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UID:Indybay-18589509
SEQUENCE:18636736
CREATED:20090416T073400Z
DESCRIPTION:On Thursday, April 16, 2009, students from the University of San Francisco 
 will be holding a demonstration against the university at Harney Plaza at 
 12:15. \n\nApril 16, 2009\n\nFor Immediate Release\n\nContact: \nJennifer 
 Herrera, 661-205-2456; \nRicky Angel, 818-590-0229\n \nStudents Demonstrate 
 Against the University of San Francisco\n\n            On Thursday, April 
 16, students of the University of San Francisco will be holding a 
 demonstration in response to the non-renewal of Professor Andrej Grubacic. 
 We strongly feel that Grubacic is an invaluable asset to the university and 
 cannot be let go so idly. \n\nAs the students, faculty, staff, and friends 
 of the University of San Francisco, we ask that the university overturn its 
 decision regarding the non-renewal of Professor Andrej Grubacic's contract 
 following the Spring 2009 semester. We deplore the university's choice to 
 ignore the voice of its students in this ordeal; no undergraduates were 
 involved in the making of this decision. Since it was made, the university 
 has repeatedly ignored or dismissed our letters and pleas on Grubacic's 
 behalf. \n\nProfessor Grubacic is an inspiring instructor and his classes 
 are an interactive experience. As students, we are expected to help 
 facilitate each session, rather than to idly listen to Grubacic lecture and 
 scribble notes. We leave class feeling empowered rather than weighed down, 
 as well as more optimistic about our ability to create tangible 
 change.\n\nGrubacic received outstanding evaluations from his students last 
 semester, which are supposedly a major indication of a professor's standing 
 at USF. The university disregarded this indicator of popularity and demoted 
 Grubacic from a full-term appointment to an adjunct position, though he 
 still has nearly the same class load with 2 courses and multiple directed 
 studies.\n\nProfessor Grubacic specializes in areas, such as globalization 
 and global social movements that a large percentage of the USF community is 
 interested in learning about. He has an enormous amount of student support. 
 \n\nHowever, members of the university have likened this base to a cult 
 following, charging Grubacic with 'indoctrinating' his students. While we 
 resent these statements, which essentially imply that students are 
 incapable of internalizing information without critical evaluation, we 
 would like to point out that there are professors teaching far more 
 dangerous ideas other than passion for life and struggle against 
 oppression. We do not feel USF would leave another professor in this 
 situation, and for this reason, we feel that Grubacic is being targeted for 
 his 'unrepenting' belief in anarchism. Professor Grubacic does not force 
 his beliefs on his students, but respects us enough to allow us room to 
 think for ourselves. \n\nIt has been the assumption of many students that 
 the University enjoys a particularly special relationship with its 
 teachers, and would not consider refusing to retain a teacher without 
 providing evidence of his misconduct or inability to teach at the college 
 level. Even during an economic crisis, we expect USF to keep faculty which 
 students greatly approve of.\n\nAs students, we refuse to continue to allow 
 our money and our parents' money to go to a university that cares so little 
 about the opinions of its students in such important matters. Students are 
 the true lifeblood of any university, and we are not mere financial 
 sustainers for the university itself. We demand a say in where our money is 
 going, and trust that in this instance, USF will allow for a portion of its 
 revenue toward the continued employment of Professor Andrej Grubacic.\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/16/18589509.php
SUMMARY:Students Demonstrate Against the University of San Francisco
LOCATION:Harney Plaza\nUniversity of San Francisco
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/16/18589509.php
DTSTART:20090416T191500Z
DTEND:20090416T201500Z
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