longer be able to afford her enrollment.

After discussing mounting student debt, the conversation shifted to building momentum for a planned walkout in early November.

Several protesters stressed the need for a thorough organizing effort in order to get large numbers of students to turn out. The walkout is being organized for Nov. 9 and 10 by United Auto Workers Local 2865, a union representing UC graduate students, readers and tutors.

Campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore said the campus agreed with the motivations behind the demonstration.

“We share the students’ frustrations over the state’s disinvestment in higher education, and we support their right to protest,” she said.

One protester, Shane Boyle, said the group chose to “reclaim the space” at Tolman Hall because the campus closed the building’s 13 regular classrooms starting this semester.

Tolman — which houses the campus’s Graduate School of Education — was deemed seismically “poor” in a 1997 study of campus buildings. A lack of state funding to replace the building prompted the closure, though staff and faculty remain in the building.

A protester is carried away by police after being arrested inside Tolman Hall - Kevin Foote/ staff

After the demonstrators’ discussion ended around 4:15 p.m., they remained in room 2308 until making their way down the hall to room 2320 at about 5 p.m. in order to view a film about the Black Panthers.

The demonstrators regrouped in 2308 and began another meeting at about 7 p.m. One man was arrested around 8 p.m. because he grabbed a magazine clip from an officer’s belt earlier that day, DeColoude said.

Alisha Azevedo, Jaehak Yu and Aadia Samad of The Daily Californian contributed to this report.

The post Day of Action ends in violence, two arrests appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

Police used pepper spray against protesters at Thursday’s protest outside of Tolman Hall. UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode said during the course of an entrance attempt at the hall, a number of protesters tried to pin officers, and one protester grabbed a magazine clip off of an officer’s gun belt, leading two officers to use the spray.

He could not say exactly how many protesters were sprayed but estimated it was “a couple.”Michelle Ty, a UC Berkeley graduate student who was at the protest, said at least three protesters were pepper-sprayed. According to Ty, the spray was used in two instances not far from one another outside the hall. She estimated the sprayings occurred two to three minutes apart.

(Watch a five-video series of UC Berkeley’s day of action)

A protester standing outside Tolman — who refused to give his name out of fear of criminal allegations if his name appeared in print — said he was pepper-sprayed and that many of the protesters in the crowd where the sprayings occurred felt the impact of the pepper mist even if officers did not spray them individually.

“It still burns,” he said, approximately three hours after the spraying occurred.

DeCoulode said the size of the crowd prevented police from taking any protesters into custody and that, to his knowledge, officers did not use any other forms of force beyond the pepper spray.

The post Police use pepper spray on protesters at UC Berkeley appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Randy Adam Romero/Staff

About 250 protesters gathered in Sproul Plaza at noon on Wednesday to protest budget cuts and potential tuition raises, among other things.

A smaller group of demonstrators, numbering approximately 100, then moved to UC Berkeley’s Tolman Hall, where they entered classrooms and opened discussions on issues ranging from the budget cuts and tuition increases to access to the UC for undocumented students.

The noontime rally heard nine speakers on a range of topics.

Jason Schultz, a campus librarian and member of the UC-American Federation of Teachers, said that budget cuts have prevented staff from adequately supporting students.

“The libraries have had all these cuts and we’re not equipped to do our jobs,” he said.

UC Berkeley professor of geography and Berkeley Faculty Association member Richard Walker gave alternatives to fee increases in order to increase funding for the university.

“The first solution is to raise taxes,” he said. “The second is to stop playing the market game. It is not the market that sets our priorities. If administrators and faculty don’t believe in serving the public and being at the greatest university in the world, we should let them go. We don’t need them.”

After about an hour of speeches, protesters marched past Sather Gate and eventually to Tolman Hall, chanting slogans including “No cuts, no fees, education must be free,” and “The people united will never be divided.”

The march reached Tolman Hall around 1:20 p.m. After an altercation with UCPD officers, approximately 70 protesters entered the building.

The protesters chanted protest slogans in the lobby and then spread to a few classrooms in the building where they held discussions.

“I think the budget cuts are the worst thing ever,” said freshman Sam Heinz. “It’s terrible to think politicians would undercut students before taking other measures.”

UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode described the demonstrators’ actions in the building as a “classroom meeting” rather than an “occupation.”

“(UCPD) is just monitoring (the situation) right now,” he said.

The post Protesters gather in Sproul Plaza, march to Tolman Hall appeared first on The Daily Californian.

