Alex Darocy Photography

Dr. Cornel West spoke at the student occupation of the Humanities and Social Sciences building at the University of California Santa Cruz on November 20. Students occupied the building earlier in the day and plan to stay inside until the UC Regents roll back the tuition increases they approved this week. Student fees across the University of California system will raise by at least 5% a year for the next five years if the plan is instituted.

On November 20, students at UC Santa Cruz began an occupation of the Humanities and Social Sciences building. Hundreds of students participated in the march to the building, and an announcement was made that they plan to occupy it until tuition is rolled back. The UC Regents voted this week to approve a tuition increase plan that will raise student fees across the University of California system by at least 5% a year for the next five years. Students begin the occupation of the Humanities and Social Sciences building. Students first gathered at Quarry Plaza for a short rally in the rain. After the rally, the group marched through Classroom Unit 2, and around campus briefly, until they arrived at the Humanities building. After another short rally, they made their way to the top floor, asked administrators to leave, and began the occupation. The UCSC students are in Solidarity with students at UC Berkeley who are currently occupying Wheeler Hall on that campus and have vowed t...