Monday, November 18, 1996
STRIKE:
Attending classes does not show lack of solidarity with SAGEBy
Kalpen Modi
It’s about time that the students of the University of
California took a stand against the passive administration that
"serves" us. As undergraduates, we are taught mostly by graduate
students.
Academic student employees are responsible for grading, lessons,
review sessions and so on. It’s sad that the UC system does not
want to recognize their efforts and allow them an outlet to
formally address their concerns.
The UC administration says that no one is a teaching assistant
forever and that graduate students are still students, not just
employees. Isn’t that all the more reason to recognize their right
to organize and allow them to voice their concerns?
Because the strike means lost discussion time for
undergraduates, why then, if at all, should you (as an undergrad)
support the strike?
I, for one, am going to lecture all next week, and if any whiny
protester tries to block the entrance to a building and prevent me
from getting the education that I pay an inflated out-of-state
tuition for, I will KICK SOME ASS. But after lecture, I plan to
join the march (as long as it does NOT prevent students from
attending class). No discussion section will hurt all undergrads
(especially so close to finals). My reasons are simple  if,
because of the strike, teaching assistants are recognized in a
union, they will become more organized (and happier) and our
education will improve in the long run.
It’s no secret that teaching assistants pretty much run every
large class on campus. They also teach most of the English 2,3 and
even 4 classes even though the UC administration claims that
teaching assistants teach only discussion sections, not classes. If
TAs are able to voice their concerns as a recognized union of
graduate students/educators, we will all benefit.
Simply put, the UC administration does not care if students are
happy because they already have our money. We’re continuously
dropping in the national collegiate rankings. A few years ago we
were ranked 18th, then 28th  now 31st! From the lines at
Murphy to the construction in the residence halls, UCLA does not
care if we have a problem with something.
They have our money  so why are we not getting what we pay
for?
Better education will benefit us all, and an organized academic
student employee union will be able to voice concerns in an
organized manner so that if something isn’t working out for us, the
administration HAS to listen.
When you don’t have lecture next week, show your support for
better education and for less apathy  and if anyone prevents
you from going to class and getting the education you’re here for
in the name of learning, kick them in the groin. Then go to class
and when it’s over, join the picket lines and let the UC
administrators know that THEY serve students and we do not serve
them.