Day 176

Campus is somewhat unexpectedly abuzz today with sort-of-not-quite student protests going on. The main lobby of my building--normally a place where students do nothing more exciting than take a nap or wait for the elevator--is humming with activity. About 6 tables for various student causes, mostly related to California legislation and budget cuts to UC, line the walls. The tables are covered with printed materials and are surrounded by students, a scene normally only present on Sproul Plaza, where students from the sixties fought for those specific tabling rights. A set of giant red posters line one wall reading "HEAR US," with another that says "Ruck the Fegents." On the lawn outside the building doors are grave markers stating things like, "RIP Affordable UC Education." Yesterday, the walls and bulletin boards (and door frames, and elevators, and bathroom stalls, and door handles, and...) were covered with fliers about events taking place in the building throughout the day as part of something called "Rolling University: opening the doors to Our University, one building at a time." Here is a schedule:

12-1: Potluck lunch with students, staff, workers, and faculty
1-3:30: Banner making and March 4th discussions
3:30-5: Dialogue about impact of cuts on staff
5:30-7: Roundtable with Professors Nelson Maldonado-Torres [of the ethnic studies department] and Barrie Thorne [of the sociology department]
7-8:30: Dinner and discussion on eviction of Bear's Lair businesses
8:30-10: Screening of "Columbia Revolt"

My boss asked our receptionist yesterday whether anyone had asked her to book rooms in our building for these events, which they had not. It seems that the students are peacefully and in a very organized manner squatting, and according to something I overheard one of the student organizers say, they plan to continue these Rolling University activities for the rest of the week. My theory is that since the March 4 demonstrations now have official university administration endorsement and support, which is something that at least some groups on campus are not interested in having, that the groups will secretly reschedule to demonstrations, or host something separate on a different date.

My black boots have a tear on the side along one of the seams. I wore black socks underneath so that you can't see it from far. I may or may not have also used a black sharpie to hide the scuffed toes.