Professor's kindness touched students

On Jan. 17, UCLA Professor Jayne Spencer passed away. As a
lecturer for the history department, the chair of the
Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Disability, the director
of Computers without Borders, the coordinator for the Tarjan Center
for Developmental Disabilities and a leader in the movement to
establish disabilities studies at UCLA, Spencer has certainly left
her mark on campus.

But beyond her official titles and achievements, she was a
tremendous human being. As her students and friends, we would like
to pay tribute to the legacy she will leave behind.

Among those fortunate enough to have taken a class with Spencer,
she will be remembered and revered as a phenomenal teacher. As a
lecturer for history and Latin American studies, she demonstrated a
profound commitment to her students. Her teaching style embodied
the democratic principles she never failed to stand up for,
employing a pedagogy that fostered critical thinking while bringing
out the humanity in her students and in the historical subjects she
brought to life. As UCLA student Justin Reid explained, “She
seemed to bring out the best in each and every one of her pupils,
developing the students under her tutelage into more aware,
critically thinking and objectively minded scholars who truly
benefited from her advanced intellect and wisdom.”

In a university system that increasingly disregards the
importance of good teaching, Spencer worked endlessly to devise
engaging, innovative curriculum, drawing upon diverse forms of
media and guest speakers who conveyed the human realities behind
historical processes. While grounded in fundamental principles of
human rights and equality, Spencer succeeded in avoiding the
pedantic, cultivating her students’ capacity for clear and
individual thought. Her pedagogy was driven both by extremely high
expectations and a profound love for her students.

Unlike many professors, Spencer also encouraged her students to
develop life skills they could then use beyond her classroom. She
empowered students by emphasizing the advanced research skills
necessary for tackling complex questions. In every class she
taught, from introductory undergraduate survey courses to
graduate-level seminars, Spencer scheduled workshops at the Young
Research Library to expose students to various research methods and
the plethora of resources available at UCLA. Similarly, Spencer
regularly scheduled extracurricular writing workshops for students
in an effort to help develop each individual’s capacity for
concise and persuasive writing.

Despite her enormously hectic schedule, Spencer remained firmly
committed to true teaching, taking the time to give her students
far more than what was listed on her syllabi. She was deeply
devoted to promoting student agency, inspiring her students to take
charge of their educational experiences, develop their own ideas,
and share their ideas with the world.

But Spencer will be remembered as far more than just a brilliant
professor. She was always willing to help a student in need,
whether by writing a letter of recommendation, supervising an
independent study project, or just listening to personal problems.
Her love and evident respect for those around her endeared her to
every student who crossed her path.

She was never condescending and never dismissed her
students’ concerns or struggles as trivial. As former student
Angel Rosales remembers, “Jayne taught me how to believe in
myself, in my work, in my ideals, beliefs and dreams. I will never
forget her. She has been my mentor, my teacher and my
friend.”

Moreover, in this supremely achievement-oriented age, Spencer
gently reminded her students to value the entire life process.
Former student Alejandra Aguirre recalled, “Jayne served as a
reminder to celebrate all personal achievements, regardless of
their magnitude.”

Indeed, Spencer often spearheaded the celebrations, inviting her
students out for dinners at the end of term, sharing former
students’ work with current students, and reminding all of
them to live each day as fully as possible.

In all of her various positions, Spencer held herself and those
around her to the highest of standards. In the most positive way,
Spencer’s personal character inspired others to be
accountable to the principles she held dear ““ among them
equal access, honesty and social justice.

Her willingness to always work her hardest inspired others to
persist with the patience and determination she embodied. Due to
her disability, Spencer often relied on others to complete basic
tasks such as writing on the chalkboard. While many were initially
unaccustomed to providing such assistance to a professor,
Spencer’s humility and strength of character reminded us that
giving and accepting help from others is not a sign of weakness,
but a symbol of our humanity. Simply put, Spencer made those around
her better people.

Despite her tragic and untimely passing, her friends and
students may be consoled by the fact that Spencer’s spirit
will live on. As Rosales explained, “She instilled in us
something now inextricable. Her teachings live in every single one
of us. Her message, her spirit, her passion are alive in my
everyday actions and memory as well as in all the people she
impacted.”

UCLA graduate Derek Seidman concurs: “She was truly a
source of inspiration for many of us, with both her ideas and her
personal example. That she will be greatly missed is obvious; that
she has inspired many others to carry on the struggle to implement
her (and our) ideals is exemplary.”

Ebadolahi and Vossoughi are graduates of UCLA. Both were
Daily Bruin Viewpoint columnists.