To protest tuition fee increases, a rally took place Tuesday to invite students to join the Associated Students Organization (ASO) as it marches to Sacramento Monday to take a stand for all community colleges.

The march in Sacramento, also known as “The March in March,” is to rally against the proposed tuition increases from $18 a unit to $26 per unit, which could be in effect as of fall 2004.

“The rally (on Tuesday) was to heighten the awareness about the budget crisis that California is in, and how it affects EC in particular,” said Harold Tyler, ASO adviser.

“It (the rally) was to make students aware of how it (the budget crisis) is affecting community colleges in general.”

Cameron Samimi, president of ASO, said the legislature proposes to increase the tuition every year until 2007.

Community college tuition fees could be $45 per unit by the beginning of 2007.

“The governor’s budget this year is going to have a profound impact,” Celina Luna, ASO student trustee, said. “Students need to take action if they don’t want their fees to continue to go up.”

Samimi and Luna also encourage students who are unable to attend “The March in March” to take action by writing a letter to their local legislator.

Samimi said any student who writes a letter may bring it to the ASO offices, located in the Student Activities Center, and ASO will mail it and take care of postage.

Warren Furutani, past president of L.A. Community Colleges board of trustees, spoke first at Tuesday’s rally and reiterated the importance of higher education and the role of community colleges in this pursuit.

“The basic role in the public education system is being violated,” Furutani said. ” The mission of community colleges is to provide an open door to a democratic institution, which will provide a vehicle in a way to pursue higher education.”

“We’re going to Sacramento where the governor and the people who vote on the budget are,” Tyler said.

“Hopefully, we’ll talk to legislature and convince the members to cut our budget as much as they are looking to cut it.”

Tyler said that the march in Sacramento last year stopped the budget at $280 million rather than the proposed $530 million, which was a difference of $242 million.

Luna said the students who attended last year’s rally stopped the tuition fee at $18 per unit rather than the proposed $24 per unit.

“The obvious is undeniable,” Furutani said. “If you folks want to have an impact on the policy then you better go to Sacramento and do something about it so that your voice will be heard and will not be denied.”

Students participating with ASO in “The March in March” will leave EC Sunday evening at 8:30 p.m. and be returning to EC Monday night.

ASO will be providing transportation and lodging. Any student still interested in joining ASO may contact them at (310)-660-3507.