UCSC Associate Professor of Latin American and Latino Studies Gabriela F. Arredondo has suggested that everyone concerned about higher education dress as skulls on November 2nd for Día de los Muertos and use the day to educate people about the real issues and challenges facing the universities. Here is her original message:

Compañera/os:

In the now infamous New York Times Magazine interview, UC President Yudof states, “being president of the University of California is like being manager of a cemetery: there are many people under you, but no one is listening.”

Begging the obvious implications to his leadership as manager of a cemetery, I call on all of us to seize the opportunity of Día de los Muertos and dress as calaveras!!

Dress as calaveras on November 2 and seize the opportunity to educate everyone you encounter on that day about the real issues and challenges facing the UC.

Who is listening to whom??  Do not let this budget crisis allow our so-called leaders to roll back 30 years of progress — in curricular innovations and student support, in hiring outstanding faculty and staff of color at all levels, in brilliant cutting-edge research, and in providing access to excellent higher education for all of California’s peoples.  Get informed and stay involved… it’s going to be a long struggle.