CSUMB holds "Funeral for the CSU"

On March 9, 2006, the CSUMB chapter of the California Faculty Association held an event called the “Funeral for the CSU” in front of the University Center in protest of the financial distribution system that the Schwarzenegger administration and the state government has applied to the CSU system. The event was part of a large action movement by the CFA to address concerns primarily about salaries and benefits for faculty in contrast to rising compensation for executives, as well as the decreased leverage that faculty have over their curriculums and the well publicized increase in student fees. The event was timed to coincide with the presence of the third and final candidate for University President, who was holding a public forum at the time of the protest. Participants were encouraged to dress in black in keeping with the “funeral” theme, and turnout was rather extraordinary for an event on this relatively tiny campus.

The event featured a theme of death, with paper gravestones carrying messages lamenting the demise of many of CSUMB’s unique methodologies. Innovative pedagogies, livable salaries, sustainable workloads, and the right to sabbaticals had all been marked for death by the state and trustees according to the protestors. CSUMB is perhaps the most unique and “revolutionary” entity of the CSU system, having been founded on principles of diversity and independent visions absent larger power structures.

A broad array of faculty were present, however the University’s Latino faculty were disproportionately represented, and this was also true of the students and observers, many of whom may have been present to see the local band Para la Gente. Speakers included CSUMB students and local CFA leader Rafael Gomez, as well as representatives from CSUMB’s MEChA chapter. One professor proclaimed that “who says professors don’t remember how to agitate,” certainly in keeping with the spirit of New Leftism that the campus was founded on. Gomez implored the crowd that “we are all the union,” and the protestors repeatedly condemned CSU Chancellor Charles Reed for his complicity in the offending budgetary procedures. Additionally there were some harsh words for Interim President Diane Cordero de Noriega Hill, and Gomez referred to her simply as Noriega, a slight that was surprising considering the amount of Spanish he spoke in a thundering fashion in rallying his colleagues. There has clearly been a long standing relationship between the Latino faculty and the revolutionary aspects of CSUMB’s charter, a fact that was in abundant display during this event.

The new President will obviously be the subject of a great deal of scrutiny in relation to the issues of the CSUMB CFA, and one can only hope that there is an increased dialogue that allows the present hostile climate to subside somewhat.