Ok, ok, I probably should have gotten my plane ticket to MLA a long time ago? I haven't even looked at ticket prices to the East Coast, and I bet they are now hideously expensive.
Thing is, I'm still waffling back and forth about whether I am going. Do I get the plane ticket now or do I not? Yes or no? Up or Down? Strawberry or Mint? (come on, chocolate vs. vanilla is a no-brainer. Even if you give me vanilla ice cream I'm putting chocolate on top of it.)
I haven't heard any good news for the convention, and I know it is very early to be contacted for interviews, but I don't think it's worth it for me to go if I don't have any. And so I dither, hither and thither. (heh!)
I have received a couple polite responses to my email queries to presses, though, inviting me to let them know my preferred time slots and they will try to fit me in. This is good news, I will grant that. However, in my extremely precarious financial situation I don't think that even appointments with editors would make it worthwhile to go to MLA without any interviews. So what do I tell them? Whaddo I do, whaddo I do?? Arrgh! Somebody tell me what I should do, so that I can rebel against the advice!
Of course I will go to whatever blogger meet-up happens, should I in fact decide to travel there. Unless, of course, I am so swamped with interviews and meetings with editors that I cannot fit you all into my busy schedule. That was humor right there, son. Laugh, will you?
In other news, I didn't do all the postdoc applications over thanksgiving break, leaving me in a bit of a bind yesterday and today when they all came due. (stupid, stupid!) So some of them I applied to, some of them I applied to half-assedly, and some I skipped. Ah well. Triage, and all that. But last year I came in as a finalist for a postdoc and felt that I totally blew the phone interview. Today I happened upon the name and photo of the winner when investigating if it will be offered again this year, and was oddly relieved by what I found. Someone in an underrepresented identity group is always going to stand out over my background, and there's just nothing I can do about that. It's freeing, actually. The job was not mine to lose. That's much better than thinking you choked the interview or can't interview for shit.
The other postdoc that requested a lot of extra materials from me but didn't get as far as this one was cancelled due to the endowment taking a hit mid-year, and isn't being offered this year. This also makes me happy.
Which makes me pretty damn perverse, I'll admit that.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
I Ate Crow AND Humble Pie This Weekend
Greetings all. I am back, ensconced once again in my cog-ly apartment. The cats have forgiven me by now and are snoozing next to me on the couch. It was quite loud with all the angry meowing there for a bit. I am rebelling against my to-do list by not cleaning anything, even though the cats certainly dirtied things up over the weekend.
My nieces and nephews are certainly growing up, although some of them had relapses into tantrums as if they were in grade school, which really undercuts the argument that they are maturing. Ah well. I restrained myself and did not get involved, which was good as both my brother and sister-in-law jumped all over them and there was much shouting in the kitchen. (A niece slammed a drawer shut --- accidentally, I'll note --- on her brother's finger and there was a meltdown on both sides. The chocolate fondue my nephew was supposed to be stirring started to burn during the fight so I tried to shut everything out except stirring it. Luckily, the chocolate was saved. And isn't that the message of the holidays?)
Later, I sat there and took it while my dad yelled at me and pried into my financial arrangements. This time, when he insisted I get emergency health care coverage and that he would loan me the money for payments (to be paid back in punishment rather than just cash --- the rates being completely arbitrary, variable, and subject to change without notice), I did not protest and did not refuse him. I kept my expression as respectful and bland as I possibly could without meeting his eyes. I made strenuous efforts not to stare at the check out in front of him, tried not to eye it like a hungry dog with a bone.
And I'm sure that by this time next year, if they repeat their commands to get rid of my cats and move back into my childhood bedroom, I will do it because I am strapped and desperate, and evidently no different from my pothead friends from high school who wasted their lives and never moved further than their parents' basements. My parents just had a longer leash for their reprobate daughter.
That check isn't going for any health care either; I need it to cover rent.
My nieces and nephews are certainly growing up, although some of them had relapses into tantrums as if they were in grade school, which really undercuts the argument that they are maturing. Ah well. I restrained myself and did not get involved, which was good as both my brother and sister-in-law jumped all over them and there was much shouting in the kitchen. (A niece slammed a drawer shut --- accidentally, I'll note --- on her brother's finger and there was a meltdown on both sides. The chocolate fondue my nephew was supposed to be stirring started to burn during the fight so I tried to shut everything out except stirring it. Luckily, the chocolate was saved. And isn't that the message of the holidays?)
