Oakland North

A group of UC Berkeley students gathered in the lobby of the UC Regents Administration building in downtown Oakland Monday afternoon to discuss the announced 32 percent rise in undergraduate student fees with UC President Mark Yudof.

Yudof did not meet with the students but UC Provost Lawrence Pitts and UC Executive for Business Operations Nathan Brostrom met the group in the lobby to discuss the budget crisis and the increase in student fees. UC Berkeley freshman Alex Barnett, 18, said the staff at the front desk told the 100 gathered students that Yudof was currently on vacation. UC Office of the President spokesman Peter King confirmed that President was out of the state “on furlough and vacation.”

Calling the budget deliberation process “secretive,” Barnett said the gathering was not an occupation as had been earlier reported. “We just want to ask the president some questions,” he said.

Barnett, who participated in the occupation of Wheeler Hall on Friday, said the students involved in today’s gathering initially met at the Alameda County Court in “solidarity” for the three UC students charged with felony burglary during Friday’s occupation. Charges against the three were later dropped.

“This event gives us a bit of hope that there will be more conversations like this,” said Barnett, after the gathering. “Yudof says that he wants to do that,” he continued. “We want talks. We want collaboration.”

After voicing their concerns and questions to UC officials, students dispersed by 6 pm.