CSU Faculty Voice: Program Needs? Who Gives a Damn, Dump the Faculty, Screw the Students

Friday, July 29, 2016

Program Needs? Who Gives a Damn, Dump the Faculty, Screw the Students

Over the past two weeks, six of the nine non-recalled faculty made a case for their recall to the Provost and Contract Administrator. Everyone had a compelling rationale for their recall, including faculty members who pointed out that their programs would be eviscerated by the staff reductions, and other faculty who had skills enabling them to teach in other disciplines. The answer from the administration? A resounding fuck you to both the faculty and the students who will be damaged by these layoffs.

Last evening, the Provost’s Office sent notifications to five of the six faculty members (the letter to the sixth was inexplicably not attached to the e-mail). Three were identical in their denial of the requests for recall, while two others offered the “possibility” of “a bargaining unit as a full-time lecturer.” By the letter’s conclusion, this “possibility” had deteriorated into a “full- or part-time lecturer opportunity.” What a great opportunity! Thank you so much, you magnanimous administrators!

Here are the letters:

Can you say union-busting? Can you say attack on tenure?

1 comment:

CordayJul 29, 2016, 11:38:00 AM
The ruthlessness of CSU’s actions toward fired faculty members calls to mind scenes of the screenplay from the great 1951 version of A Christmas Carol. What role does Dr. Calhoun play in this final farce the Watson administration is producing?

[Scene: The meeting of Scrooge and Marley]

Marley: The world is on the verge of new and great changes, Mr. Scrooge. Some of them, of necessity,
will be violent. Do you agree?

Scrooge: No, l think the world is becoming a very hard and cruel place, Mr. Marley. One must steel oneself to survive it. Not be crushed under with the weak and the infirm.

Marley: l think we have many things in common, Mr. Scrooge. l hope so, Mr. Marley.

[Scene: Scrooge and Marley walking through the company yard they bought out from Scrooge’s old boss, the good Mr. Fezziwig.]

Workman: Oh, excuse me, Mr. Scrooge, Sir.

Scrooge: - Yes?

Workman: Pardon the liberty, but do you know if l'm to be kept on here, Sir?

Scrooge: What's your present salary?

Workman: Five shillings a week, Sir.

Scrooge: You can stay for four shillings a week.

Workman: Well yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir.
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Thanks to Haki Madhabuti

"1. He/she must be a scholar of national note, with significant peer review publications and books in his or her field. There must be no doubt as to his/her standing in the community of scholars. This would also include a history of the candidate’s participation in the appropriate professional organizations.

2. He/she must have served with distinction as the administrative head of a major unit within an institution of higher learning or at the important position of Provost and/or Dean. Of course, prior service at the presidential level is preferred.

3. He/she must have a documented history of raising significant monies from the private and public sectors. At most major and research one universities it is not unusual to expect the president to come with a plan to raise in excess of half a billion dollars or more in the first few years.

4. The prospective president must have a consensus buy-in from the faculty, students, administration and staff, therefore, arriving with a unity mandate to lead by joining a University community that has bought into his or her vision for the future."

From an open letter to the CSU Community, 2009.