Halting tradition shows UC students’ concerns with tuition hike
They didn’t start the fire. Seriously.
In the height of rivalry week between USC-UCLA, the Bruins forfeited a long-held tradition in protest of the state’s proposal to hike up tradition prices in the University of California system. Around 50 student protesters surrounded the woodpile that would have been used for the fire, which led UCLA officials to cancel the bonfire.
UCLA football coach Jim Mora announced the bonfire cancellation, saying it was because of “circumstances beyond our control,” according to the Daily Bruin.
Those at UCLA weren’t the only ones to hold protests. UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco students also held demonstrations.
The fact that students halted one of their traditions over a debate in tuition should signal they mean business. UCLA, like USC, loves its sports.
The annual cross-town rivalry has nurtured the perennial pregame traditions between both schools. Here at USC we have Conquest, a music festival and celebration of athletic teams that draws out 6,000 to 7,000 students, according to USC Program Board. The event also includes a Ferris wheel and bonfire where a UCLA bruin is burned.
In the same vein, UCLA holds a bonfire rally to get the rivalry juices flowing. About 4,000 to 5,000 students attend the event.
Yet, the 14-7 vote on Thursday from the Board of Regents to increase tuition prices, possibly by 28 percent by 2019, calmed the flames. This vote came in the wake of the UC system receiving less funding from the state. According to TIME, tuition in the UC system has tripled. Ten schools make up the UC system, accounting for about 224,279 students, according to the University of California website.
On Friday, UC President Janet Napolitano said school officials had no choice but to propose annual tuition increases of up to 5 percent over five years. It is important to note that more than half of all UC students pay no tuition because their costs are covered by public and private grants based on income.
Yet, student’s voices should still be taken into account. Protesting students, however, will not be received well if they continue to halt annual traditions. This will only cause an uphill battle. When it comes to student protests, those done at sports-related events oftentimes get pushed to the sidelines and forgotten as soon as the game starts. Certainly, that would have been the case at USC.
Students must go directly to the decision makers. They must be seen by school administrators –– not just other students. Protesting at a sports rally will not affect the Board of Regents. It only serves to dampen school spirits a bit more.
In terms of sports, flagging school spirit among the Bruins is good for the Trojans on game day (Fight On!). But speaking as a college student who is color-blind to both cardinal and gold or gold and blue, I strongly believe encouraging other students to join the movement and not spurn it because it has disrupted school tradition is the most effective way to mobilize against recent tuition decision.
And in this way, this USC student stands with UCLA (but never in football).
The USC-UCLA game kicks off at 5 p.m. at the Rose Bowl.