To listen to the report: santacruz.indymedia.org/usermedia/audio/4/0419_fsrn_tent_u.mp3

Symbolizing the displacement of higher education, and to protest misplaced budget priorities of the federal government, college students across the US have created their own, Tent Universities; a week-long, 24-hour liberated zone, for skill shares and workshops. Actions this week are taking place at the University of Missouri Kansas City, and Rutgers, in New Jersey. Last night at the University of California Santa Cruz, police violently broke up the Tent University which students erected at the school's main entrance. Vinny Lombardo reports.

Ambi: "SHAME ON YOU!"

At the behest of school officials, police in riot gear moved in on demonstrators at about 10 pm, pulling down tents, and arresting students one-by-one. In all, nineteen people were jailed on charges of trespassing and resisting arrest. Jean Marie Scott, an assistant vice chancellor, says UC officials worried that noise from the gathering would impact off-campus neighbors.

JMS: "but the biggest thing is that the campus does have a no-camping policy, and we are trying to work with the students to try and make some sort of acomodation to that policy"

Students were offered an alternate site for the demonstration, but that plan was rejected, due to lack of visibility. UCSC sophomore, Eric Edelmann says he's fed up with the closed door policies of campus officials.

EE: "Today we're trying to create a community in order to give students, workers, the community at large, the voices that have been repressed by the current system, a true say in what goes on in this institution."

Ryan Wadsworth, a fourth year student at UCSC is upset with crowded classrooms, and hikes in student fees.

RW: "They plan on increasing tuition 8-10% every year, for the next ten years. That's gonna put an education at the UC beyond the reach of millions of students here in California. That's gonna particularly hit poor students and students of color."

UC officials say the hikes are neccesary to offset state funding cuts, but Tent U. organizers point to an independent study which found the University taking in millions more than it spends. According to Gerald R. McKay's fact-finding report, in the 2003-04 school year, UC had a net income of $786 million. But, fee increases were only one reason for the protest says Tent University organizer Andre Duurvoort.

AD: "they're cutting language programs, they're cutting writing programs, humanities, they're cutting all the programs that make us positive, peaceful human beings, and they're really focussing on creating a safe place for investors rather than students, ya know."

Duurvoort maintains the University is moving away from traditional education and becoming an institute for military research and development.

AD: "The programs that profit people, like, nanotechnology, nuclear weapons research, this militarization and dehumanization of our edducation."

Still others are upset at the administration over the low-pay for campus workers. This is what moved eighteen year-old freshman Kate Del Gleish, to link arms with other students.

KDG: "That there can be people who have two jobs and still can't afford to feed their children. That's horrible. We don't pay $50,000 a year for that."

Police encircled about a hundred protesters who linked arms, inside the big tent. A standoff ensued when about 300 other protesters formed a human chain around the police. An hour later, police retreated, when UC administrators reached a deal with student organizers, who agreed to disperse for the night, if Tent University's planned activities could continue through the week. Meanwhile, a statewide student walkout is set for Wednesday, calling on California governor Arnold Schwarzenagger to restore public education funds.

Vinny Lombardo in Santa Cruz for Free Speech Radio News.