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# College to protest cuts in Sacramento
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/college-to-protest-cuts-in-sacramento/
- Published: 2003-03-07T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T01:45:09.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Education, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Rally expected to draw thousands of supporters*

*By Daily Press staff*

An estimated 150 Santa Monica College students and employees will board buses later this month for a one-day trip to Sacramento to join a massive statewide community college rally to protest budget cuts.

Organizers say they expect the March 17 rally — dubbed “March in March” — to be the largest such demonstration in the history of California community colleges.

SMC is in the process of cutting $5 million from its budget this year and estimates it will have to make an additional $15 million in reductions for 2003- 04\. The college’s budget was cut by $8 million before the current school year began and the number of classes offered was reduced by 3 percent. Now — to help plug California’s historic $34.5 billion deficit — SMC’s level of state aid is being reduced again by $5 million.

To cope, the college canceled raises for managers, who last received a pay increase in January 2002\. SMC also reduced spring semester classes by 7.5 percent, closing 250 course sections. Every department must make a 10 percent reduction in their annual operating costs and all temporary employees were let go late last month.

The buses — which are being chartered by the SMC Associated Students — will leave the campus at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 16 for an all-night ride to Sacramento.

The rally, which will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 17 on the steps of the state Capitol, is expected to draw thousands of community college students and supporters from throughout California. After the rally, the group from SMC will board buses for the 10-hour ride back to Santa Monica, returning late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

“Community colleges are facing the most devastating cuts in their history,” said Luis Barrera, president of the SMC Associated Students. “With course reductions, deep cuts in counseling staffs, overcrowded classrooms, and the possibility of steep fee increases next year, many students are simply dropping out and giving up on their dreams. We cannot allow this to happen.”

The march comes in the wake of Gov. Gray Davis’ proposal to reduce California community colleges’ budgets by $288 million in the current fiscal year and $530 million in 2003-04.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 7, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/030703.pdf?ref=smdp.com)