Imagine a school bus full of children barreling quickly toward the edge of a cliff. Inside that bus, they scream madly for someone to turn the steering wheel or hit the brakes, but no one takes the initiative to do so.My friends, you are those children, and public higher education is your speeding death carriage. We are drowning in a crowd of apathy, blame dodging and buck passing, but this is no game of hot potato.Criminal justice professor Cecil Canton, associate vice president of affirmative action for the California Faculty Association, calls the situation “already critical.””We may already be witnessing the redefinition of the mission of the CSU, from “The People’s University’ to “Some People’s University,'” Canton said.California State Student Association President Steve Dixon said tuition and fees will be raised much higher. He also foresees whole departments and majors being axed, classes designed for 30 students swelling to 70, English 100 being taught to rooms of 650 students.”They are already looking at how they are going to do it, and who’s going to get cut,” Dixon said. “The quality of education will be gone.”You thought it was tough to get classes this year?Dixon said the next class shortages will effectively crowd students out of school entirely. He also estimates that “40,000 students already won’t get into school over the next two years because of these cuts.”In less time than it takes for today’s freshmen to graduate, our public college will be reduced to an emaciated skeleton.Dixon said higher education is one of the few investments made by the state, and by cutting us off at the knees, the Legislature is not just opening the door for economic failure, it is laying out a welcome mat and ringing the dinner bell.Our only hope is to thoroughly, almost militantly, educate and involve ourselves in our own problems.Make a point to read news releases from the California State Student Association, California Faculty Association and California State University websites. Go to the Associated Students Inc. office and ask your student government members to explain what is going on. Send your questions to professors or members of the CSU board of directors.”We (the union) make it our business to stay abreast of the issues and we certainly have ideas for addressing and fixing the problems,” Canton said.Dig deep for good facts and make sure you have a true understanding of the issues.”Don’t let the wool be pulled over your eyes,” Dixon said. “Even by student groups.”Know that uninformed student protestors are easy to spot. These are the children on the bus, displaying what Dixon calls “disingenuous theatrics.” They treat student rallies as an excuse to cut class, scream like rebellious six-year-olds and hopefully get on TV.But dramatic, screaming protests are worthless, virtually ignored by legislators. Your representatives are no longer public servants. They serve only two things: contributions and votes.What would really motivate legislators is an informed group of voting students with a set of firm, rational demands. If those students were to inform and involve their families, this voting leverage would increase exponentially.”It is far better to use your energy organizing your colleagues for action,” Canton said.Form a group to visit your legislator’s office and meet with the staffer. Build a relationship with these people, start putting a face to the issues. This is how things get done.”Students are being priced out of their education; yet, we’ve hardly hear a peep from them,” Canton said.Check the facts, ask good questions and go to the “Educate the State” capital rally at 11 a.m., on March 4, with a firm handle on the situation and something to talk about.This disaster is taking place right under our own noses. Stand up and grab the wheel.

PaulRoundtree can be reached at [email protected]