Later, I sat there and took it while my dad yelled at me and pried into my financial arrangements. This time, when he insisted I get emergency health care coverage and that he would loan me the money for payments (to be paid back in punishment rather than just cash --- the rates being completely arbitrary, variable, and subject to change without notice), I did not protest and did not refuse him. I kept my expression as respectful and bland as I possibly could without meeting his eyes. I made strenuous efforts not to stare at the check out in front of him, tried not to eye it like a hungry dog with a bone.
And I'm sure that by this time next year, if they repeat their commands to get rid of my cats and move back into my childhood bedroom, I will do it because I am strapped and desperate, and evidently no different from my pothead friends from high school who wasted their lives and never moved further than their parents' basements. My parents just had a longer leash for their reprobate daughter.
That check isn't going for any health care either; I need it to cover rent.
Monday, November 23, 2009
CA's Master Plan: What is "Affordable," anyway?
I notice that Inside Higher Ed has linked to my shabby little post about the UC budget protests, along with this post by the Itinerant Professor, who makes the argument that raising the tuition by 32 percent isn't such a bad thing. Humph. Excuse me while I take a few moments to attack his argument, point by point.
The first point he makes is one that I've seen around the web elsewhere, which is that the UC system is actually cheap, even underpriced, compared to other public universities:
Also, I don't get how responding to "higher education has gotten too expensive and out of reach for the average family!" with "yes, but it is comparatively less out of reach over here at this one school system, which therefore should jack up its fees" is helpful in any way.
He continues:
Unlike many other university systems, there is only one University of California. Although Some People (lookin' at you, "I go to Cal" people) seem to think that only Berkeley is the "real" University of California, in fact, it is one university with 10 campuses, as per the Master Plan. There is no "flagship" and "branch" system; we are one systemwide university. In fact, you could consider all the CSUs our "branch campuses," as they fulfill the mission typically ascribed to those types of schools.
So when we look at the UC System website, we see the statement that "Undergraduates pay the same UC systemwide fees at all campuses. Other expenses will depend on the campus and living situation."
Now I will ask the tough and evil question: as this guy says, people are willing to pay any amount for a Berkeley degree, and to some extent for UCLA too. He justifies the fee hikes because they will pay off in earnings and prestige. Ok, but what about the other campuses with the same sticker price? Is, say, Riverside or Davis "worth" the same? Do a Santa Cruz or Santa Barbara degree have the same earnings "payoff" as a Berkeley one? Especially when you consider that nobody but me appears to remember this whole California Master Plan business with the systemwide university thing.
Do I want to go to a "tiered" fee plan and an officially tiered campus system? No. Do I think parents and prospective students should think about this long and hard before applying and keep this in mind when they plan what to do about proposed CA fee hikes? Yes.
And then The Itinerant Professor goes on to point out all the Pell Grants, Cal Grants, scholarships and the new "Blue and Gold Plan" which will make the college insanely affordable yada yada yada. I would find and link to the recent articles I read about Pell Grants (which currently max out at around $5,000, btw,) under threat of being cut back or made more difficult to get, Schwarzenegger talking about eliminating the Cal Grants program, and other financial aid woes, but it's late tonight and I'm tired. Suffice it to say that I am dubious about these forms of financial aid because everyone compares them to the fee rates and says, oh, well that will be all right.
But when I was an undergrad I worried about all this:
(I tell ya, it's the asterisks that kill me. Gotta love them.) Yes, the fees are a huge chunk of costs, but the UC campuses are not conveniently placed in low-rent areas by any means, and those students in the math and science disciplines are now often paying 300 a pop for a textbook and buying multiple books per class. I went to UC for undergrad back in the 90s when things were much cheaper and students organized to fight back fee hikes the whole time I was there, and yet I still remember having plenty of friends who got in huge messes because the bursar didn't disburse their financial aid in time for them to enroll, or deferred payments and made it impossible for them to pay rent, and other terrible snafus.