Benny Grush/Staff

Thursday marks the first organized day of protest against fee hikes for the current academic year. Organizers, including Ricardo Gomez, who along with Amanda Armstrong wrote an op-ed for The Daily Californian Tuesday explaining their position and goals, met Tuesday to discuss their demands, which include a reversal of recent systemwide fee increases and access to the UC for undocumented students. An official rally is planned for noon on Sproul Plaza. Check here for updates throughout the day.

10:36 p.m.

UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode confirmed two were arrested during today’s protests.

A police officer apprehends a demonstrator in Tolman Hall, where the Day of Action protesters occupied a room. The protest was propelled by persisting state budget cuts to the UC and accompanying tuition increases.

Eugene W. Lau/Staff

9:44 p.m.

The protesters have decided to disperse and reconvene tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. at Tolman Hall.

Update to follow.

9:32 p.m.

A group of about 40 protesters are now walking across campus towards Moffitt Undergraduate Library with seven police trailing behind them.

9:22 p.m.

Protesters are now outside Tolman Hall and regrouping to discuss what action to take next while some chant “No cuts, no fees, education must be free.”

9:14 p.m.

The protesters — who threw rocks and bottles at police officers — have decided to disperse. Police have asked the protesters to file orderly outside the building.

9:10 p.m.

UCPD and protesters are scuffling near the entrance to Tolman Hall. One protester has been detained and carried away by police officers while other officers in riot gear stand by.

A protester is restrained by police following an altercation at the doors of Tolman Hall.

Kevin Foote/Staff

8:59 p.m.

UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode said the protester arrested was the protester who assaulted a police officer earlier in the day.

8:04 p.m.

One protester has been arrested.

While the protesters were in their meeting, shouting was heard from the hallway. The group of protesters exited the classroom and went into the hallway where the protester was being arrested.

UCPD said they could not disclose why the man was arrested because “it was his personal business” and there was scuffling between protesters and police. The identity of the man arrested was not disclosed.

7:54 p.m.

The Daily Californian reporters have been asked to leave the room while protesters discuss next steps and are currently waiting for the protesters to hold a press conference to announce their plans.

Read this for an update on the use police of pepper spray.

4:27 p.m.

Protesters voted to make a cameraman from ABC leave the room — despite objections from a group of protesters including UC Berkeley student and organizer Marco Amaral, who wanted the cameraman to stay in order to document the proceedings.

After making the cameraman leave, the protesters blocked a NBC cameraman’s entrance to the room.

Protesters have since decided to take a 45 minute break from the proceedings.

An ABC cameraman and a protester clash over media presence at Tolman Hall.

Eugene W. Lau/Staff

3:51 p.m.

The UC Berkeley administration has made a statement regarding the protests inside Tolman Hall.

“Police are there just monitoring the situation for now,” said campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore. “We do expect (the protestors) to leave the building when the building closes later tonight. We’ll continue to reach out to them to bring this to a close without any incident.”

She added that the campus shares “the students’ frustrations over the state’s disinvestment in higher education and we support their right to protest.”

3:48 p.m.

UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode has confirmed the use of pepper spray against protesters.

When protesters were trying to enter Tolman Hall, a group pinned two officers against a wall, according to DeCoulode. The officers were forced to use pepper spray to defend themselves, he said.

DeCoulode also said that a dispersal order is not imminent.

Protesters and police clash at Tolman Hall.

3:07 p.m.

Protesters are still inside Tolman Hall, mostly concentrated in one classroom.

UCPD Lt. Marc DeCoulode said that UCPD officers are “just monitoring (the situation) right now.”

Read a summary of the day’s events so far here.

2:22 p.m.

The protesters, still inside Tolman Hall, have opened discussions on issues ranging from tuition hikes and budget cuts to access to the UC for undocumented students.

Protesters ate pizza while they occupied a classroom in Tolman Hall.

Derek Remsburg/Staff

“I think the budget cuts are the worst thing ever,” said freshman Sam Heinz. “It’s terrible to think politicians would undercut students before taking other measures.”

Hannah Smith, a UC Berkeley junior, said that previous experiences at other schools made her want to come to UC Berkeley.

“I came to Berkeley expecting my voice to be heard but there’s no cooperative notion in our education system,” she said.

Campus spokesperson Janet Gilmore declined to comment on the protest at this point in time.

1:43 p.m.

The protesters are spreading out through the hall, chanting “Who pays for it? We pay for it.” The protesters are entering classrooms, which have been closed in the building since it was deemed seismically unsafe.

Protesters and police stand in a classroom in Tolman Hall.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

1:31 p.m.

