The following statement by UC Riverside students was distributed on campus as they occupied Hinderaker Hall, November 11 -- 20 students were arrested. The statement was made available to In Motion Magazine by the University of California Student Association.

Over the past 25 years, race, class, and gender inequality has widened. People of color, women, immigrants, and gays and lesbians have been scapegoated for the nation's economic problems. Recent attacks began with Proposition 187 and culminated with the recent passage of Proposition 209.

These Political Games Must Be Stopped!!!

Students, people of color, women, and other marginalized groups have a deep concern about the procedures for implementing Proposition 209. We advocate structural changes which insure greater educational access for underrepresented groups and women. We feel that the only way we can achieve these changes is through direct action. It is for this reason that we are peacefully occupying Hinderaker Hall until the following demands have been met.

The Demands Are As Follows:

1. We demand that the UCR administration take a public stance, in writing, on Prop. 209.

2. We demand to know if the administration is in non-compliance with Prop. 209, especially Chancellor Orbach and the academic senate.

3. We demand the establishment of separate autonomous Chicano, Pan-African, Native American, Asian-American, and Muslim Studies Departments.

4 . We demand the implementation of a Chicano, Pan-African, Native American, Asian-American, and Muslim Studies major by Spring Quarter 1997.

5 . We demand that the Women's Resource Center, Chicano Student Programs, African Student Programs, and Asian/ Pacific-Islander Student Programs be kept as independent programs - NO CONSOLIDATION!!

6 . We demand for UCR to increase the number of special admission applicants.

7. We demand the creation of an independent Ethnic Studies College.

8 . We demand that all student services, such as the Learning Center and EOP, affected by Prop. 209, not be eliminated, restructured, or have its funding cut.

9 . We demand regular meetings with administrators to discuss the updates of our demands and to make sure they are being implemented.

10. We demand the UCR administration to begin a campaign of sensitizing the UCR community in light of the recent racial and gender slandering created by the passage of Prop. 209.

11. We demand that the UCR administration strongly and wholeheartedly advocate for the building of more colleges and universities and not jails.

12. We demand that more outreach services be provided and that UCR students participate in the organizing and decision making in the outreach process.

13. We demand a 25% reduction in educational fees.

14. We demand an increase in Chicano/Latino, African-American, Native American, Asian-American, and Muslim faculty.