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TENT STATE '08

April 19th - 25th
It's not about the tents,

Build the world you want!

Tent State wishes to dispel the myth of a "budget crisis," which is used as an excuse year after year to justify cuts to social capital like education, while money for wars of aggression or corporate welfare is always available. This is a crisis of values and leadership. War is antithetical to education, morally and financially, and we call for an end to the U.S.-led War in Iraq.

Tent State is a space where students, faculty, staff, community members and organizations can come together and practice democracy. Only by building our own institutions of art, politics, and education can we generate enough social power to change the undemocratic structures and practices of our universities and society.

Central to our mission is full community access to public higher education. We believe that racial, economic, sexual, and gender diversity is central to any public university, and we recognize tuition, cuts in public funding, and privatization of public universities to be barriers to access to higher education that disproportionately affect working and middle class families, immigrants, women, and people of color.
 

Tent State is the longest annual cultural, arts, and music festival in the state. Each night we have a variety of performances by local bands, poetry, street theater, dance performances, fire spinning, and capoeira. Tent State
also provides food (donated from local businesses) free of charge to its students/campers.
 

• Our most general goal that continues every year is to create a space in which to practice democracy daily.
• We will fight to prevent proposed budget cuts to public higher education. In the long term we want a dedicated sales tax on professional services that would fund higher education.
• We oppose wasteful war in Iraq, and call on Governor Corzine to immediately de-federalize the New Jersey National Guard.
• We will fight for a tuition cap to stop the Rutgers Board of Governors from increasing tuition, and robbing lower income families of the right to education.
• This year, as a part of our coalition's effort, we will fight to get the DREAM Act passed in NJ (which would expand immigrants' access to higher education).

As the movement continually grows and makes new plans, by the time you read this there are likely already a number of other goals for this year's Tent State. In the long run, however, we will continue to build power through this movement locally and nationally in order to transform our society into one that favors life and learning over death and destruction. 

 What will be taking place at Tent State this year?

Every year the organizers of Tent State set up a variety of classes, workshops, open mics, discussions, rec. sports, in addition to a few Tent State institutions:

• Legislative Tent- Will be constructed at the entrance to Voorhees Mall from College Ave. This is the tent where we demonstrate our social power to legislators by loading their inboxes with literally THOUSANDS of phone calls in a few hectic days.
• Art City will be constructed in the midst of Tent State. This space fosters the creation of collaborative murals, sculptures, and other visual arts, and also offers a variety of workshops such as capoeira, fire spinning, drumming, etc.
• Daily Assemblies are a time each night where everyone at Tent State gathers in the "town hall" tent. This is a key aspect of Tent State, as it is the space where we practice democracy. It is where all decisions are made about our space and resources. Here people are able to raise concerns, ideas, suggestions, plans, etc. regarding everything ranging from garbage clean-up and security to plans for direct action.
• NIGHTLY MUSIC- Everything including hip hop, punk, rock, funk, a cappella, etc. Music starts at 8pm every night!

How can I register as a student/camper at Tent State? What does registering entail?

You can register right now online by clicking here. Or if you are having problems, send an email to info@tentstate.com. Registering is not "binding" - you choose your level of involvement. Registering beforehand will help us gauge how many people to expect, and will allow you to access important information leading up to TSU such as receiving the schedule of events, etc. Registering will give you access to all aspects of Tent State: free housing (i.e., tents), free food, free events.

How can I get my professors to bring my classes to Tent State?

You can have you professors register online to teach their classes at TSU. If you would like a letter to bring to your professor with information on Tent State and how they can be involved, email info@tentstate.com and let us know you would like a professor info packet.

I have access to lots of tents/supplies/photocopies/ free food/etc. - do you need donations?

Yes! As we are a grassroots movement operating on a very limited budget we can use everything we can get. If you have access to any supplies to donate or lend, such as extra tents, free food (through your job, a family business, etc.), extension cords, discounted or free print-outs/copies, etc. please let us know! Send an email to info@tentstate.com.

How can my organization get involved in Tent State?

Join the Tent State Coalition! Send an email to info@tentstate.com for more information. Coalition meetings occur regularly. Your organization will be able to work with others in the Rutgers community and practice democracy on a large scale. Whatever level of involvement your group can provide is fine. Your organization may want to:

• Help with the planning and maintenance of Tent State
• Use the space to hold events or promote issues that are important to you
• Set up a tent and a table
• Organize friends to sign-up at tentstate.com and camp out
• Run a class or workshop
• Ask your professors to have class at Tent State

The possibilities are endless. Groups are encouraged to be Creative and Bold. Use Tent State as a space to get things accomplished, and build the world you want!

Tent State is a Nationwide Movement

Tent State organizers at Rutgers have worked hard to spread the Tent State model to campuses across the country and internationally. These independently run Tent States focus on issues that matter in their area. Locations include: CA, MI, MO, WI, TX, CO, MA, NY, MN, NC, England and Australia! To learn more about what is going on at these schools you can check out our website: www.tentstate.com

Tent State organizers in Denver are helping to spread the Tent State model on a new scale. They will be holding a Tent State in Denver at the Democratic National Convention August 25-28th. They are also encouraging Tent States to form all over the country this spring. In other words, JOIN STUDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY! Check out the website and the Facebook group Tent State University at the DNC for updates.

No. A central aspect of Tent State is exercising our social power to peacefully assemble. We believe that free speech and assembly should not be confined to limited "free speech zones."

Can anyone be involved in Tent State?

Any individual or group who supports our mission is welcome to be involved. In fact we encourage you to invite your friends, family, community organizations, etc. We reach to unite students, faculty and staff organizations with labor, peace, feminist, and local community-based organizations. We have also had local high school students organize contingents from their high school to participate in TSU

Tent State does not affiliate with any political party or any single political philosophy. In other words, we are not Democrats and we are not Republicans. However individuals and groups who consider themselves Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, etc. are all welcome as long as they support Tent State's mission.