Drama on the UCs

The Board of Regents recently hiked student fees by 35% reports Larry Gordon and Amina Khan of the LA Times. In the article, the Board of Regents made the approval amidst student protests outside the building and around the UCLA campus. The Board of Regents urges the students to not be too downcast about the situation. They want them to turn to financial aid, but the students are far from satisfied. Many fear they will either have to drop out of school or transfer to a community college. Student protestors locked themselves inside a UCLA classroom during the Regent meeting. However, the decision passed with only one veto by a student representative on the board. Once the decision was made, students and UC employees alike began shouting, "Shame on you! Shame on you!" No arrests were made, but the situation is still developing.

The current US economy is weak and this is pouring over into education. I monitored this story all day and waited to see the reaction of the students. I feel that it is only a matter of time before something gets out of hand, because no one wants to quit and transfer out after giving hours to a school that now doesn't seem to reciprocate your dedication. I am obviously biased on this whole situation. As a reporter, I would have to spend a lot more time interviewing members of the board of regents if I wish to even come close to producing a neutral story. The article did seem weighted towards the students, but as the situation develops I expect there will be more formal statements by the board.