I hate to get all ‘scolding mother’ on everyone, but I feel it absolutely necessary. And so I tell it to you straight. Professors: Shame on you!
Where were you Wednesday the 14th during the “Where’s The Funding?!” rally? This much I know - most of you weren’t in the art quad!
Why not? You should’ve been.
After all it was organized by the California Faculty Association, which all of you are members of. Are you not upset with the fact that education is a bottom-tier issue right now?
Are you not upset about your pay cuts?
Did you have class? Is that why you couldn’t make it? That’s some excuse. Canceling your class and leading your students to the art quad to participate in the ‘WTF?!’ rally would’ve truly been the best curriculum. You should’ve made it a furlough day and marched on down there with your students, waving signs, leading songs and encouraging phone calls to government officials.
Speaking of which, why aren’t each and every one of you activating the “Cell Yell” campaign? First five minutes of class should be dedicated to calling our representatives and voicing our need for education reform.
And to the students: Shame on you!
Where were you? Are you not irate by the fact that our tuition has increased more than 50 percent in the last three years? Are you not sick and tired of being marginalized as a student? Paying more, getting less. It’s time we face the facts. We’re a bunch of pseudo-hippies in denial. We’re nostalgic for the 60s when people our age stood for something, did something about it.
The time is now. Let this be the year we look back and agree things started getting better. We are the people we’ve been waiting for. Let it be our generation that demands more so that future generations are entrusted into healthy educational institutes. And it’s not too late for us either. We could see the benefits of our labor if we work together now.
And to The Lumberjack: Help lead the way!
Give us the information we need to arm us with knowledge. Be our momentum. Yes, you did dedicate the first issue extensively to the budget cuts and its implications, but be there always. We need you.
And to myself: Stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. Won’t you join me?
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