And how does the UC expect everyone to pay for all this estimated 26K, anyway? Well, let's look here:
Hmm, I see that this plan expects everyone to take out 5 grand in loans this year, in addition to working both during school and the summer. You had better get a good job to save 1700 over a summer, kids! Better move back home because UC expects you not to have to spend most of what you make in the summer supporting yourself on the exorbitant rates in the student ghettos. Ooh, and what about if you couldn't get all your required classes because they filled up because UC fired all its lecturers and closed sections and you have to not only not just work and live in expensive housing near campus but also pay through the nose for the jacked-up summer school fees! Ooh ooh what then?
And to go back a moment, I'm still struck by the idea that what the UC thinks is "affordable" to a family that makes 20 grand a year involves them taking out 5 grand in loans. For one year. Presumably more in future years as the fees continue to go up. So we're talking 20 grand in loans if you graduate on time --- ok 25 since no one can get classes right now (who does it in four years these days anyway?). And they are claiming that poor families should not be put off by the thought of borrowing the equivalent of a nice car or their entire year's salary?
I won't even begin to address the point about what it means for our students' concentration levels and ability to read and think and do well in our classes if they are working part time and during summer. But if you were wondering why our students plagiarize, and don't do the homework, and don't read for class...
Plus, this chart doesn't do much to prepare a family for the reality of fee increases in the future. Like I said, the UC didn't raise fees for most of the 90s, which I agree was probably not the right decision (they should have raised it 1 or 2 percent each year to kinda keep pace with inflation, I think.) And then, around 2001, I think, they jacked it by 20% several years in a row. I'm not sure, as I was following graduate fee increases, which went up something like 23, 40, 20 over that time, and was too busy being pissed off at that.
But a quick check of the UC news page shows that we had a 9 percent increase last spring, right before this 32 percent one, and a 7.4 percent increase before that one, and before that an 8 percent, and before that a 7 percent, and --- hello, what's this little news item I had forgotten?
Maybe this will explain to The Itinerant Prof why we're all holding rallies and occupying buildings over here.
The first point he makes is one that I've seen around the web elsewhere, which is that the UC system is actually cheap, even underpriced, compared to other public universities:
If my calculations are right, this means that fees next year will be in the ballpark of $12,560 for resident undergraduate students, certainly a large dollar and percentage increase over what students are paying this year. But where does this place UC compared to other public universities? Each year, the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board produces an excellent report summarizing tuition and fee rates at public universities in every state. The most recent report is for last year, and shows that Berkeley's rate of $8,932 was 12th highest in the nation for public flagship universities - but still $4,774 or 34 percent below the most expensive public university in the nation, a distinction held by my own institution, Penn State - University Park.Looking at his report, which is indeed very handy, I notice that The Itinerant Professor and others who talk about "peer universities" pick and choose their "Universities Of" ---- Michigan, but not Arizona; Virginia not Washington; Connecticut but not Colorado (to look at some other "UCs.") These Western schools are all much, much cheaper than California. As a Westerner before I was a Californian I'm kinda miffed at this weird East Coast bias. Are these "peer schools" really and truly so much better quality than these other, Western "peer schools"?
Also, I don't get how responding to "higher education has gotten too expensive and out of reach for the average family!" with "yes, but it is comparatively less out of reach over here at this one school system, which therefore should jack up its fees" is helpful in any way.
He continues:
tuition prices at Penn State and the University of Vermont this year, for example, are already over Berkeley's announced rate for next year. But there is no doubt that Berkeley's announced increase will move it up in these dubious rankings. Tuition at the other UC campuses is generally lower than at Berkeley, but still high compared to peer institutions.Umm, no. This is totally wrong and I'll stop you here.
Unlike many other university systems, there is only one University of California. Although Some People (lookin' at you, "I go to Cal" people) seem to think that only Berkeley is the "real" University of California, in fact, it is one university with 10 campuses, as per the Master Plan. There is no "flagship" and "branch" system; we are one systemwide university. In fact, you could consider all the CSUs our "branch campuses," as they fulfill the mission typically ascribed to those types of schools.
So when we look at the UC System website, we see the statement that "Undergraduates pay the same UC systemwide fees at all campuses. Other expenses will depend on the campus and living situation."
