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More than 600 people from the University of California and California State systems attended a conference on Oct. 24 on the UC Berkeley campus to protest statewide budget cuts to education. At the conference, students also decided to continue their opposition to cuts with a day of action March 4. The conference was held in response to the $2 billion cut from state funding for public education. UC Berkeley, in particular, lost $150 million from the statewide cuts. A Continuation Committee will put together a policy platform before March.

According to the conference coordinator Nuha Masri, a UC Berkeley junior, the purpose of the conference was to generate increased investment in public education throughout the California school system, from K-12 to higher education.

“We're trying to come up with a statewide position in terms of action as a whole,” Masri said. “We are not expecting to be able to solve all the problems and demands that people have, we just try to come up and unite as a whole that is approved by everyone.”

The conference follows the faculty and student walkout on Sept. 24 that drew thousands out of their classrooms to protest budget cuts and tuition hikes.

Alejandra Cruz, a third year UCLA law student, said that students have already begun to organize an action at the next UC Regents' meeting.

"We're gonna continue to reach out to people to really make the mobilization huge and make sure that the Regents can't vote on a fee increase," Cruz said.

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