The Lumberjack

Issue date: 5/2/07 Section: Opinion

Another tragedy on the [Humboldt State] campus, another "blunder" by administrators, as Dr. Stone Brusca (last year's Professor of the Year) puts it. I regret to inform you, with deep sadness, that Dr. Brusca has decided to resign this semester - this time for good.

Brusca is not an ordinary professor. Before he came to [Humboldt State] (27 yrs ago,) he was the disciple of Albert Einstein's disciple, the best in the nation of his generation! He chose [Humboldt State] for the same special reasons as students: beautiful natural environment and close relationship between students and faculty.

Every semester, Stone is given the same number of courses as his full-time colleagues, but every semester, he asks to teach only one course, to devote 70 [hours a week] of his time to optimize the students' learning experience, by delivering the best course content in the 75 [hours per semester] he's given to complete it. His lectures are timed to the minute. In other words, he's a world-class perfectionist. So you may ask: how does he pay the bills, if he works 70 [hours a week] to teach only four units? Well, Stone doesn't own a car or a suit, so he doesn't buy gas and ties. He lives in the middle of the redwoods without phone or electricity, so he doesn't receive bills from PG&E and SBC. His lifestyle is considered weird by many, and inspiring by a few others.

Stone teaches Cosmos, the most popular (and arguably most important) GE course at [Humboldt State] (and arguably in the nation.) It's a mind-blowing experience and is only offered in the fall. I took it twice during my graduate degree. The second time, I took it with my girlfriend (now my wife,) to share with her Stone's journey through our Universe. There are a handful of people in the world that I wish were immortal (to continue doing their beautiful work on Earth forever,) Stone Brusca is one of them.

For those who missed the drama: When Dr. Brusca was chosen as the [Humboldt State] Outstanding Faculty of the Year (by faculty and students,) Dean Howard and President Richmond were opposed to his nomination, because he only teaches one course per semester and doesn't [want to] publish his textbook nationwide (because it's full of fill-in-the-blanks, intended for the course only.) Richmond called him "lousy" and decided to cancel his award ceremony and mail his award to his office instead! Typical Richmond. Ironically, two years ago, somehow, Richmond was nominated CSU President of the Year (chosen by the Chancellor, of course.) Fortunately, the Academic Senate decided to sponsor Stone's ceremony in [Kate Buchanan Room]. Over 300 people attended the ceremony (some standing outside the room) in which Stone gave a two-hour mind-blowing lecture about "How big is the Universe?" As a result of the administration's actions, Stone decided to enter early retirement, which allows him to teach for another five years. I'm not sure what happened this semester that led Stone to resign immediately. All I know is the message I just found on his Cosmos Web site: www.humboldt.edu/cosmos.

I don't expect to fully understand Stone's decisions. All I can say is that I strongly disagree with his quitting. I feel that Richmond has won another battle to ruin [Humboldt State's] image and quality of education. I thought Richmond would be gone before Stone's end of early retirement period, which I was hoping would change Stone's mind and stay longer. I asked Stone what it would take for him to change his mind. He said: "A very open and detailed public apology by Richmond and Howard, and reinstatement of me as a full professor, working the same Cosmos teaching responsibilities that I had last year.

Moreover, a promise by both men that they will henceforth understand that their jobs are to solely help faculty facilitate student learning at the unique institution that is [Humboldt State], and if they fail to work solely on that mission (as judged by a panel of faculty and students) they will resign."

Stone, no dictator apologizes for his arrogance, but the 5,400 students who took your Cosmos course will always remember you. To the [Humboldt State] community, as a [Humboldt State] community member (1995-2006: at [Humboldt State], I learned English, earned my Bachelor and Master degrees, and taught courses in business and languages), I declare (with disgust) the loss of Cosmos and Dr. Stone Brusca as the darkest day of my [Humboldt State] career. But for Richmond, it's one less faculty on the budget.

Why did you have to deny this peaceful genius a celebration for his decades of dedication to [Humboldt State]? Why, damn it? Is it because you realized he deserved his award more than you deserved yours? Why do you initiate a scandal with an outstanding [Humboldt State] professor almost every semester? Why Richmond?

Jemmali is a Humboldt State community member

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