Now I will ask the tough and evil question: as this guy says, people are willing to pay any amount for a Berkeley degree, and to some extent for UCLA too. He justifies the fee hikes because they will pay off in earnings and prestige. Ok, but what about the other campuses with the same sticker price? Is, say, Riverside or Davis "worth" the same? Do a Santa Cruz or Santa Barbara degree have the same earnings "payoff" as a Berkeley one? Especially when you consider that nobody but me appears to remember this whole California Master Plan business with the systemwide university thing.
Do I want to go to a "tiered" fee plan and an officially tiered campus system? No. Do I think parents and prospective students should think about this long and hard before applying and keep this in mind when they plan what to do about proposed CA fee hikes? Yes.
And then The Itinerant Professor goes on to point out all the Pell Grants, Cal Grants, scholarships and the new "Blue and Gold Plan" which will make the college insanely affordable yada yada yada. I would find and link to the recent articles I read about Pell Grants (which currently max out at around $5,000, btw,) under threat of being cut back or made more difficult to get, Schwarzenegger talking about eliminating the Cal Grants program, and other financial aid woes, but it's late tonight and I'm tired. Suffice it to say that I am dubious about these forms of financial aid because everyone compares them to the fee rates and says, oh, well that will be all right.
But when I was an undergrad I worried about all this:
(I tell ya, it's the asterisks that kill me. Gotta love them.) Yes, the fees are a huge chunk of costs, but the UC campuses are not conveniently placed in low-rent areas by any means, and those students in the math and science disciplines are now often paying 300 a pop for a textbook and buying multiple books per class. I went to UC for undergrad back in the 90s when things were much cheaper and students organized to fight back fee hikes the whole time I was there, and yet I still remember having plenty of friends who got in huge messes because the bursar didn't disburse their financial aid in time for them to enroll, or deferred payments and made it impossible for them to pay rent, and other terrible snafus.
And how does the UC expect everyone to pay for all this estimated 26K, anyway? Well, let's look here:
Hmm, I see that this plan expects everyone to take out 5 grand in loans this year, in addition to working both during school and the summer. You had better get a good job to save 1700 over a summer, kids! Better move back home because UC expects you not to have to spend most of what you make in the summer supporting yourself on the exorbitant rates in the student ghettos. Ooh, and what about if you couldn't get all your required classes because they filled up because UC fired all its lecturers and closed sections and you have to not only not just work and live in expensive housing near campus but also pay through the nose for the jacked-up summer school fees! Ooh ooh what then?And to go back a moment, I'm still struck by the idea that what the UC thinks is "affordable" to a family that makes 20 grand a year involves them taking out 5 grand in loans. For one year. Presumably more in future years as the fees continue to go up. So we're talking 20 grand in loans if you graduate on time --- ok 25 since no one can get classes right now (who does it in four years these days anyway?). And they are claiming that poor families should not be put off by the thought of borrowing the equivalent of a nice car or their entire year's salary?
I won't even begin to address the point about what it means for our students' concentration levels and ability to read and think and do well in our classes if they are working part time and during summer. But if you were wondering why our students plagiarize, and don't do the homework, and don't read for class...
Plus, this chart doesn't do much to prepare a family for the reality of fee increases in the future. Like I said, the UC didn't raise fees for most of the 90s, which I agree was probably not the right decision (they should have raised it 1 or 2 percent each year to kinda keep pace with inflation, I think.) And then, around 2001, I think, they jacked it by 20% several years in a row. I'm not sure, as I was following graduate fee increases, which went up something like 23, 40, 20 over that time, and was too busy being pissed off at that.
But a quick check of the UC news page shows that we had a 9 percent increase last spring, right before this 32 percent one, and a 7.4 percent increase before that one, and before that an 8 percent, and before that a 7 percent, and --- hello, what's this little news item I had forgotten?
The fee increases are consistent with those recognized in Governor Schwarzenegger’s 2007-08 state budget, and in line with the compact between UC and the governor, which includes a provision for regular annual fee increases.Ooh ooh! We had an agreement with the governor to accept massive cuts to the UC in return for the promise that fee increases would be small, regular and predictable? And the governor has just pissed all over that compact?
