Representatives from the California Faculty Association (CFA) set up a tent in the Library Quad today for a trial run of their upcoming event “Vent at the Tent.”

Students can fill out complaint forms at the tent to vent their frustrations about budget cuts. The CFA is creating a video of students who visit the tent to show to members of the legislature how the budget cuts are hurting higher education.

“We have a meeting scheduled with Alyson Huber (District 10 Assemblywoman),” said Jason Conwell, CFA regional staff representative. ” The CFA is advocating for the passage of Assembly Bill 656, which would increase the tax on oil with funds going to higher academic institutions. “Faculty paychecks are down 10 percent,”said Kevin Wehr, president of the Sacramento State CFA chapter. Because previously negotiated contracts have also been cut, Wehr says some faculty paychecks are down as much as 33 percent of what they could be.

“It’s going great so far,” Wehr said. “Professors are doing it in class (handing out forms).” Over 500 forms had been filled prior to the tent event.

Few students came by the tent and filled out the complaint forms. Many took the free coffee that was offered and refused to fill out the forms. The CFA plans to have more students involved by having an advanced notice of the next tent event that starts on Oct. 12.

Patrick Ryder, senior government major, filled out the form due to having crammed classrooms.

“Classes were overcrowded, that made me want to fill out a form,” Ryder said. “I know the administration has to make cuts, but the classrooms shouldn’t be this crowded.”

Ryder said displeasure is with the Legislature, not the administration on campus.

“I don’t think the funding should have been cut as much as it was,” Ryder said.

Mitchell Wilson can be reached at [email protected].