Senior Continuing Lecturer Young Kee Markham has taught gerontology to graduate nursing students for 27 years.

But starting next fall, Markham said UCLA plans to significantly reduce her teaching appointments amid changes to the graduate degree.

Markham previously taught the Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Practicum series – a two-year component of the Advanced Practice Registered Nursing program in the School of Nursing.

However, UCLA replaced the MSN-APRN program with the three-year Doctor of Nursing Practice program in fall 2025 after several national nursing associations called for all new nurse practitioners to earn higher-level degrees.

Markham, who has been a nurse practitioner for 37 years, said she does not have the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree necessary to teach the updated series without the university’s permission. Markham added that she received a contract March 16 that said she would only teach one undergraduate class – Physical Assessment – in the fall quarter.

Markham said this change resulted in a 60% pay cut compared to her previous appointments. She alleged that the School of Nursing did not provide reasoning for decreasing her teaching appointments.

A School of Nursing spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the school could not comment on teaching assignments, employment or grievance proceedings.

“Teaching assignments in the School of Nursing are determined by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and program leadership based on a variety of factors, including curricular needs, program structure, accreditation considerations, and student learning priorities,” the spokesperson said. “Teaching assignments may change from year to year as program and course needs evolve.”

The spokesperson added in the statement that the UCLA is phasing out the Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice Registered Nursing program to align with national nursing education standards. The program reviewed course needs and staffing assignments as part of its launch, they said.

The new degree does not focus on clinical practice, unlike the previous course she taught, Markham said.

Markham added that the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education – a national nursing program accreditation agency – told her that Master of Nursing degree holders could still teach clinical nursing courses in the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs if they receive permission from either the department dean or chancellor.

UCLA also cut the gerontology practicum course for the 2025-26 academic year because of low enrollment, but the university reinstated it for 2026-27 year as a specialization option under the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Markham added that the university did not appoint her to teach the class.

Markham said she believes the course contents were not changed under the new Doctor of Nursing Practice program.

Markham said she submitted a grievance with University Council-AFT – a union that represents the UC’s lecturers and librarians – but had not received a response as of Wednesday. A representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the grievance.

Several of Markham’s former students have called on UCLA to reinstate Markham’s position at the school.

Mary Boutros, a UCLA alumnus who was in Markham’s practicum program from 2023 to 2025, said former students created a petition calling on Chancellor Julio Frenk to support Markham, which around 450 people have signed.

Mengfen Moseley, a UCLA alumnus who graduated from Markham’s practicum program in 2009, said she has stayed in touch with Markham since her time at UCLA, adding that she was surprised about Markham’s removal from the program.

“She holds herself with a higher standard, and she also set a great example as a GNP herself,” Moseley added.

Sivarark Srikhamhaeng, a UCLA alumnus who was also in Markham’s practicum program from 2023 to 2025, said she hopes Markham can teach other graduate-level courses such as pathophysiology and advanced pharmacology.

Srikhamhaeng added that Markham’s care for her students stood out to her during her time in her class.

“I was going through a lot during my two years of the program because my mom was hospitalized,” Srikhamhaeng said. “Professor Markham was so caring, she (would ask), ‘Hi, how are you? How’s everything going with your mom?'”

Many of Markham’s former students have stayed in touch with her for years after graduating, Srikhamhaeng added.

“She’s priceless, and I don’t think anybody is able to replace her,” Boutros said. “For a professor to mold us and to be a role model, I would hate for other students to lose out on that.”