This week on Valley Edition we talk with the organizers of Occupy Fresno and Occupy Bakersfield and learn more about their protests. We also talk about the controversial plan to consolidate academic programs at Fresno State and other CSU campuses. We also talk about the effort to stop litter with Keep Bakersfield Beautiful.
Segment I: Occupy Central Valley
The movement that began earlier this fall as Occupy Wall Street has inspired similar demonstrations in cities across the globe, including here in the Central Valley. Today on Valley Edition, we look at what members of the groups Occupy Bakersfield and Occupy Fresno aim to accomplish. Sam Lujan of Occupy Bakersfield, Joseph Hunter from Occupy Fresno, and Dr. Simon Weffer, a sociologist at UC Merced join us for this discussion.
Segment II: Academic Consolidation at Fresno State, CSUB
Last week the CSU Board of Trustees approved a 9 percent tuition increase for students at the 23 campus system. At Fresno State, school administrators are considering dissolve the university’s College of Science and Mathematics and the College of Social Science, in an effort to saving money, consolidating those programs in other campus colleges such as Education, Agriculture and Engineering. We talk about the impact of these changes to students and the Valley at large with Dr. Dennis Neff, Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Vice President of Academic Programs & Resources at Fresno State and Chris Cruz-Boone, a lecturer and faculty representative at CSU Bakersfield.
Segment III: Keep Bakersfield Beautiful
Litter is a problem that plagues many Valley communities, and some community leaders are working on a solution. John Enriquez of the group Keep Bakersfield Beautiful joins our discussion to talk about what residents can do to keep streets and sidewalks clean and maintain a public space that all residents can be proud of.