The crowd, now numbering approximately 100 protesters, is inside Tolman Hall. UCPD officers, who had had an altercation with protesters as they entered the building, are inside the building as well.

Protesters stand inside Tolman Hall.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

1:20 p.m.

The march is now trying to enter Tolman Hall. Police officers are trying to stop people from entering the building as the protesters shout at police, “Shame on you.”

Protesters and police clash in front of Tolman Hall.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

1:11 p.m.

The march has moved on from California Hall and is now moving towards the western part of campus. More than 200 people are in the march, which is now near Hilgard Hall on campus.

Protesters march across campus before entering Tolman Hall.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

1:05 p.m.

The march has stopped in front of California Hall, which holds Chancellor Robert Birgeneau’s office.

1:03 p.m.

After the Sather Tower clock chimed one o’clock, a group of protesters started moving out of the plaza chanting “The people united will never be divided” and “No cuts, no fees, education must be free” as it moved towards Memorial Glade. The crowd is being shadowed by police.

Protesters line up with signs on Sproul Plaza before marching to Tolman Hall.

Anna Vignet/Senior Staff

1:00 p.m.

Molly Noble, a graduate student from the University of Wisconsin which has also experienced budget cuts, talked about her experience in Wisconsin and how it transcended state borders.

“In the first days of the occupation (in Wisconsin), there was a tangible momentum growing,” she said. “This a social, economic and political movement… we have the power to reclaim our social, political and economic rights.

Then Andrea Barrera, the last speaker, described the plight of her family to illustrate the difficulties she now faces.

“I’m here on behalf of my 65 year old mother who can’t retire because she has to help pay my tuition semester to semester and on behalf of my little brother and sister whose chances of going to college or even graduating high school are getting narrower and narrower,” she said. “The people in charge have no idea what they’re doing.”

12:45 p.m.

The crowd observed a moment of silence for Troy Davis, a Georgia man executed last night.

Then, Gabriel Cortez, an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley, told the protesters “to protest like this is the death of public education and you are dressed for a revival.”

12:35 p.m.

Walker said that the university must ”stop playing the market game,” in reference to paying large salaries to certain professors or administrators in order to retain them in the face of competition from other institutions.

“It is not the market that sets our priorities,” Walker added. “If administrators and faculty don’t believe in serving the public and being the greatest university on earth, let them go. We don’t need them.”

Students and members of the public stand on Upper Sproul Plaza during the rally.

Kevin Foote/Staff

12:30 p.m.

Professor of geography and Berkeley Faculty Association member Richard Walker said public higher education is at a turning point.

“Public education is an investment in the youth and the future,” he said. “The state of California has been systematically disinvesting and now it’s hit home. Nothing else is going on but disinvestment in this university.”

12:26 p.m.

Jason Schultz, a librarian at UC Berkeley and member of the UC-American Federation of Teachers, called on the demonstrators gathered to make a change.

“In the libraries, we’ve had all these cuts, we’re not equipped to do our jobs,” he said . “Something’s got to give… we are the one’s we’ve been waiting for folks.”

12:22 p.m.

Protesters holding signs with slogans including “No cuts, no fees,” “Democratize the Regents” and “You can’t be efficient with my education” are now standing on the steps of Sproul Plaza.

“The cite the economic crisis … (but) we know that it’s just a part of the story,” said Katy Fox-Hodess, a UC Berkeley graduate student and head steward for United Auto Workers Local 2865. “We know that tuition has been rising before the crisis began. The crisis a convenient excuse to shift the economic burden onto the most vulnerable.”

Approximately 300 people have gathered in the plaza now.

12:13 p.m.

The rally has started, with the first speaker beginning to talk.

AFSCME Local 3299 member Kathryn Lybarger, a gardener at UC Berkeley, said she will run for public office to insist on change.

“What we are seeing is a continuation of a long term trend of the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer,” she said.

12:05 p.m.

Protesters have begun to set up speakers on the steps leading up to Sproul Hall as some students start to gather.

Protest organizers senior Andrea Barrera and graduate student Shane Boyle  said they hope for a large turnout.

“We’d like 500 to 1,000 students to really be a success,” Boyle said.

According to University Professional and Technical Employees Local 1 President Tanya Smith, the protesters intend to march several routes after the rally in Upper Sproul Plaza ends.

The rally is supposed to begin in two minutes, according to organizers.

Signs were written in chalk across campus referring to the September 22nd rally. This one is on Lower Sproul Plaza.

 Kevin Foote/Staff

The post Live Blog: Day of Action appeared first on The Daily Californian.