Photo Lucas Almeida; Courtesy of The Guardsman. Photo Illustration Ryan Flores

Tensions between students and administrators at City College of San Francisco ran high after a Feb. 25 meeting, designed to give students a voice in the future of their school, ended without consensus.

Members of the Save CCSF Coalition, a group of students and faculty fighting against budget cuts, presented Chancellor Thelma Scott-Killskin with their demands.

“They refused to meet any of our demands, the only choice we are left with is to appeal directly to City Hall,” said Sharon Chatterley, a member of the Coalition. “On March 14 CCSF students will be walking out and marching to City Hall together with faculty, staff and community to ensure that our demands are met.”

In July 2012, the Association of California Community and Junior Colleges put CCSF on probation, citing 14 administrative and financial violations. To meet deadlines, CCSF’s administration has made major cuts. By March 15, the college must submit a show cause report persuading the ACCJC why the school should keep its accreditation.

A decision was made in the fall of 2012 to cut salary by 8.8 percent for administration and faculty. The American Federation of Teachers opposed this decision, nonetheless cuts were made laying off 34 employees, 19 of whom were part-time counselors.

“We imposed the pay reduction because we had no other choice,” said Larry Kamer, public relations consultant for the administration.

In response to all these measures, Save CCSF Coalition demanded: reversing cuts to classes, services, staff and faculty; organization of town hall forums; a public statement for Prop. A funds (a parcel tax generating $14 million – $16 million annually for CCSF) to be used as voters intended; a call on City Hall for a bridge loan; and a request that the Department of Education recognize the ACCJC’s misuse of the accreditation process.

“We’re calling on City Hall to take a stand to put a freeze on the imposition of March 15—this deadline does not need to happen,” said Eric Blanc, student and leading figure of the Coalition.

Controversial administrative decisions fueled the Feb. 21 occupation of Ocean campus’ administration building, which lasted through the night as 20 of the approximately 200 protesters camped in the building, eventually won council with the Chancellor.

At this meeting the Chancellor said to students, “I’m not going to call on the board of trustees to reverse all cuts to all classes, services, staff and faculty, and stop downsizing the mission of CCSF and promote equity. I’m not going backwards.”

The coalition of students and faculty remains determined. Shanell Williams, leader of the Coalition and CCSF student body president said “accreditation will not fail because we will not let it fail.”

Despite Williams’ determination, the threat of losing accreditation is real, and may result in the loss of Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS) that compensate low-income students. The EOPS has helped over 100,000 at-risk students—such as the previously incarcerated—to graduation, transfer and employment.

Programs and classes with low enrollment are also top targets. Students and faculty are concerned that the consolidation of ethnic studies departments will jeopardize diversity on the campus.

“There is an attack on ethnic studies,” said Mike Estrada, a full-time political science professor at CCSF. “These programs are always hit harder in terms of austerity. They are the ones that will be attacked first.”

The administration hired Robert Argrella as a special trustee with veto power, which allows it to make decisions quicker with less regard to student and faculty input.

“We also have the right as a college to appeal their process and their decision making so the Department of Education has to look at this issue and were demanding that they do that,” said Williams.

On March 14 students, faculty and supportive community members will rally at City Hall at 4 p.m. to show solidarity and insist their demands be met.