The Faculty Senate, at its October 19 meeting, denied a resolution proposed by Physics and Astronomy professor Donald Hall to change procedures for handling requests for religious exemption from the California Faculty Association.

Hall argued that the procedure states that the authorizing legislation for the mandatory fee, which is currently collected from non-members by the California Faculty Association, says simply that a person with a valid conscientious objection “shall not be required to join or financially support” the organization.

Hall proposed to amend the resolution to make it shorter, simpler, and less pejorative. Hall was unhappy that the union took some time to process requests for religious exemptions to agency fee.

“I make no apology for speaking up for the individual faculty members,” Hall said.

The CFA is set up to protect the interests of faculty on a broad range of issues, including compensation, protection against layoffs, protection of intellectual property rights, upholding of academic standards, and ensuring diversity in the CSU environment. Jeff Lustig, President of the Sacramento State chapter of CFA, spoke in opposition to the motion.

Lustig responded to Hall?s motion in a letter stating, “Professor Hall may not like the procedure used. That?s his right. But it is the procedure indicated by the case law on agency fee as the union took care to discover through legal counsel. This procedure has also been approved by state courts and the Supreme Court. If Hall wishes to carry his objection to the law, he has the normal recourse in the courts.”

Lustig also pointed out to the Senate that this was not a major problem.

“There are real dangers to faculty rights today, but they don?t come from agency fees,” Lustig said.

Journalism professor Michael Fitzgerald also spoke in opposition to the motion.

“I don?t want to get into this fight,” Fitzgerald said. “This is a CFA and MOU issue, and I prefer that we turn down the amended motion.”

The Faculty Senate voted 22-10 to deny Professor Hall?s motion for amendment.