Dr. Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee, vice provost of California State University, Sacramento, believes the outcome of state-budget battles can influence what happens elsewhere. “Whatever we develop, other states will try convincing their legislatures to do the same. It’s unfortunately sending the message that, by continuing to cut at the state level, then we will continue to cut at the campus level and just deal with it.”
The leaders of the three-tiered education system have urged legislators to restore public appropriations to their schools in the next budget cycle, and they appear to have Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as an ally for increased funding.
“It takes decades to create great universities,” UC President Mark Yudof said at a legislative hearing in December. “But they can be destroyed in a relatively short amount of time.”
Faculty jobs have also fallen to the budget ax. Last fall, the Cal State system employed 2,133 fewer lecturers — or 16 percent less — than it did in fall 2008, according to the California Faculty Association. Seven of Cal State’s 23 campuses lost 20 percent or more of their lecturers.
Although typically not on the tenure track, lecturers comprise about 55 percent of all Cal State faculty as recently as 2008. Some are Ph.D.s; others are not. Hired for their expertise in a particular field, lecturers teach but usually are not obligated to research or publish.
For the remaining Cal State faculty, mandatory furloughs have accompanied pay cuts. Dr. Robert McNamara and his colleagues are required to specify days and times in which they won’t hold class — even if class is regularly scheduled that day — or office hours or attend department meetings or campus events.