Maybe this will explain to The Itinerant Prof why we're all holding rallies and occupying buildings over here.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Pfew! And I hated it back in junior high, too
Ummmm ---- Hi! (*tucks hair behind ears, draws nervous circles with the tip of a Converse in the dirt*) So --- you like books? I see that's a really nice university press you got there. Uhhh--- (*sheepish blushing grin, twists hands into knots*)
So, um, are you going to be at the big dance? Like, uh, (*deep breath*) so, youwannameetupforcoffeeorsomethingthere? Maybe just for a little while? This isn't a proposal or marriage or anything; and you probably didn't want to anyway --- nevermind --- forget I said anything --- ok; bye.
No, no, really, don't say anything; I'll just back away now and try to melt into this wall over here. And trip over this garbage can in an embarrassingly loud and awkward and ridiculous way on the way out. No, really, don't help me up. Don't even look at me. Just pretend I never asked and was never here and it'll just be easier for both of us.
--------------
Ugh! And sending all the emails wasn't so bad, but it took me two days to write the damn thing. I can't imagine what I'll do if someone actually responds.
So, um, are you going to be at the big dance? Like, uh, (*deep breath*) so, youwannameetupforcoffeeorsomethingthere? Maybe just for a little while? This isn't a proposal or marriage or anything; and you probably didn't want to anyway --- nevermind --- forget I said anything --- ok; bye.
No, no, really, don't say anything; I'll just back away now and try to melt into this wall over here. And trip over this garbage can in an embarrassingly loud and awkward and ridiculous way on the way out. No, really, don't help me up. Don't even look at me. Just pretend I never asked and was never here and it'll just be easier for both of us.
--------------
Ugh! And sending all the emails wasn't so bad, but it took me two days to write the damn thing. I can't imagine what I'll do if someone actually responds.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Random Randoms
- I'm reading some "sample books" in my field for models of introductions etc; well, reading the first one on the pile, to be more precise. I had dinner and cleaned some of the ginormous pile of dishes and managed to make it to the end of the chapter I was on before my brain sorta gave out. So I'm taking a break right now.
- There are different people who teach spin class at my gym/studio/whatever it's called, and one of them is too good at motivating me. She brings out my competitive streak for some reason and when she pushes the class to do more and harder, I go for it. Then I come home and have to collapse back into bed. That was yesterday. I was really achy and sore today. And hungry yesterday, so I ate lots of random unhealthy things, so it's not like spinning myself into exhaustion is helping me lose weight or whatever. And yet, my schedule only fits this one way, so I guess I need to just learn to hold back a bit.
- A simple logistical question for the book-writing people: when you worked on your manuscript, did you keep it all in one computer file or have each chapter in its own file? I wrote the diss and saved everything in separate chapters, but when I went to print it out I printed it from the "big file" that I used to file the diss. Either way, I need to reformat it from "crazy dissertation margins" to standard ones.
- Is it too soon to be freaking out and looking at the wiki? Please tell me it is too soon to be getting requests for more materials, cause it's been as quiet as the grave here on that front. Sigh. I have plenty to do between now and the end of December but *sigh* it looks like an interminable stretch of waiting from here. Too bad it takes so much less mental effort to pore over the wiki than it does to outline someone's introduction; these evenings are tough.
- It's been really lovely and sunny weather here, at least. Sunny and cold. Well, that's "chilly" for all you non-Californians out there. I guess if I have to be unemployed and poor and writing a book somewhere, there are worse places to do it. Although there are certainly less expensive places, that's for sure.
- I'm really craving a chocolate brownie right now, but where would I even get a good one at this hour? Hmm.
- Other than that, my life is really boring. Maybe I'll start making up interesting things to put on the blog. Clearly I need some sort of secret, alternate, superhero-like identity. Let me go get my Lone Ranger-esque mask.
- There are different people who teach spin class at my gym/studio/whatever it's called, and one of them is too good at motivating me. She brings out my competitive streak for some reason and when she pushes the class to do more and harder, I go for it. Then I come home and have to collapse back into bed. That was yesterday. I was really achy and sore today. And hungry yesterday, so I ate lots of random unhealthy things, so it's not like spinning myself into exhaustion is helping me lose weight or whatever. And yet, my schedule only fits this one way, so I guess I need to just learn to hold back a bit.
