Mrs. D goes to Sacramento

I know it was all a sham, but I love Sacramento.

I once told my favorite professor that my greatest regret is that I was never able to participate in the UCDC internship program. For those unaware, this is where for 6 or 8 weeks you spend a summer in Washington DC working for a senator, congressman or some federal agency. It's CRAZY expensive and who has 8 weeks off work anyhow? Anyway, it was never in the cards for me but I had another opportunity presented to go along with a faculty union in California to lobby on behalf of higher education and I jumped.

Todd asked me when I told him about it "Are you going??" and I didn't even need to reply. Are you kidding???! Who gets the opportunity to tell people with power, face-to-face, that education is important and that my colleagues are having to drop out because of tuition skyrocketing, classes not being offered, and myriad other pressures?

I flew up and back in the same day with student and union reps and sat in front of assemblymen and assemblywomen to tell them about 3 bills that will help make public universities in California whole again. I was on a team of 5 - 3 students, 2 faculty and we had 5 appointments with various legislators in our district. Though I doubt they will all vote in our favor, they do, by and large, understand the importance of education but not in the way that the average CSUF student does. They come from wealthy families who financed their educations and one even said "My daughter is paying these fees right now too, well, I guess I'm paying these fees..." Ya, that's what I thought.

They don't know the pressure of working full-time while you're going to school, they don't know the anxiety of surprise tuition increases two weeks before the semester begins, they don't know what it's like to pay $1600 a month for a decent apartment, they don't know what it's like to have to give things up in order to get an education. But they do now. They heard it directly from the students and the educators.

And oh my god, the professors. While the Chancellor's salary has increased 66% since 1998, the professors have seen cost of living increases about 1/3 that proportion. The number of faculty is steady and, as more students are admitted, fewer classes are offered, larger class sizes, more papers to grade, more office hours, more assisting students find resources and so on. These professors are the best professors I've ever had and they deserve equitable pay.

Anyway, it was magical. I bought a booklet from the capital building that is like a yearbook of California legislators with their names, schools, political affiliations etc. I know, super nerd. I met a man on the plane home who lobbies for K-12 schools and he told me to watch out, lobbying is addicting and I believe it. I'm already signed up for next year's lobby day :)