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Teach-In addresses
CSU crisis
By Greg Smith
On-line Forty-Niner
The problems facing
faculty members and students in the California State University
system were the main topics of discussion of the Teach-In
held Wednesday in the University Student Union by the Long
Beach chapter of the California Faculty Association.
On the agenda were the much talked about subjects of expanding
enrollment into the CSU, the general decline in money allocated
for the CSU from the state budget, and the amount of part-time
faculty compared to tenure and tenure-track faculty.
As a part of a panel discussion held at the Teach-In Wednesday,
Lillian Taiz, CFA vice president and a history professor at
Cal State Los Angeles, related stories of her experience as
a single mom enrolled in the CSU and UC systems.
She eventually received her Ph. D. and worked as a "freeway
flyer," or a part-time lecturer who worked at two different
universities. During this time she only received medical insurance
for her and her two children for one year.
She told of how her instructors had more than enough time
to meet with students and how the libraries stayed open long
into the night. When she began teaching, she noticed some
startling differences in what she was experiencing and how
she remembered her professors.
"I didn't seem to have the time that my professors had
to give to individual students," Taiz said.
The Teach-In included panel discussions with CFA leaders,
state assembly members and senators, and part-time and tenure-track
faculty members and a performance of Susan Mason's skit "McState
University, Inc." by CSULB's Nuevo Teatro Popular de
la Vida y Muerte. The event culminated with keynote speaker
Rigoberta Menchú, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
Over the past two weeks, similar Teach-Ins have been held
or are due to be held at all 23 campuses of the CSU system.
Statewide CFA organizers are also planning a large demonstration
Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in
Long Beach.
The Teach-In opened with a panel discussion on the threat
to the quality of education in the CSU. On the panel were
Taiz, CFA Long Beach Chapter President Martin Fiebert, CSULB
computer engineering instructor Wayne Dick, CFA State Associate
Vice President Elizabeth Hoffman and Alex Negrete, a CSULB
student senator.
"We're trying to bring to the attention of the university
and the public, the crisis facing the CSU system," Fiebert
said in his remarks.
Taiz added: "The Teach-Ins will tell the CSU administration
that this is [the students' and faculties'] university,"
Taiz said. "[The administration] is not the heart and
soul of this university."
The panel members spoke at length on what they call a crisis
facing the CSU system. According to CFA figures, the amount
of full-time equivalent students has risen 18 percent in the
last five years while the amount of tenure-track faculty members
has grown only 1 percent. Conversely, the amount of CSU managers
and administrators has grown over 33 percent in the past five
years.
"This is a system-wide struggle," Taiz said, adding
that there is an "inappropriate use of funds."
According to Taiz, funds are being moved away from the classroom
and into projects that have nothing to do with the classroom.
All the panel members seemed to agree that CSU administration
is moving away from higher education and more towards job
training.
"There are important parts of university culture that
we need to carefully protect," Taiz said.
In his remarks, Dick explained what tenure is and why it is
important.
"Tenure is often mistaken as job security. Tenure is
the opportunity to be honest, to speak out on big issues and
small issues. Tenure is academic freedom," Dick said,
referring to the fact that part-time professors are hired
and fired based on their student evaluations.
Many part-time faculty members, he said, are afraid to address
tough topics and even to grade honestly for fear of losing
their jobs.
Elizabeth Hoffman reiterated this viewpoint.
"The university suffers when half of the faculty is afraid
to speak out for fear of losing their job," Hoffman said,
referring to the half of CSULB faculty who are part-timers.
Some students in attendance were sympathetic towards the teachers'
struggle.
"I think that teachers should be more accessible,"
said Paul Pugh, a senior finance major.
Margie Castro, a junior international business major thought
the faculty's troubles were depressing.
"This is really going to affect future generations [that
attend CSU]," said Castro.
"I didn't know how much of the budget goes to administration
and not to the students," said Candace Khaokham, a senior
political science major. According to CFA figures, the amount
of money spent per full-time equivalent student has dropped
from $5,318 in 1990 to $4,655 in 2000.
Turnout was low for the first discussions but a full house
turned out at the University Theatre to hear keynote speaker
Rigoberta Menchú discuss human rights and the quality
of education in the CSU system.
Speakers emphasized that the best way for students to get
involved in saving their university is to take part in the
CFA's demonstration at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting Nov.
14.
"We are going to take the lessons you learned here today
to the Chancellor," Taiz said. "We need to show
him with a big presence that the students care."
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