- A simple logistical question for the book-writing people: when you worked on your manuscript, did you keep it all in one computer file or have each chapter in its own file? I wrote the diss and saved everything in separate chapters, but when I went to print it out I printed it from the "big file" that I used to file the diss. Either way, I need to reformat it from "crazy dissertation margins" to standard ones.
- Is it too soon to be freaking out and looking at the wiki? Please tell me it is too soon to be getting requests for more materials, cause it's been as quiet as the grave here on that front. Sigh. I have plenty to do between now and the end of December but *sigh* it looks like an interminable stretch of waiting from here. Too bad it takes so much less mental effort to pore over the wiki than it does to outline someone's introduction; these evenings are tough.
- It's been really lovely and sunny weather here, at least. Sunny and cold. Well, that's "chilly" for all you non-Californians out there. I guess if I have to be unemployed and poor and writing a book somewhere, there are worse places to do it. Although there are certainly less expensive places, that's for sure.
- I'm really craving a chocolate brownie right now, but where would I even get a good one at this hour? Hmm.
- Other than that, my life is really boring. Maybe I'll start making up interesting things to put on the blog. Clearly I need some sort of secret, alternate, superhero-like identity. Let me go get my Lone Ranger-esque mask.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
the Shit Just Gets Worse Out Here at the UC
I'm tired. I was going to post just random little tidbits of what happened to me today, but zunguzungu reminds me (with amazing pictures!) that today was the start of another round of rallies and strikes at the UC campuses.
In an experience similar to watching the world's largest anti-war protests before the invasion of a country even occurred (I'm speaking of the 2003 global protests of the Iraq war) I am disheartened by the demonstration that even massive displays of resistance by the people can have no effect on an entrenched power. Raising voices in dissent only matters if the state powers are actually willing to listen.
If they have already decided to ramrod through preapproved changes, from cutting classes to rejecting CC transfers in defiance of the California Master Plan to increasing fees by 32 percent (after the 9 percent hike earlier this year), then there is nothing we could say or protest we could make that would make them listen. And since the Regents are not elected positions, it's not possible to vote them out. And the whole problem is compounded by a global recession, state legislature stupidity, Prop 13, and bureaucratization. I'm left wondering, like Steinbeck's farmer, who can we shoot?
I haven't been going on campus since the last set of protests, so I'm not really in the loop. It seems though that most of the campuses organized trips to either Berkeley or UCLA to protest the Regents' meeting at UCLA today, and that further rallies and protests are being organized at all the campuses tomorrow.
Anyway, here are some links:
Check out this cool website UC Solidarity to see recent and future actions. While at Keep California's Promise, Richard Evans compares the growth of senior management to that of faculty, stating that we're almost to the point where each faculty member could have his or her own senior manager.
Davis and Irvine didn't appear to have news articles in their papers about any campus protests.
At UCR, a spokesperson explains some of the cuts that this 32% increase is supposedly going to help: "' We've had major, major budget pain on this campus,' Lovekin said. 'People are hurting. People are being laid off. The fee increase is the part of that pain that students will see. They'll also see the larger class sizes.' Other impacts have included a loss of 16 positions at the campus library, where the collections budget was cut 21 percent."
San Diego --- "Councilmembers are organizing bus rides to UCLA for students interested in joining the protest. About 200 students from across the UC system are expected to protest at UCLA and participate in the public-comment period."
A Santa Barbara editorial --- "The current fiscal crisis is certainly to blame for slashed services and furloughed faculty and staff, but these furloughs will be up for review next year. On the other hand, if historical precedents hold, this fee increase will never be rescinded and students will be left holding the bill. With the promise of an economic recovery on the horizon, we recommend the Regents consider a provisional tuition increase. Just as faculty and staff furloughs will be up for review, students would like to know that this 32 percent hike is actually a measure to deal with a transitory crisis and not part of a general trend toward privatization of the University of California system."
Zunguzungu also alerts us to this website about the UC crisis and the news that the UCSB faculty held a vote of no confidence on Yudof.
At Santa Cruz, it appears that they have occupied a building again. But that they only held it temporarily.
At the main rally at UCLA, the Daily Bruin quotes someone as having been tasered during the protest:
And at Berkeley's student paper they have not only some great pictures but also are liveblogging the three-day strike, so you can go check in on it while it's ongoing.
