SAN MARCOS — Light sticks flashed and drums thumped outside Palomar College’s library Tuesday night as protesters livestreamed the governing board meeting and chanted through the cold, keeping pressure on trustees meeting upstairs.

About 100 students, faculty and classified employees gathered outside for the “Solidarity Rally 2.0” during the Dec. 16 governing board meeting over pay and staffing. Organized by the Council of Classified Employees (CCE) the rally pushed for a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) and criticized the district for not filling vacant positions, while also raising concerns about recent board decisions. The union claims classified employees are overworked and that staffing shortages are affecting services for students.

Supporters held signs that showed the classified union’s goose mascot, with messages that read “Fund COLA” and “No Excuses.”

The dispute over a 2.3% COLA for CCE has been ongoing for the past six months with the union and the district disagreeing over contract language and cost.

“The district respects and values all of our employees and will continue to work collaboratively with all constituency groups to support student success,” the district said in a prepared statement.

In addition to the COLA, CCE is frustrated by the district’s hesitancy to fill ongoing vacancies, which the union claims represent more than 25% of classified positions.

“We want to be able to have classified staff, be able to help the students be who they are and make them achieve what they want to achieve,” said Alexis Knapek, senior grants administrative specialist.

CCE Vice President of Membership Jena Kruhmin led chants with a microphone, encouraging rallygoers to repeat calls for COLA and staffing.

“We don’t run, we don’t hide. At Palomar, we decide,” the group chanted.

Some attendees said concerns over recent board decisions, including no longer reading the land acknowledgment at meetings and removing the board policy on antiracism, also drove them to attend, adding to the frustration over pay and staffing.

History professor Matthew Estes attended the rally dressed in a blow-up frog costume before heading upstairs to sit in the governing board meeting.

“Obviously I’ve got some real concerns about what the board is doing, but I also want to support our classified staff, because without them this place closes down,” Estes said.

Student Joseph Wong said he came out because of the anti-racism policy decision.

“I originally came because I heard they canceled the anti-racism policy that our school had, and to me it just seems cowardly,” Wong said. “Especially the way that they did it, without considering anyone or having public input.”

While Wong came because of his concerns about board decisions, he said he also supported the union’s push for a COLA.

“I also hope that they fund COLA,” Wong said. “It seems really backwards to refuse to adjust the pay so the people who run our campus can afford to live.”

Protesters stayed outside for over an hour and a half, while the governing board continued to meet upstairs. After shouting and chanting at key moments, the crowd heard from a variety of speakers, including CCE President Anel Gonzalez and President of California Federation of Teachers (CFT) Jeff Freitas, whose remarks blended contract demands with broader criticism of board leadership.

“It is the workers here that lift up the colleges to allow for the students to succeed in their life — the students from this community — and that board is saying no,” Freitas said. “They’re saying ‘eff you.’ and we’re gonna tell it back.”

Caesar Gonzalez, Anel Gonzalez’s son, said he came to support classified employees and hoped the district responds to their concerns.

“I hope that the people here get the treatment they deserve for the work that they’ve been doing that’s really important, especially to keep Palomar a safe place and a place that works well,” Caesar Gonzalez said.

As the board entered public comment during open session, the protestors’ chants and drumbeats carried upstairs into the meeting room, making the rally hard to ignore as trustees moved through the agenda. The noise was especially noticeable as CCE Communications Officer Krista Lough read a statement on behalf of Kruhmin.

“I am having someone read this comment on my behalf tonight, because, well, I’m a little bit busy at the moment,” Lough read. “Hopefully you can hear me downstairs making good trouble. To the folks in the audience: You are welcome to join us.”