Author
Vinny Lombardo
Several hundred people gathered yesterday outside the office of Denice Denton, on Day One of her new job as Chancellor at the University of California Santa Cruz. The Student and Worker Coalition for Justice, an ad-hoc group on campus, organized the rally to highlight, what they say are misguided budget priorities and hiring practices throughout the UC system. FSRN's Vinny Lombardo reports.
CPW: "We would like to welcome the new chancellor Denice Denton, on her first day of work"
Chandra Prescott Weinstein, an Astrophysics grad student who identifies as queer, helped organize the noon rally. Weinstein is proud the Regents took a bold step in hiring an "out, lesbian" couple, but says UC administrators need to go further.
CPW: "This recognition is coming at the expense of economic justice for queer and straight workers who are at the bottom of the pay ladder."
Formerly the Dean of Engineering at the University of Washington, Denton will receive a $275,000 annual salary and more than $68,000 to relocate. The UC Regents also created a $192,000 a year management position for Denton's longtime partner, Gretchen Kalonji, who becomes "Director of International Strategy Development" and will work in Oakland at the UC Office of the President. Kalonji received $50,000 in relocation fees. Michelle Tapiz, an administrative assistant in the Biological Sciences Dept. is irate about the new position.
MT: "you know we just don't have the resources like that right now, especially since our governor is saying that the state needs to have cutbacks."
The UCSC campus has absorbed fourteen million dollars in budget cuts over the last year, meaning reduced options for students, fewer resources for faculty, and shorter hours for support staff. UC clerical staff have gone without a contract for nearly five months, and complain of an increased workload from the state cutbacks. Tapiz says many workers who fear layoffs in Santa Cruz, are indeed leaving for jobs at other Universities.
"as an admin assistant, too. I can make more money elsewhere and its just night fair...."
The protesters are also upset that mandatory student fees have risen by about 10% in recent years. Again, Chandra Weinstein.
CPW: "One of the first moves of the governor's office was to cut taxes and then to raise the fees for students. This is really gonna impact students at the very bottom which is overwhelmingly going to be students of color... and I think there are other options and the state really should be seeking those out before they place the burden on the students."
Students singing at "sit-in"
AX: "Solidarity Forever! Solidarity Forever...." fade under
Protestors marched on the Office of Planning and Bugdets, to demand a UC spokesperson address their complaints. Outgoing interim chancellor, Martin Chemers, sent assistant, Bill Hyder to appease the angry crowd.
BH: "...and I'm here to listen, and carry your message back. I will not have answers for you."
CROWD: "Send us somone who will! WE want answers! WE want answers!" Fade to bed. Talk over:
Hyder claims he met with the new Chancellor , who maintains that staff issues are a priority.
CROWD: " We'll Be Back! We'll Be Back! We'll Be Back!" Fade to Bed. Talk over.
BH: "All she can do is raise these issues at OP. We're in contract negotiations, and we can't do direct dealing with the unions. We have negotiators that are dealing with the unions, and I can't go any further than that. I'm not a union negotiator. I don't have a voice in that."
Becky Klein is the president of the UC Santa Cruz chapter of CUE, the Coalition of University Employees which represents 625 clerical workers at the campus. Klein called for a worker strike and says their employers basically have just two options,
BK: "They are gonna listen to us now, or they're gonna really listen to us later when they have noone to serve food, noone to run the buses... we are the cornerstone of this university and you need to wake up and find out."
Later this week, the results of an independent analysis of UC clerical wages, will be made public.
Vinny Lombardo. FSRN. Santa Cruz.