2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty finds support in contract battle
Jessica Anderson
Issue date: 2/14/07 Section: News
Faculty finds support in battle against the CSU
The Academic Senate took on the issue of the ongoing negotiations between the California State University (CSU) and California Faculty Association (CFA) last Thursday, a day after the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) voted down a resolution concerning the same topic.
The resolution was brought to the table by Catherine Nelson, associate professor of Political Science. She recently read a similar resolution passed by the Academic Senate of CSU Monterey Bay, and it inspired her to write her own version. Nelson expressed her concern over CSU budget cuts, teacher workload, student fees, and executive pay.
"The state [contract] resolution doesn't go far enough," said Nelson. "It doesn't get at the fundamental nature of the problem we're facing."
The resolution asked the Academic Senate to "support the CFA in its bargaining with the California State University, and urges the CSU Administration to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith."
Usually, a resolution would be introduced to the Senate for a first reading, and then subjected to comments and changes. However, events are moving rapidly since fact-finding has already begun, so the first reading was waived. By waiving the first reading, the Senate was able to discuss and vote on the resolution the same day.
If the fact-finding period ends and the CSU and CFA disagree on the findings, the contract will expire and could signify the beginning of "rolling walkouts."
There was some debate over the last portion of the resolution, concerning negotiations in good faith. To some members of the Senate, this hinted that the CSU had not been negotiating in good faith and that the resolution should not imply such a thing.
To Professor Sam Brannen of the math department, the wording of this statement implied "angry rhetoric [which] is rhetoric of weakness".
Others in the room disagreed, saying there is clear evidence that the CSU has not negotiated in good faith. Nelson backed up this claim, stating that the CSU has made non-negotiable offers in a "take it or leave it" fashion, and has also attempted to back out of agreements.
The Academic Senate took on the issue of the ongoing negotiations between the California State University (CSU) and California Faculty Association (CFA) last Thursday, a day after the Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) voted down a resolution concerning the same topic.
The resolution was brought to the table by Catherine Nelson, associate professor of Political Science. She recently read a similar resolution passed by the Academic Senate of CSU Monterey Bay, and it inspired her to write her own version. Nelson expressed her concern over CSU budget cuts, teacher workload, student fees, and executive pay.
"The state [contract] resolution doesn't go far enough," said Nelson. "It doesn't get at the fundamental nature of the problem we're facing."
The resolution asked the Academic Senate to "support the CFA in its bargaining with the California State University, and urges the CSU Administration to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith."
Usually, a resolution would be introduced to the Senate for a first reading, and then subjected to comments and changes. However, events are moving rapidly since fact-finding has already begun, so the first reading was waived. By waiving the first reading, the Senate was able to discuss and vote on the resolution the same day.
If the fact-finding period ends and the CSU and CFA disagree on the findings, the contract will expire and could signify the beginning of "rolling walkouts."
There was some debate over the last portion of the resolution, concerning negotiations in good faith. To some members of the Senate, this hinted that the CSU had not been negotiating in good faith and that the resolution should not imply such a thing.
To Professor Sam Brannen of the math department, the wording of this statement implied "angry rhetoric [which] is rhetoric of weakness".
Others in the room disagreed, saying there is clear evidence that the CSU has not negotiated in good faith. Nelson backed up this claim, stating that the CSU has made non-negotiable offers in a "take it or leave it" fashion, and has also attempted to back out of agreements.