Penning their pleas

One hundred and fifty-two handwritten letters are on their way to state lawmakers.

They are the product of many UC Irvine students, alumni, faculty and staff who turned out Tuesday night for an inaugural “write-in” at the school’s Phineas Banning Alumni House.

The attendees were encouraged to write to the governor and county legislators about how the cuts to higher education have affected them and the university.

The letter writers were given sample wording for their hand-written notes, but many chose to ignore the suggestions in favor of penning their own, more personal pleas.

The Budget Write-In was sponsored by the UCI Alumni Assn., along with the school’s Associated Students and Associated Graduate Students.

Attendees were provided with paper, pens and pizza.

Many picked up buttons reading “All Together Now” and “We’re UC and We Vote.”

The UC Board of Regents recently approved fee hikes that will increase student expenses by more than 30% by next fall, bringing the cost of an undergraduate UC education above $10,000 for the first time.

“I’m being affected by it,” sophomore Michael Karakash said. “I have to take out a lot more loans.”

“It’s really cool to see everybody come together,” freshman Grace De Lara said; her parents can’t assist her with her education fees, so she takes out loans to pay her own way through school. She said she wants to get more involved in fighting the fee increases.

UCI Chancellor Michael Drake stopped by to write his own letters and commend students on their activism.

“Here is a message that we really are concerned,” he said. “I think this is exactly the kind of advocacy that we need.”

He spoke of how First Lady Michelle Obama was moved to speak at UC Merced’s commencement exercises this year, after thousands of students and parents sent her handwritten letters and valentines as part of a “Dear Michelle” letter-writing campaign.

Drake characterized the budget cuts as an “onerous” burden.

“We’re all completely and absolutely clear about that,” Drake said, adding that he had never seen the UC Regents cast such a reluctant vote.

“We want to make sure the legislators know how important education is to us,” Drake said.

Hundreds of UCI students reacted to the fee increases last week with a largely peaceful protest and march on the campus. One student was arrested at the event, during which a police officer received minor injuries.

“Students have been raising their voices and sometimes their fists — and sometimes not their entire hand, if you know what I mean,” Drake said.