Students Protest Cuts In Education Funding

College students across the state are expressing their dissatisfaction with cuts to California´s education system.

Students marched and rallied on campuses across the state yesterday and held a mock funeral timed to coincide with a legislative hearing on education funding.

Students showed up from schools belonging to the ten-campus University of California system, as well as the California State University campuses. Major demonstrations were held in Berkely, San Jose and Sacramento.

The state´s institutions of higher education have hiked their fees by as much as 60 percent over the past ten years as part of a deal with the governor´s office in which the schools would make budget cuts and raise tuition in exchange for funding increases beginning this year.

School officials say their tuition prices are still quite reasonable compared to prices in other states, but students say the tuition rates don´t take into account the high cost of living in California.