On Friday, Feb. 10, hundreds of students from universities across the state of North Carolina converged upon the UNC Board of Governors meeting in Chapel Hill for an action organized by the NC Defend Education Coalition against massive tuition hikes. In an act of civil disobedience, we shut down the meeting, took the Board member’s seats, and held our own “People’s Board of Education” meeting. Students from UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, NC A&T, Winston Salem State, UNC Greensboro, UNC Chapel Hill, NC Central, NC State, East Carolina, and Elizabeth City State University were all represented at the event.

The NC Defend Education coalition believes that the tuition increases which were passed that day impose an intolerable financial burden upon current and future generations of students. “Total U.S. student debt now exceeds $1 trillion, an amount greater than total credit card debt.  Not only is the Board’s hike going to sink current students further into debt, it is going to keep those with less money out of the higher education system in the future.” said student activist Juan Miranda at the People’s Board meeting

Several students and supporters of the movement brought attention to the fact that state law is on their side. According to the North Carolina constitution, Article IX, Sec. 9; “public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.” Katina Gad, a NCSU student stated “We see these tuition hikes as being in direct violation of our state’s constitution, we are taking action here at the Board of Governors meeting today with 215,000+ UNC system students standing behind us.”

The February 10th day of action began at 8am in The Pit, the heart of UNC Chapel Hill’s main campus, where NC NAACP President Reverend Doctor William J. Barber II addressed the students who gathered there and encouraged them to take a stand for what they know is right. “Placing the financial burden of a faulty state budget on the backs of these students is a step in the wrong direction,” Rev. Barber said, “It is up to you to turn it around! You are the new student movement!” Inspired by his words and passion we took to the streets and marched across campus directly to the Board of Governors meeting, blocking traffic for over 30 minutes in a display of collective power. We were met at the General Administration building by security guards blocking the door, attempting to deny us access to the “open” meeting. Many students proclaimed their legal right to attend and marched their way around the guards into the meeting.

Due to maximum capacity restrictions set by the fire marshal doors to the board meeting were closed and though dozens of students entered the meeting, hundreds more who could not fit in held an indoor rally in the buildings lobby right outside the boardroom. “I was inside the board room while the tuition hike vote was taking place, you could barely hear the Board members speak over the dissenting chants and voices of the protesters outside.” said Bill Pappas, a UNC-CH student “It was really powerful.” Twice during the proceedings students inside the board room disrupted the meeting using the people’s mic to state their opposition to the hikes, and no attempts were made to silence them. From the look of shock on the board members faces to the bold truth these students passionately spoke that day, this may have been the first time they had heard from the students who they are there to, but have failed to represent.

During the “closed” portion of the meeting, everyone who was not on the board was asked to leave the room. When  the doors to the boardroom were opened back up to allow student representatives and the media inside, the rallying students seized the opportunity and poured into the room chanting “Who’s seats? Our seats! Who’s seats? Our seats!”, surrounding the board members and filling up the room, some in tears, some beating on drums, some on megaphones, all angry of the transgression that had just occurred in violation of their right to an education. The disruption our action caused to the meeting shut it down and forced the board to adjourn, all but one member exited out the back entrance in shame. At this time students filled the now absent board members seats, throwing their name placards on the ground, and we held a “Peoples’ Board of Education” meeting, where the students got their fair chance to speak out against systematic injustice and passing resolutions of their own.The board member who remained, Dr. Franklin McCain, one of the original Greensboro Four, was among the first in the nation to employ the sit-in tactic during the civil rights movement. Dr. McCain remained in his seat and we are thankful that he listened to what we had to say. .

Leading up to the meeting, student leaders had criticized the lack of seats available to students to observe these proceedings. We insist that increased accessibility be provided to the student body represented in the future, and we will settle for nothing less than having our voices, the voices of those who’s future is directly effected by the decisions reached, are heard. Among the many symbolic declarations passed during the Peoples Board of Education meeting were; demands that free public education be provided at every level for all who seek it, an end to the criminalization of youth of color, full support for public workers’ and farmworkers’ rights, and an immediate end to all U.S. wars.

Protest massive tuition hikes in UNC System!
Education is a right!

