Faculty plan noon walkout

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a third student-fee increase has recently been passed. A third fee increase has recently been discussed at a UC Board of Regents meeting, but has not yet been passed.

Despite the university’s encouragement to hold class as scheduled, approximately 100 UCLA faculty members, including professors, associate professors and assistant professors, have signed their support for today’s walkout.

The walkout will involve faculty from all 10 UC campuses walking out of classes statewide to protest the various fee increases and program cuts that the UC Regents have implemented since the budget crisis began over a year ago.

Over the last year, student fees have been increased by 10 percent on two occasions, with a third fee increase of $585 per resident undergraduate recently discussed at the UC Board of Regents meeting in September that would take effect during winter quarter if passed in November.

In addition, class sizes have increased, course offerings have decreased and furlough days for faculty have been implemented. The furlough program requires faculty to take a specified number of unpaid days off work.

Although the walkout mainly consists of faculty and university workers, students have also been invited to participate.

However, since students can be dropped if they do not show up to the first day of class, those who wish to participate should contact their professors beforehand to get information about their participation, said University of California Students Association President Victor Sanchez.

“Some professors will not be walking out and instead will discuss the budget issues in class,” Sanchez added.

However, not all professors support the walkout, said Robin Garrell, chairwoman of the UCLA Academic Senate.

“Some (professors) felt they wanted to publicly show that they are unhappy, and some see a reaction like walking out as not being very constructive,” Garrell said.

Due to the conflicting faculty opinions, the Academic Senate Leadership committee, which is comprised of the former, current and future chairpersons, has decided to not take a position on the walkout.

“We are leaving up to the conscience of individual professors,” Garrell said.

UCLA has followed a similar stance on the issue.

The various deans in the College of Letters and Science have sent notifications to their respective faculties indicating that while there is frustration over the current budget situation, there is an expectation that classes will be held as scheduled, said UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton.

“We understand that there is a diversity of opinions on how best to respond to the reduction of state funding,” Hampton said.

“It is unclear though how many of those faculty members are scheduled to teach (today) or how many will decline to do so,” Hampton added.

Faculty have expressed concern about the numerous cuts that have resulted from the state budget crisis.

During discussions of the furlough program, the Academic Senate was unanimous that some of these furlough days should be taken on teaching days.

However, this was not suggested in an effort to hurt students’ education, said Gary Rhoades, general secretary of the American Association of University Professors.

Rhoades explained that the suggestion was made because professors felt that if the furloughs did not affect anyone else, the UC would continue to make cuts.

However, he said that the suggestion was ignored by the UC.

Despite the UC’s expression of concern for students missing class, students at UCLA and across the state have publicly joined with the faculty in support of today’s walkout.

At Tuesday’s Undergraduate Student Association Council meeting, the board unanimously approved the walkout resolution. “These cuts are affecting all facets of the university education. Our purpose for supporting the walkout is to inform people on the cuts and how it will affect their lives,” said USAC President Cinthia Flores.

The University of California Students Association, the system-wide student government association, has also publicly supported the walkout.

“The ultimate goal is to engage people and show them what is happening in the UC,” Sanchez said.

Aside from official student government organizations, students at each UC campus have also organized independently by creating a Facebook events page for each campus as well as an additional page for alumni.

While professors may have disagreements on the walkout itself, they seem to be in agreement that there needs to be a change in how the budget issues are addressed and how decisions are made.

“We all want to make sure that the integrity of the institution is upheld,” Flores said.

A schedule of events for the walkout can be found at ucfacultywalkout.com.