The SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT —
"[The] blog he developed was something that made the district better." - Tim Jemal, SOCCCD BoT President, 7/24/23
Adjuncts and their advocates often cite the University of California system’s non-tenure-track faculty union contracts as the gold standard: pay is relatively good, there’s a clear path to continuing appointments and benefits are available to those teaching half-time or more.
But one Irvine campus instructor's recent health crisis demonstrates just how vulnerable even the best protected non-tenure-track professors are.
'I did not want to be the poster boy for this particular challenge, but it kind of happened that way,' said Andrew Tonkovich, who has taught composition to thousands of students during his 22 years as a lecturer in English at Irvine. 'And under ideal circumstances, it is possible -- barely -- for someone like me to make something like a career out of continuing appointments here. But I’ve stumbled into this situation where what you would call the vulnerable elements of our working conditions are suddenly revealed, and it shows just how precarious it all is.'
Consider signing the petition. As of this morning, 5,883 have.
Andrew Tonkovich, a longtime Weekly contributing writer almost since this infernal rag’s hatching, is doing okay enough after emergency brain surgery. He kept a scheduled appearance at Laguna College of Art and Design in Laguna Beach last night despite feeling fatigued–talk about dedication! While the Tonk, who also hosts Bibliocracy Radio on KPFK-LA 90.7 FM, can still show up to take part at the college library’s distinguished author lecture series, complications from the procedure call for more recovery time away from work.
And the biggest post-op headache is coming courtesy of UC Irvine. That’s where Tonkovich lecturers at the Department of English and has taught for 22 years. But Peter the Anteater has denied him paid medical leave–not once, but twice–during his current health troubles.
Being a longtime activist alongside all his literary antics, Tonkovich has now become the cause. An online petition addressed to UCI administrators is demanding that he be given paid medical leave that the University Council-American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) fought for workers like him to have for starters. The union that’s pushing the petition towards 5,000 signatures is also decrying the university’s attempt to clawback his salary and their contributions to his health insurance premiums from last summer since he can’t work this term.
That, friends, is called insult to injury.
It’s also the drain of neoliberalism that universities across the state are circling down while wanting to establish it as the new normal. Currently battling for a new contract, UC-AFT sees Tonkovich’s dilemma as part and parcel what they’re up against.
“Andrew’s story is just one part of the bigger picture of contingent faculty labor,” the petition states. “He represents the type of scholar-teacher who can make a difference in thousands of students’ lives if permitted to have a long-term career at the UC. And his story illustrates the crushing callousness and contempt with which UC admin treats many lecturers.”
Tonkovich: get well, soon! In the meantime, the Weekly will keep you in its thoughts, prayers and hell-raising!
Yesterday UCI responded by saying they would gather up donated administrator paid vacation days to cover Red's time off, but as Rebel Girl and others pointed out, that's charity, not policy and fails address the situation in a meaningful way that protects others. She has encouraged Red to decline that offer (not that he needed much encouragement) and press for justice.
Stay tuned. And hey, if you want, sign the petition. As of this morning, 4621 others have.
Solidarity forever, baby.
UPDATE: "Thank you all for your outpouring of love and support for Andrew. It put us in a strong position this afternoon when UC-AFT leaders met with Vice Provost O’Dowd and Assistant Vice Chancellor Beckett. They pledged to forward a written proposal for paid medical leave by this Friday, 10/4. After our discussion today, we’re hopeful that the resolution will be based on our union contract and will not require Andrew to ask for charitable donations.
We'll post our next update after we receive UCI's proposal. Until then, know that you're making a difference for Andrew as an individual and for all UC teaching faculty. Thank you!"
Yesterday, September 20, was the Global Climate Strike, a day of action and youth led marches, vigils and rallies to communicate their concerns about climate change and to demand action. Locally actions took place across the county throughout the day, including a gathering of an estimated 300 plus people at the corner of Alton and Culver in Irvine. The gathering found a number of IVC students representing different sectors of the campus community including The Green Team, Bees Garden Club and the IVC Geography Club plus their faculty supporters. In addition to the many students in attendance from across the city and county, other attendees included Dave Min, a candidate for California State Senate and local elected officials and candidates for office.
Yeah.
Someone told Rebel Girl this sign was made up of trash collected at the college.
California’s education world is abuzz with speculation about three recent developments, little of which has to do with schools. 1. What led to the abrupt summer firing of Joe Nuñez as executive director of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, one of the biggest and most powerful labor groups in California? 2. Who will the board of directors appoint as Nuñez’s permanent successor? 3. What caused the California Faculty Association, (CFA) with 19,000 members, to “disaffiliate” from the teachers association in July?....
Police have arrested a California State University at Fullerton employee in the stabbing death of a retired Fullerton administrator, CNN reported. Steven Shek Keung Chan, who retired in 2017 but had recently returned to work at the university as a consultant, was found dead in his car in a parking lot at Fullerton Monday. Officers arrested Chuyen Vo, an employee in the extended education office in which Chan formerly worked. Charges are to be filed today, when a motive might be clearer.
(See also 51-year-old co-worker arrested in fatal stabbing of retired Cal State Fullerton administrator (OC Reg)) Hong Kong Students Call for 2-Week Class Boycott
Inside Higher Ed
Student leaders at 10 Hong Kong universities have called for their fellow students to skip classes for the first two weeks of the fall term in response to mass protests that started this summer, the Associated Press reported. The student leaders said they would escalate their action if their demands are not met by Hong Kong's Beijing-backed chief executive by Sept. 13....
...As an OB-GYN with nearly three decades of experience, Gunter knows from crotches. And today she is angry about how certain products—“vaginal offenders”—are pitched at women. “Since the beginning of time, women have been told that they are dirty,” she says. “They want us to be ‘pure,’ they want us to be ‘clean.’ These words have been weaponized.” And shaky assertions made by natural health products serve only to misdirect women, Gunter argues in her new book, The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina—Separating the Myth From the Medicine, a sassy manual of anatomy and self-care tips. If a topical product claims it can regulate pH, she writes, “I always wonder: What other false claims are they making?”...
