On November 15, 2011 an estimated 10,ooo thousand students, faculty, and local citizens came to Sproul Plaza to participate in the Occupy Cal general assembly. The following three proposals were passed with over 80% consensus:
1) Organize a Public Debate with Jerry Brown, Marc Yudof, the Chancellor, etc. on How to Stop the Cuts and Refund Public Education at UC Berkeley in the First Week of December, 2011.
2) Issue an Open Letter To the Authorities To Meet Our Demands Before Feb. 1, 2012 Or Face a Wave of Actions and Strikes (Letter Copied Below).
3) Peacefully but Firmly Reestablish Occupy Cal’s Tent Encampment.Â
These proposals were passed as Robert Reich, UC Berkeley professor and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, took to the steps of Sproul plaza and gave a speech on the economic inequality in the United States. Â
“The days of apathy are over, folks. Once this has begun, this cannot be stopped and will not be stopped,” Reich said on the Occupy movement. Within 90 minutes of his speech, participants of the GA began setting up tents and sleeping bags on Sproul. Watch CalTV News’ coverage of Robert Reich’s speech below:
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Open Letter to the State Government, UC Regents, CSU Trustees, & All Education Administrators
Quality public education is a basic human right, not a privilege. We call on you to publicly declare your support for the following:
1) Stop cuts to public education. Reverse the fee hikes, layoffs, and cuts in all levels of public education to at least their 2009 levels.
2) Refund education and public services by taxing the rich and the corporations.
3) Fully implement affirmative action to stop the re-segregation of public education. Overturn Proposition 209.
4) Respect free speech and free assembly. No use of force against protesters on school sites.
*On Nov. 16 there will be a march on the banks and the State Building beginning at 1pm in San Francisco, Justin Herman Plaza.Â
To receive updates about Occupy Cal text “follow caloccupation” to 40404 . For more information contact caloccupation@gmail.com
Source:Â
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/16/MN7V1LVH5N.DTL
http://berkeleycuts.org/?p=197