By Erik Fallis
CSU Public Affairs

The month of February ends with a commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the month of March with César Estrada Chávez.  Both leaders struggled against the status quo and repression to advocate for rights, equal treatment and opportunity.

During the middle of the month, on March 14, thousands of CSU and community college students marched on Sacramento to preserve the progress made and defend access to higher education for the diverse communities of California.

The rally, called March in March, brought the student voice to the front steps of the California’s capitol.  The students were reacting to more than $1.4 billion in cuts to higher education, of which $500 million will be taken from the CSU.  Student speakers described the impact of the cuts on their lives, their communities and the state as a whole.

The students are not done yet.  The California State Student Association, the CSU’s statewide student voice, holds the California Higher Education Student Summit in Sacramento during the month of April.  Student leaders will continue to press lawmakers to prioritize higher education and the students of this state.

Below are a few images from the March in March.

CSSA President Chris Chavez, bullhorn in hand, prepares to lead students on a march to the steps of the state capitol

Students from Cal Maritime, CSU Channel Islands, CSU Chico and San Francisco State carry a banner proudly announcing that they are ''Made in the CSU''

A San José State drummer makes some noise opposing cuts to higher education

Estimates are that more than 13,000 students braved the rains for the march.

One student's sign states "Educate the Future" – a reference to higher education's role in paving the way for future prosperity