Students from colleges across the state marched on the Capitol in Sacramento on March 16 in a determined effort to show their opposition to any further budget cuts that could harm higher education.

Student organizers staged the “March in March” to convince state legislators they must protect the quality of education in California’s community colleges. DVC students owe a large debt of gratitude to those who attended the protest. They not only demonstrated the courage of their conviction, they also showed state legislators the political power and voting strength of students.

Yes, the state budget that passed one month ago spared community colleges from fee increases. But many troubling shortfalls threaten the quality of our education.

The new budget eliminates cost-of-living adjustments, resulting in a $5 million loss to the Contra Costa Community College District, of which DVC is a part.

Apportionment payments were cut as well, by $7.4 to $11 million. And the district projects a $3.5 million shortage because of the downswing in property taxes.

Of grave concern to all DVC students planning to transfer to state universities is the plan by, the California State University and the University of California systems to turn away at least 10,000 students next fall because of slashed state funding.

And many of those thousands turned away will most likely end up at community colleges like DVC, further straining already limited resources.

In an interview with the Inquirer, district Chancellor Helen Benjamin said student demonstrators had played a positive role in speaking out on this issue. “It is important for students to be active in the political process,” she said.

Benjamin, in a March 5 email to all district employees, wrote that state legislators had acknowledged how the community colleges are vitally needed to “restart the economic engine in California.”

In that light, the students who rallied at the state Capitol on Monday not only gave legislators a needed jolt of social conscience, their message, if heeded, could help to jumpstart the state’s economy.

Thanks to the “March on March,” our legislators cannot escape an important realization: their actions are being watched by students of conscience and conviction.