8am: March from the Pit at UNC Chapel Hill's campus
8:30am: Rally at the Board of Governors meeting (910 Raleigh Rd, Chapel Hill, NC)

The Association of Student Government (ASG) will be helping provide transportation from every UNC system campus to bring students to Chapel Hill! Sign up for a bus from your campus here: http://edujusticealliance.org/feb10buses Housing can be arranged in Chapel Hill on Thursday, Feb 9. Please contact us at ncdefendeducation@gmail.com for more info.

On February 10, the Board of Governors will be meeting at the UNC General Administration building to vote on tuition and fee increases of up to 10% for UNC system schools. For graduate students and other programs, those increases are even larger in many cases. Tuition increases of any amount will place an undue burden on students who are already struggling to pay tuition, will force us to take out more student loan debt, and will close the doors to higher education for many young people, especially low income students and students of color.

The Board of Governors panders to corporate interests at the expense of students and workers. For example, David Powers is the Vice President of State Government Relations at Reynolds American, a company known to overlook abuses of farmworkers on tobacco fields.

Students have been shut out of the process and will no longer remain silent.

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/218546331563378/
Twitter: @NCDefendEdu
Sign up for a bus from your campus: http://edujusticealliance.org/feb10buses

Forced Silencing of Wolfline drivers by First Transit: The untimely passing of a devoted colleague raises student concerns

Katina Gad, Senior in Fashion & Textile Management: Retail & Supply Chain

Friday I spent an hour riding four different Wolfline buses, speaking with the drivers and trying to learn more about the sad and unfortunate death of Joann Sewell in December. I quickly learned the drivers were instructed not to speak to media or students by First Transit management and maintenance personnel regarding the incident on bus number 1516.

I find it concerning First Transit feels the need to restrict employees from speaking out about what happened to the public it serves, denies them the right to free speech, and doesn't allow proper respect to be paid to the dedicated woman who lost her life. Despite the order not to discuss what happened, two of the four drivers offered me their take on the situation, and I promised not to share their names.

One told me that Sewell had complained two or three times over the PA system during the hour immediately before she parked the bus and collapsed on Centennial Campus.

Another driver said everyone who works at First Transit has been hush-hush about the incident, and that he was surprised by the lack of information made public to them and the students about it.

I also find it surprising this hasn't been made public through N.C. State or any sources of campus media. On the fourth and final bus ride I was told by the driver I would be removed from the bus if I continued to ask her questions; at that point I respectfully sat down and asked the student next to me if he knew what happened.

In hearing my question the driver immediately instructed me to exit the bus at the next stop and told me that I was not allowed to speak to other students about what happened. The driver also reported me for causing a disturbance. It is clear to me that drivers' and students' health and safety is not the top priority of First Transit, and I am disgusted by its handling of a long term employee's death.

The Action:

NCSU Wolfline driver JoAnn Sewell complained of fumes on her bus for over an hour; no one listened to her. Just before Christmas, she collapsed on the job and died three days later. Occupy NCSU took to the Wolfline in support of drivers and to inform students about the neglect of public health and safety. We rode with surgical and gas masks, handed out flyers, and spoke with students about Wolfline dangers.

Pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/75010979@N07/sets/72157629144304885/

NC State Students are going to be joining with thousands of people for Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HKonJ). They will be rallying around the peoples agenda!

The Event can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/285745504779994/

As part of the Executive Lecture Series, North Carolina State University’s Poole College of Management invited John G. Stumph, Chair President, & CEO of Wells Fargo to address students and the community in Nelson Hall.

The Occupy movement has taken a stand against the corporatized for-profit banking system and Wall Street greed that Wells Fargo is a direct participant in. Wells Fargo uses discriminatory lending practices to create greater inequality between races, social classes, and sexes. In addition Wells Fargo is guilty of inhumane foreclosure tactics, improper use of bailout funds, oppressing immigrants through the funding of for-profit detention centers, and political influence over through campaign contributions. This unethical behavior and manipulation of our families, neighbors, friends, and own personal economic means has cast a dark cloud over the future landscape that many college students face on a daily basis.

We organized a demonstration against John Stumph and his banking practices because we are appalled by his leadership experiences and detest his personal career. Watch the Mic Check here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N1g3Xps68g