Baton Rouge, LA – On Friday August 29, Louisiana State University (LSU) students and community members rallied on the steps outside of the student union building, despite poor weather, to stand up and fight back against Trump’s attacks on higher education. Students demanded that the LSU search committee, appointed by Governor Jeff Landry, not select another university president who will further attack DEI, immigrant students, and cultural centers.

Attendees held signs that read, “Defend DEI,” “Protect our cultural centers,” and “Money for education, not deportation.”

“What we need is an LSU president who actually puts students first, who actually represents us instead of Trump, Jeff Landry, or his wealthy donors. We want a president who cares about education and helping students achieve, instead of extracting more and more of our money into his bank account,” Gabriela Juárez of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said.

Between speeches, the crowd chanted “Not Trump, and not the state! Students decide their fate,” “Landry, we see your intent! No MAGA president” and “Trump hear us loud and clear, immigrants are welcome here!”

Library worker and United Campus Worker (UCW) member Amir Portier delivered a speech emphasizing that workers, professors, and students at LSU all stand united against the right-wing agenda being carried out by both Trump and Governor Landry. He urged students to continue standing up and fighting back.

“UCW will continue to support the student movement on campus and their fight to stop Landry from selecting another GOP yes-man university president,” Portier of UCW said.

SDS plans to mobilize for every search committee and administration meeting on campus.

“We can only win if we work together. United we stand, divided we fall. The Republicans are united. Let’s show them that we are too!” Zane Sutor-Benfield of SDS concluded.

#BatonRougeLA #LA #StudentMovement #Trump #NoKings #SDS #UCW

Chicago, IL – On August 28, New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois at Chicago (New SDS at UIC) led a rally of over 50 students in the UIC Quad and marched through campus chanting “Donald Trump you racist clown – you’re not welcome in this town!” and “When cultural centers are under attack – stand up and fight back!”

This protest was UIC students’ answer to National SDS’ call for a National Day of Action to stand up to Trump, demand no cuts to cultural programs, and no deportations.

Ariana Vega opened the rally on behalf of New SDS at UIC, “If you don’t already know, UIC is an incredibly diverse campus with more than half of its demographic consisting of minority students. We have seven centers for cultural understanding and social change – the Black Cultural Center, Latino Cultural Center, Arab American Cultural Center, Asian American Resource and Cultural Center, Gender and Sexuality Center, Disability Cultural Center, and the Women’s Leadership and Resource Center. These centers exist because of activism of the student movement of previous generations.”

Referring to the lack of funding for cultural centers, Vega said “But UIC administrators and the University of Illinois System as a whole have made it abundantly clear that they will bend to Trump and his administration!”

“As Filipino youth, we must not stay on the sidelines. We must organize,” said Gabby Abacan from Anakbayan at UIC.

Abacan continued. “While education is being cut, while tuition and fees are rising, billions are poured into ICE and the machinery of deportation and detention. Instead of classrooms and community resources, our tax dollars go to tearing families apart.”

“We must fight to keep our culture alive by advocating for Filipino Language Classes at UIC, so that we can communicate and build connections with our families back home and fellow migrants!” said Abacan.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization member Ángel Naranjos said, “Trump’s ultimate goal is to dismantle public education. At the end of this mission, education truly will be only for the rich. But don’t get it twisted – there are real things that we can do to stop this.”

Naranjos continued, “Real resistance will come from people power – from students, faculty, campus workers and unions. The last few years have proved it: Youth and students are ready to fight. If you haven’t joined the student movement yet, there is no better time to start than now!”

Then, Valerie Domrzalski from New SDS at UIC closed the rally by reading a statement from National SDS regarding Trump’s recent attacks on education.

“On July 14, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump's layoffs of about half of the workforce, 1400 employees, in the Department of Education. National SDS sees these layoffs as an attack on students and federal workers, and are moves made to weaken public education,” she read.

Domrazalski continued, “Since coming into office, Donald Trump and his Secretary of Education Linda McMahon have carried out an agenda that will weaken public education in favor of the privatization of education.”

“Education that is accessible, affordable and meaningful to students is a right that students must be ready to fight for this fall. This incoming school year, National SDS, calls on all students to rise up to defend their education and to protest Trump's agenda!”

The students ended the protest in a militant mood by marching towards the University Hall where the office of UIC’s Chancellor, Dr. Marie Lynn Miranda, is housed. Their march caught the eyes of administrators, campus police and hundreds of students. Many students expressed their appreciation of the protest by chanting along and pumping their fists in solidarity as the activists marched on by.

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #Trump #SDS

Tampa, FL – On Thursday, August 28, at the University of South Florida (USF) Tampa campus, the Tampa Graduate Assistants United (GAU) continued negotiations with representatives of the USF Board of Trustees to discuss the rights of international graduate assistants and update their collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society were in the audience.

After a month of GAU introducing Article 26, an article aiming to protect international graduate assistant (GA) rights, the USF bargaining team gave a shameful response to GAU’s proposal. After disrespecting GAU’s time and coming into this bargaining session late, the USF bargaining team, without providing a counterproposal, the proper method during bargaining, declined to negotiate Article 26 at all. The USF bargaining team spoke in a low quiet voice, refusing to make eye contact with GAU and the audience.

With approximately 40% of graduate assistants being international students, GAU’s goal has always been to fight for protections for international graduate assistants.

“Considering the political climate and the attacks that have been levied against international students more broadly, we felt that it was really necessary to introduce protections for international students,” Tessa Barber, the USF GAU president and member of the GAU bargaining team, stated. “Even if it's just keeping Immigrations and Customs Enforcement out of classrooms and private spaces.”

GAU was rightfully infuriated upon hearing this response from the USF bargaining team. “They’re [USF bargaining team] not even being neutral about it.” Morgan Amick, the membership chair of GAU, noted. “They’re taking a stance against international GAs.”

USF has a track record of attacking international students. Most recently, the USF police department signed onto the 287(g) program from ICE, giving the campus police department the authority to perform detentions and attacks on local immigrant communities.

Despite this shameful reaction from USF’s bargaining team, GAU refused to let this response stop them. Tessa Barber asserted that Article 26 “is of grave importance to us at the bargaining table, it’s not something we’re willing to back down on.”

The next bargaining session is tentatively scheduled for September 10 at 1 p.m., with the location to be announced, where GAU will continue to fight to protect the rights of international GAs. “GAU is committed to standing with international graduate assistants and staying strong at the table to advocate for support and protections for them,” Tessa Barber insisted.

#TampaFL #FL #LaborMovement #StudentMovement #GAU #SDS