On Wednesday, November 30 – the UC wide Nuclear Day of Action (announcement and PR), approximately one hundred UCSC students took part in a spirited rally at the quarry plaza on the UC campus. The day’s events, called “DeNuke UC,� sent a loud and clear message to UCSC administration, the UC Regents as well as President Robert Dynes that Santa Cruz students do not stand for nuclear proliferation in the name of education.

The 2-hour long event, organized by the UCSC Students Against War, featured performances by the Raging Grannies, speeches by students and community members as well as a guerrilla-theatre “UC-Bechtel wedding ceremony. The day was culminated by an informative talk by former Lawrence Livermore Lab employee and whistleblower, Leuren Moret.

By decorating the colorful papier-mache bomb in the center of the crowd with writing and art, students, faculty, and community members were able to share their thoughts on the Bechtel-UC partnership as well as the continued research of new nuclear weapons at UC-run labs. “Don’t take my money for nuclear development: don’t steal my education,� read one quote, another called for the dismissal of the UC Regents and President Dynes.

Photos: Photos from UCSC DeNuke Rally || De-Nuke UC Speech & Pictures

Audio: Rockin' the Boat: De-Nuke the UC

Previous SAW / Demilitarize UC coverage: (May 2005) 3rd Weekly UCSC Weapons Inspection Tour || (May 2005) UC Regents Ignore Massive Resistance, Vote to Build Nukes

Other SAW coverage: (March 2005) UCSC Students Against War Teach-In Draws Hundreds || (April 2005) UCSC Students Kick Military Recruiters Off Campus || (October 2005) Rally, Queer Kiss-in Greet Military Recruiters at UCSC

The U.C. Regents met at U.C. Berkeley's Clark Kerr Campus on Wednesday and Thursday, November 16th and 17th. Wednesday, the regents voted to raise student fees. On a 17-to-2 vote, they raised fees by 8 percent for undergraduates and 10 percent for graduate students. They also voted for top university administrators get pay raises; UC President Robert Dynes' base salary will increase from $395,000 to $405,000.

The regents switched the day to vote on feehikes, a day ahead of time to surprise the students and ignore their concerns. Activists from the civil rights group B.A.M.N (by any means neccesary), S.T.A.N.D (students taking action now Darfur ), U.C.S.A (University of California Student Association ), the G.R.N (Global resistance network), and hundreds of other students from all over California came to the U.C regents meeting to make an expression and demand for equal rights for all students.

Photos and more on Indybay.org

Make Yourself Seen and Heard to the UC Regents!

The UC Regents will be meeting at UC Berkeley Wednesday Nov 16th and Thursday Nov 17th. Wednesday the Regents will be voting to raise students fee another 8% ($492). Thursday they will be voting to cut financial aid. The regents meeting agenda is here.

There will be carpools from Santa Cruz up to Berkeley on Wednesday and Thursday and a reportback rally at 3pm on Thursday in the Baytree Plaza. On Sunday Nov 20th there will be a “UCSC Student Inter-Org Coalition� meeting at 4pm in the Redwood Building near Baytree Plaza. There will be a reportback and feedback session on the Regents Meeting.

see also: University of California Students Association || FuckTheRegents.com || 2005 Disorientation Guide (.pdf)

Read more on Indybay's Education page

Free Skool’s biggest quarter yet: 38 different classes taught by more than three dozen teachers offering a decentralized educational network outside the system (and still $20 thousand less than UCSC)

Santa Cruz, CA, November 1st, 2005: Winter quarter is just starting. But you won’t need any student id, add/drop forms, or registration fees. There are no classrooms, professors, or administration, just people sharing what they know. This is Free Skool Santa Cruz. And the first thing you will learn is that we are all students and we are all teachers.

Free Skool summer quarter runs November 1st to January 31st and offers a variety of classes in homes, community centers, and open spaces all over Santa Cruz. In Free Skool Santa Cruz’ third quarter, classes include knitting, jazz history, Spanish, drawing, beer-making, singing, Indonesian monkey chant, oriental medicine, local history, bike and automobile repair, political history, and much more.

[ Free Skool Santa Cruz ]

California voters will soon decide the fate of a slew of ballot measures in the most expensive election in state history. Called for by Governor Schwarzenegger in mid-June, the measures had early support, but according to several recent opinion polls, opposition is growing, and many of them appear to be headed for defeat on November 8. WIN reporter Vinny Lombardo examines what's at stake in this election for unions in California.

Audio: Download the mp3

see also: FRSC: No On Prop 73 Interview with Cynthia Mathews || Proposition 73 would create a "hit list" of California judges || (Freedom Socialist Party) California Voter Recommendations || Schwarzenegger's Dreams of Dictators (Read Before You Vote!) || Cabrillo College Voter Rally (11/8)

Read more on Indybay's Government page || En Español

a commenter writes: "For the time being, the people have defeated a few of the worst plans that the capitalists have come up with. This is a victory and it was largely due to the campaigns carried out by workers through the unions. For those who want more, work for more, but don’t deny a victory when we get it."

An on-again-off-again Monterey Bay area writer and education critic has renewed his Ghandian nonvioolent tactic of fasting on major holidays this Hanukah/Christman/Kwanza. Occasionally critical of UCSC and Montery, Arjuna has drwan the wrath of Santa Barbara Community College official who issued an edict banning him from campus on "utterly trumped up charges that read like they are straight from the Keystone Cops."

There is a lot that still needs to be done for the Last Night Santa Cruz DIY Parade and Celebration. A quick list of critical Last Night needs.

People need a lot more meaning and freedom in their lives. More connection, more intrigue, and more adventure. Adventure Club is part of our effort to create more joy and more resistance. Adventure Club may not change the world, but for those who commit to try, it will make their world more interesting, exciting, and engaged.