CFA
plan asks for more faculty
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
 The
California Faculty Association has been
trying to implement a plan called upon the
Cal State University Trustees to give a
legislative testimony in favor of a new
plan to increase the number of permanent
teaching faculty within the 23 CSUs.
Legislative plans presented on Sept. 5.
would allow the CSUs to receive a higher
amount of tenured-track faculty.
According to a press release by CFA, the
plan would increase the permanent faculty
for the CSUs from 50 percent to 75 percent,
with the hopes of helping students obtain
a better education.
“The quality of education around the Cal
State system would be better if there were
more stable teaching faculty,” said Alice
Sunshine, communications specialist with
the CFA.
The plan is a result from a resolution in
the State Assembly entitled ACR 73, which
was sponsored by CFA.
One week before the plan was implemented,
some UC lecturers staged a walkout in protest,
demonstrating the unfairness of low pay,
few benefits and overcrowded classes.
“Temporary faculty wouldn’t have to move
from job to job,” Sunshine said. “[Temporary
faculty] don’t get in touch with the community.
They don’t get paid for office hours or
have the same resources as the full-time
faculty.”
According to the press release CFA president
Susan Meisenhelder said that the CFA has
been working hard with the CSU system, in
trying to get the new plan implemented,
which would ensure students receive a quality
education.
Although many people are in favor of this
plan, some think that it will cost too much
money. The plan’s budget could range from
$4.8 million to $35.6 million.
In order to implement this plan, the CSU
needs to conduct 1,760 to 2,000 searches
for tenure-track faculty to reach the 75
percent tenured-track faculty.
CSU Chancellor spokeswoman Clara Potes-Fellow
said that the CSU wants all faculty majors
filled.
“All areas and majors are looking for positions
and expertise,” Potes-Fellow said. “Many
previous lecturers apply for this position
and we believe that many lecturers would
be considered for this position.”
According to the ACR 73 Plan, the student/faculty
ratio is currently at 19.5 students to one
faculty member. The needs for funding have
to be decreased to a ratio of 18:1, to reflect
increases in the CSU base budget, which
is necessary in providing long-term improvements
in workload expectations over an eight-year
period. The plan also states that the CSUs
goal of achieving 75 percent tenured-track
faculty is possible.
Marty Fiebert, Long Beach chapter president
of the CFA said the funding for the full
time faculty would increase gradually over
the eight-year period from 2003 to 2011.
“We are reversing a trend with increasing
tenured-track faculty and here, there is
an agreement to replace most part-time professors
and get higher benefits for the full-time
faculty,” Fiebert said.
ACR 73 states that the plan would offer
improved employment opportunities and present
new tenured-track faculty involving competitive
salaries, reasonable workload expectations,
and attractive working conditions.
“One of the downsides is that some part-time
faculty would be less available for working
with students,” Fiebert said.
However, Sunshine said that the budget could
benefit the permanent faculty members filling
the tenured slots.
“There are some disagreements about money,”
Sunshine said. “The CSU is going through
a tough time right now. The plan says that
there are monetary tenure-tracks funded
but not filled. This makes it a good effort
to fill them.”
|