Sigh. I was going to tell you that I finished reading and marking up my entire dissertation, and that today I did a lot of brainstorming about the introduction, but I think I'm going to be sad and depressed and go to bed early instead.
In an experience similar to watching the world's largest anti-war protests before the invasion of a country even occurred (I'm speaking of the 2003 global protests of the Iraq war) I am disheartened by the demonstration that even massive displays of resistance by the people can have no effect on an entrenched power. Raising voices in dissent only matters if the state powers are actually willing to listen.
If they have already decided to ramrod through preapproved changes, from cutting classes to rejecting CC transfers in defiance of the California Master Plan to increasing fees by 32 percent (after the 9 percent hike earlier this year), then there is nothing we could say or protest we could make that would make them listen. And since the Regents are not elected positions, it's not possible to vote them out. And the whole problem is compounded by a global recession, state legislature stupidity, Prop 13, and bureaucratization. I'm left wondering, like Steinbeck's farmer, who can we shoot?
I haven't been going on campus since the last set of protests, so I'm not really in the loop. It seems though that most of the campuses organized trips to either Berkeley or UCLA to protest the Regents' meeting at UCLA today, and that further rallies and protests are being organized at all the campuses tomorrow.
Anyway, here are some links:
Check out this cool website UC Solidarity to see recent and future actions. While at Keep California's Promise, Richard Evans compares the growth of senior management to that of faculty, stating that we're almost to the point where each faculty member could have his or her own senior manager.
Davis and Irvine didn't appear to have news articles in their papers about any campus protests.
At UCR, a spokesperson explains some of the cuts that this 32% increase is supposedly going to help: "' We've had major, major budget pain on this campus,' Lovekin said. 'People are hurting. People are being laid off. The fee increase is the part of that pain that students will see. They'll also see the larger class sizes.' Other impacts have included a loss of 16 positions at the campus library, where the collections budget was cut 21 percent."
San Diego --- "Councilmembers are organizing bus rides to UCLA for students interested in joining the protest. About 200 students from across the UC system are expected to protest at UCLA and participate in the public-comment period."
A Santa Barbara editorial --- "The current fiscal crisis is certainly to blame for slashed services and furloughed faculty and staff, but these furloughs will be up for review next year. On the other hand, if historical precedents hold, this fee increase will never be rescinded and students will be left holding the bill. With the promise of an economic recovery on the horizon, we recommend the Regents consider a provisional tuition increase. Just as faculty and staff furloughs will be up for review, students would like to know that this 32 percent hike is actually a measure to deal with a transitory crisis and not part of a general trend toward privatization of the University of California system."
Zunguzungu also alerts us to this website about the UC crisis and the news that the UCSB faculty held a vote of no confidence on Yudof.
At Santa Cruz, it appears that they have occupied a building again. But that they only held it temporarily.
At the main rally at UCLA, the Daily Bruin quotes someone as having been tasered during the protest:
“The UC Regents don’t care. … They only care about their progress, basically themselves,” said Miles Goodloe, a third-year political science student who said he was Tasered twice by police. “And I had to get Tasered to understand that.”A spokesperson denies this, but man, UCLA should not be pushing things. They have already had some major shit with this before, if you remember that youtube video that went around of the guy getting tasered for six minutes in the library computer lab. (I'm not even going to link to that again.)
And at Berkeley's student paper they have not only some great pictures but also are liveblogging the three-day strike, so you can go check in on it while it's ongoing.
Sigh. I was going to tell you that I finished reading and marking up my entire dissertation, and that today I did a lot of brainstorming about the introduction, but I think I'm going to be sad and depressed and go to bed early instead.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Close Reading Homework 1
Franz Kafka (1883-1924)
Couriers
They were given the choice between becoming kings or the couriers of kings. In the manner of children, they all wanted to be couriers. As a result, there are only couriers. They gallop through the world shouting to each other messages that, since there are no kings, have become meaningless. Gladly would they put an end to their miserable existence, but they dare not, because of their oaths of service.
[Translated from the German by Lyman Baker]
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What is the most important word in this passage and why? Write a paragraph of at least 100 words explaining why this word is the most important to the meaning of this passage. (That means explaining what the passage means as well.)
Part Two: What word would you choose as the most important word in this passage if you were not allowed to use "kings" or "couriers"? Why?
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