To: The UCSC Community

From: Some UCSC Faculty (signatures below)

We write to object to CPEVC Kliger’s report issued on Thursday March 4 at 9:50 am regarding the demonstration.

It is true that the demonstration successfully stopped “business as usual” on the UCSC campus. While this may have represented an inconvenience for some, it perhaps bears repeating that no significant social change occurs without some inconvenience.

Many faculty participated in the campus closure, some for the entire day, starting early in the morning. A number of us who were present at the two main entrances and at key intersections throughout the day can say with confidence that metal pipes, clubs, and knives were nowhere to be seen.

Further, the many health care workers who arrived at the two entrances were allowed to enter campus with almost no delay. Indeed, the student organizers had created an orderly and respectful protocol for speaking with people in cars who were attempting to enter the campus. Testament to their understanding of the complexities of choosing to close campus, the strike organizers had made arrangements with Family Student Housing for easy and safe access and egress. Additionally, we did not witness anyone being prevented (by protesters) from leaving the campus.

The students organizing the campus closure also made arrangements for incident monitoring and witnessing. Several received training from the National Lawyer’s Guild; there were also NLG legal observers whose role it was to remain neutral and to document. We hope these observers will attest to the specifics of reported incidents.

Some of us witnessed drivers aggressively trying to break through lines of protesters, a dangerous reaction to peaceful protest that the administration has referred to as “road rage.”

To our knowledge, administrators from Student Affairs were nowhere to be found. Campus administrative leadership was also notably absent.

The event was an impressive example of the ability of our students to educate themselves and others about the state of the California budget and the increasing privatization and corporatization of the UC and public education in California generally. Further, the event demonstrated students’ capacity to build coalitions among various university groups and with other sectors of public education and organized labor, which were represented in the rallies on campus and in downtown Santa Cruz on Thursday.

We think that the administrative leadership of UCSC should recognize the students’ commitment to defend public education in calling attention to the ongoing crisis with a day of public action.

Sincerely,

Jordi Aladro Professor, Literature

Mark Anderson Assistant Professor, Anthropology

Anjali Arondekar Associate Professor, Feminist Studies

Noriko Aso Assistant Professor, History

Gopal Balakrishnan Associate Professor, History of Consciousness

Karen Bassi Professor, Literature and Classics

Hunter Bivens Assistant Professor, Literature

Margaret Brose Professor Emerita, Literature

Giulia Centineo Lecturer, Languages

Alan Christy Associate Professor, History

Vilashini Cooppan Associate Professor, Literature

Cindy Cruz Assistant Professor, Education

Nathaniel Deutsch Professor, History and Literature

Timothy P. Duane Associate Professor, Environmental Studies

Dana Frank Professor, History

Carla Freccero Professor, Literature

Rosa-Linda Fregoso Professor, Latin American and Latino Studies

Ron Glass Associate Professor, Education

Deborah Gould Assistant Professor, Sociology

Chris Hables Gray Lecturer, Crown College

Herman Gray Professor, Sociology

Miriam Greenberg Assistant Professor, Sociology

Jody Greene Associate Professor, Literature

Kirsten Silva Gruesz Professor, Literature

Gildas Hamel SOE Lecturer, History

Donna Haraway Distinguished Professor, History of Consciousness

Christine Hong Assistant Professor, Literature

Emily Honig Professor, History

Sharon Kinoshita Professor, Literature

Norma Klahn Professor, Literature

Regina Langhout Assistant Professor, Psychology

H. Marshall Leicester Professor, Literature

Leslie Lopez Lecturer, Latin American and Latino Studies, Writing

Helene Moglen Professor Emerita, Literature

Juan Poblete Associate Professor, Literature & Provost, Kresge College

Eric Porter Professor, American Studies

Catherine Ramírez Associate Professor, American Studies

Renya Ramirez Associate Professor, American Studies

Craig Reinarman Professor, Sociology

Don Rothman Emeritus SOE Senior Lecturer, Writing

Danilyn Rutherford Associate Professor, Anthropology

Felicity Schaeffer-Grabiel Assistant Professor, Feminist Studies

Zack Schlesinger Professor, Physics

Vanita Seth Associate Professor, Politics

Deanna Shemek Professor, Literature & Provost, Cowell College

Dana Takagi Professor, Sociology

Richard Terdiman Professor, Literature

Megan Thomas Assistant Professor, Politics

Rob Wilson Professor, Literature

Karen Tei Yamashita Professor, Literature

(50)

The undersigned, though not present when these events took place, would like to add their names in support of this letter:

Christopher Connery Professor, Literature

Shelly Errington Professor, Anthropology

Barbara Epstein Professor, History of Consciousness

Susan Gillman Professor, Literature

Gail Hershatter Distinguished Professor, History

Robert Meister Professor of Social and Political Thought

———————————————————–

March 4, 2010

To: UCSC Community

Fr: Campus Provost David Kliger

Re: Update on Campus Protest

Earlier this morning, protest activity at both campus entrances rendered our main campus inaccessible to vehicle traffic. Reports of protesters carrying clubs and knives, smashing a car windshield with a metal pipe, denying a resident of faculty/student housing the right to exit the campus, and keeping a campus health care worker from getting to work, escalated this morning’s protest into behavior that is disruptive, intimidating and destructive.

Behavior that degrades into violence, personal intimidation, and disrespect for the rights of others is reprehensible, and does nothing to aid efforts to restore funding to the university.

These actions should cease. University police, Student Affairs staff, and others are doing their best to manage this situation. In the meantime, we commend members of our community for their patience.

