As the Walkout Nears, Faculty Members Are Deciding Whether to Hold Regular Classes
By Angelica Dongallo Daily Cal Staff Writer Friday, September 18, 2009
As members of the UC Berkeley community gear up for a scheduled systemwide faculty walkout and union strike next week, some faculty members remain conflicted about whether the move is the best course of action.
While the walkout-scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24-has garnered the support of more than 800 faculty members throughout the UC system, some faculty members have not yet decided to cancel their classes or hold walkout-related activities for their students.
"People are still trying to find out what are the groups trying to organize," said Roland Burgman, a professor of earth and planetary science at UC Berkeley, following a department meeting where the walkout was discussed.
"We're all upset, but we recognize that this may not be the best way to handle it," he said.
Still, more than 100 UC Berkeley faculty members have signed an online petition in support of the walkout, the majority of them from humanities departments.
The walkout will feature a rally on Sproul Plaza from noon to 2 p.m and coincide with a strike by the University Professional and Technical Employees union.
The walkout has recently received the unanimous support of the ASUC Senate and the UC Students Association.
Several professors on campus have already told their students that their classes next Thursday may be held on Sproul at the time of the rally.
Next week's events also include a teach-in that will be held Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Wheeler Auditorium.
The teach-in will feature faculty speakers from across the academic spectrum, including public policy professor Robert Reich and integrative biology professor Kevin Padian.
SAVE the University, an organization of UC Berkeley faculty members, has also distributed "teach-in kits" to professors in order to facilitate their own class discussions about the reasons for the walkout.
African American studies assistant professor Darieck Scott said he has cancelled classes and may instruct students to attend the teach-ins and rally.
"The major reason that I've decided to cancel classes (is because) I have sympathy for ... the walkout itself and the protest against the high-handed decision that's causing the students to have to pay more to attend here and faculty to get paid less," he said.
The call for the walkout was initiated by UC Davis faculty members in light of what they, and some faculty members from other campuses, deem to be a breach of shared governance at the university.
Last month, the UC Office of the President decided that it would not let faculty take furloughs on instructional days in order to avoid impacting academic programs. The decision, however, was made against the recommendation of the Academic Council, which said that taking furloughs on instructional days could bring attention to state budget cuts to the university.
However, Christopher Kutz, chair of the Berkeley Division of the Academic Senate, said the senate has chosen to remain neutral on the subject of the walkout, although he personally is looking forward to attending Thursday's rally.
"We're neither endorsing nor opposing the walkout," Kutz said. "It will be a matter of individual conscience."
According to campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof, administrators are communicating with senate leaders to assess the walkout and determine a proper response.
Many faculty, meanwhile, have said that despite the walkout, they will continue their work as usual.
"My students expect me to teach, and I'm coming to work," said Phil Spector, adjunct professor of statistics.
Zach E.J. Williams of The Daily Californian contributed to this report.
http://www.dailycal.org/article/106666/faculty_prepares_for_systemwide_walkout
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