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Ethnic Studies

Issue Overview

Ethnic Studies

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More at the CSU Trustees meeting this week

Find links to complete comments of speakers cited below on the CFA web site.

A MORAL IMPERATIVE: Cecil Canton, CFA Associate VP-Affirmative Action who teaches Criminal Justice, spoke about a CFA letter to the Trustees, Chancellor and campus presidents saying the CSU needs its leaders to show greater strength in the face of racism, hate and bigotry surfacing on campuses. Calling on them to set aside fear of lawsuits or criticism, he said “You need to say what it is that is actually undermining our democracy and that is threatening the people who are the most defenseless in this country.” Student Maggie White in her report from the California State Student Association said of the threat to undocumented students, “We will not stop talking about this” until all CSU students are safe. In plenary, the CSU Trustees adopted a resolution calling for a legislative solution for Dreamer students.

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In Other News…

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: The CSU campuses affected by intense wildfires and smoke  have reopened this week, including at Sonoma State, which was closed for a week. Sonoma CFA Chapter President Elaine Newman said, “There has been incredible loss and suffering here by faculty, students, and staff, and it’s too soon to know the extent. Two faculty in my department alone lost homes.”

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CSU Academic Senate on new Executive Orders: Do it right—Consult, don’t rush

The Academic Senate of the CSU is taking steps to ensure that curriculum changes spelled out in executive orders issued last summer by Chancellor Timothy White are implemented in a way that will actually improve students’ education. CFA has demanded to Meet and Confer with management regarding these proposed changes prior to their implementation.

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CFA Latina/o Caucus lobbies for the CSU, faculty, and our students

Leaders of CFA’s Latina/o Caucus traveled to Sacramento last Tuesday, May 23 to lobby elected members of the California Assembly and Senate who belong to the Legislative Latino Caucus.

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Faculty, students address state hearing on Black and Ethnic Studies in the CSU

CFA Vice President-elect Charles Toombs, Professor and Chair of Africana Studies at San Diego State, told a packed hearing room at the State Capitol last week, “In a time when our students are more diverse, Ethnic Studies is marginalized in the CSU.”

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Black and Ethnic Studies hearing to be held Thursday at Capitol

The California Legislative Black Caucus and Assemblymember Dr. Shirley Weber will host a hearing Thursday, March 23 where she and leaders from the state’s public higher education systems, including CFA Associate VP South Charles Toombs, will discuss the status of Black and Ethnic Studies.

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CFA Assoc. VP on Ethnic Studies in the CSU
California Faculty magazine feature

The Fall 2016 edition of California Faculty magazine, available online and in print through your campus CFA chapter, includes an analysis of the CSU Task Force on the Advancement of Ethnic Studies, which was released last summer by the Chancellor’s Office.

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Governor signs bill to create Ethnic Studies curriculum for Grades 9-12

SEPTEMBER 2016—Gov. Brown, who is considering which bills to sign into law before the September 30, 2016 deadline, signed AB 2016 into law last week.

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The case for Ethnic Studies
Offer curricula that nurture students to succeed

Remarks to California State University Board of Trustees, September 20, 2016

by Molly Talcott, Associate Professor, Sociology, Cal State Los Angeles
CFA Los Angeles Chapter President, and CFA Secretary

Good morning.

My name is Molly Talcott. I’m an associate professor of sociology at Cal State LA, and Secretary of CFA.

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CFA comments to the CSU Board of Trustees
September 2016

CFA leaders presented the following comments to the CSU Board of Trustees during their meeting on September 20, 2016.

“What do we do with our peacetime? Lay a foundation for cooperation, now and in the future, to advance the California State University”
Comments by CFA President Jennifer Eagan

“November 8 Election: We all can and must campaign for Proposition 55″
Comments by CFA Political Action & Legislative Chair Lillian Taiz

“The case for Ethnic Studies: Offer curricula that nurture students to succeed”
Comments by CFA Secretary Molly Talcott

“About the faculty contract: Implementation of agreements going well; campus presidents can help to keep this good progress going”
Comments by CFA Bargaining Team Chair Kevin Wehr

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SFSU hunger strikers win funding for College of Ethnic Studies

MAY 2016—The student hunger strike at San Francisco State has ended with an agreement between the students and SFSU campus President Leslie Wong.

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Hunger strike continues at SFSU

Photo courtesy of Lyanne Melendez/ABC 7

MAY 2016—Tension is building at San Francisco State University, where four students are holding an indefinite hunger strike and helping spotlight attacks by university administration on the university’s College of Ethnic Studies.

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L.A. Times reports on the issues & support for ethnic studies

NOVEMBER 2013—In an article last week, Carla Rivera of the Los Angeles Times explained changes being pushed to ethnic studies on several CSU campuses including Long Beach, Stanislaus and San Jose.

Funding cuts and reorganizations are hitting them hard. Faculty, staff and students are speaking out.

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CFA takes a stand for Africana & ethnic studies

Africana Studies

Last week CFA President Lillian Taiz and Council for Affirmative Action Chair/VP for Affirmative Action Cecil Canton sent a letter on behalf of CFA to every California State University campus president, expressing “deep concern for an emerging pattern on a number of campuses within the CSU

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