ASI addresses possible faculty strike

The+ASI+Board+meets+and+discusses+issues+in+the+University+Union+on+Wednesday%2C+Feb.+3.

The ASI Board meets and discusses issues in the University Union on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Yieng Xiong

Associate Vice President of the California Faculty Association and sociology professor Kevin Wehr met with Associated Students, Inc. during their first spring meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 3, in the Orchard Suite of the University Union to discuss the faculty strike.

Wehr said he doesn’t know when or how the strike will play out, but the union is meeting this weekend to finalize the plans.

The faculty is asking for a five percent raise, but the California State University has only offered a two percent raise since 2014, Wehr said.

The CSU can afford to give them the five percent pay raise, without raising tuition, Wehr said. The institution is sitting on $2 billion in reserves.

“None of us took the job to get rich…we took this job to serve our students,” Wehr said.

ASI board members had their concerns about the dialogue between students and faculty regarding the strike.

There are students who were told by their professors that the strike would affect their graduation, ASI President Melissa Bardo said.

“It’s impossible… That is inaccurate,” Wehr said.

Wehr said they will be asking students to join them on the picket line for an alternative form of education.

Concerned with professors spending a large portion of their class time to speak about the strike, ASI Executive Vice President Andrea Salas said, “this is a pressing matter [for them]… but students are still here to get their education and here to learn.”

Bardo said ASI has chosen not to take a stand on the strike and negotiations.

Kevin Wehr, president of the Sacramento chapter of the California Faculty Association and a sociology professor, met with the Associated Students, Inc. during their first spring meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 3 in the Orchard Suite of the University Union to discuss the potential faculty strike.

“We don’t know what the dates will be,” Wehr said. “We can assume that it will happen on this campus.”

The faculty is asking for a 5 percent raise, but the California State University has only offered a 2 percent raise since 2014, according to Wehr.

ASI President Melissa Bardo said, “the board has decided not to take a stand on the strike or negotiations… because it is not our battle.”

“Some students have said that they heard from their professors that it will affect their graduation,” Bardo said.

Wehr denied the claim saying, “It’s impossible… That is inaccurate.”

Wehr said they will be asking students to join them on the picket line for an alternative form of education.


Updated 1:57pm February 5 to reflect additional information