Please continue to check the campus website http://www.ucsc.edu/news_events/protest/03-10/ for updates.

———————————————————–

Message from the Chancellor

As the campus returns to full operations, I want to acknowledge the toll yesterday’s protests took on the campus community and renew our commitment to the students we are here to serve.

Thousands of UCSC students, faculty, and staff were impacted by yesterday’s demonstrations, which were part of a national Day of Action in Support of Public Education. It was a difficult day for many, and I thank you for your patience and understanding.

Many people went to extraordinary efforts yesterday to fulfill myriad aspects of the university’s three-part mission of teaching, research, and public service. Under trying circumstances, faculty and staff made numerous adjustments, and I appreciate their professionalism and flexibility. Ultimately, students bore the real brunt of yesterday’s events, as they were inconvenienced and many were unable to attend their classes.

There’s no question that the state’s reinvestment in public education is critical. I urge you to join me in advocating on behalf of UC Santa Cruz as we refocus our attention on continuing the upward trajectory of this great institution.

To UCSC students, staff, and faculty:

The University of California, San Francisco
Monday, January 25, 2010

This “teach-in” explores the origins and character of the current crisis at the University of California. It is both an educational and political event, designed to provide a progressive, alternative analysis of the budget crisis and a positive road forward for California, the UC system, and education at all levels in our state. We defend public higher education in the Golden State. We do not favor privatization of the University, austerity for the public schools, or furloughs, wage freezes, and fee hikes for staff, faculty, and students. We hope that the information and analysis generated by this teach-in will provide students, staff, faculty, and administrators with the weapons necessary to defend our university as it faces unprecedented attack.

Ahnika Kline

Graduate Student at U.C. San Francisco

“A Future Alumna on the Future of the University” Listen Here

Stan Glantz

Professor of Medicine, UCSF, past chair of UC Committee on Planning and Budget

“UC’s Budget Mess: How We Got Here and How Little It Would Cost to Get Out” Listen Here

Robert Meister

Professor of Political Science UC Santa Cruz, President, UC Faculty Associations

“Who Pays and Who Benefits? Higher Education and Taxation as Engines of Equality and Growth” Listen Here

George Lakoff

Professor of Linguistics, UC Berkeley, Author of California Democracy Act Ballot Initiative

“Privatization and Democracy: How We Can Change Our Future”

Listen Here

_______________________________

The University of California, Santa Cruz
Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Where do student fees go? A Public Forum on the UC Budget and Student Protests

Mike Rotkin

Vice President of UC-AFT, Lecturer and Field Studies Coordinator of Community Studies, UCSC

Listen Here

Bob Samuels

President of UC-AFT, operator of Changing Universities blog. Listen Here

Robert Meister

Professor of Political Science, UC Santa Cruz and President, UC Faculty Associations

Listen Here

Questions and Answers:

1. What if students went to their student portal and withdrew for a quarter, massively? Listen Here
   
2. What is a derivative? Listen Here
3. What kind of tools should we use to make sure our demands are met? Listen Here
4. A student class action suit against the University for the mismanagement of their funds? Listen Here
5. Building a state-wide movement: If the distribution to the campuses is as skewed as you say, how do you think we move through the problem of making common cause, with UCLA for instance, without splitting our movement 10 different ways according to how much each campus is getting per student currently? Listen Here
6. What is a hedgefund? Listen Here

A statement for all UC faculty (senate and non-senate) to indicate their support for the Day of Actions for Public Higher Education on March 4th, 2010. Regardless of whether you are on leave or sabbatical, not teaching on 3/4, have external funding, or are emerita/emeritus, we encourage you to sign. All faculty members have a stake in fighting for the future of public education in California.

Click Here to sign.

Student Fee Hikes are NOT the Solution

The U.C. Regents will vote at their November 17-19 meeting on a proposal to increase student fees by 32% over the next year. According to the Regents, student fees are increasing because state funding for public higher education has decreased. However, new evidence and analysis from independent sources shows that the budgetary problem lies within UC Administration priorities not state funding allocations. Student fee hikes are not the solution to solve the financial crisis at the University of California.

This student fee increase would be an addition to the 9.3% increase that took effect at the beginning of the 2009/2010 academic year. Student fees have more than doubled in the last decade, and with the proposed increase the cost to attend the UC will have tripled since 2000/2001. Meanwhile, throughout the UC system, class sizes are increasing, programs and departments are at risk, TAships have been cut, and student debt is rising.

On October 14, 2009, Bob Meister, UCSC Professor of Political and Social Thought and President of the Council of UC Faculty Associations, presents a CALL to ACTION at UCSB’s “Defending the University: A “Teach-In” on the Current Crisis.”

If this proposal passes, students will be paying far more for a lower quality education. We strongly oppose an increase in student fees. The Checking Education Project believes the Regents highest priority should be to maintain the UC as an accessible, high-quality public University in accordance with the California Master Plan for Higher Education.

This site has been created as a hub for analysis and commentary, for documents, and especially as a place for you to hear student voices and read their words about  how the UC Financial crisis is impacting them.

Support our demand for quality, affordable and accessible public higher education by sharing your voice. Write to your legislators, the Regents, the governor; sign our petitions, post videos on Youtbue, post status updates on Facebook, tweet your friends, tell the cashier at the grocery store, tell everyone you know that the tuition hikes are NOT the Solution. Restoring California’s commitment to public higher education will require an infusion of energy and resources, and no resource is more valuable than the thoughtful engagement that each individual can bring to this fight.