Purpose: Faced with budget cuts, my department, the Division of Textiles & Clothing, has a very high risk of closure. Targeted because of its size, students like myself have voiced our opinions via letters and word of mouth to our Dean, Provost, Vice Provost, as well as our friends.
Senators from the governing student body, the Associated Students of UC Davis (ASUCD), have friends within the major, and were inspired to create a Senate Resolution to create awareness and publicity for the situation. Many kudos to Senator Rouhafza and Senator Taylor; I co-authored this resolution and assisted them with the factual information; I also spoke at the Senate meeting to persuade the other Senators to vote in our favor.
Note: the Division of Textiles & Clothing (TXC) is being targeted for closure, NOT the major. However, if the funds are not given to replace faculty once they retire, who will teach the classes?
And goodbye to the only TXC program within the UC system...
The link to the original resolution can be found at the ASUCD website
Presented to the Senate floor on January 7, 2010.
Authored by: ROUHAFZA
Co-authored by: Taylor, Estoesta, Iringan
Introduced by: Taylor
Referred to: Academic Affairs Commission
Recommendation: Academic Affairs Commission Do Pass as Amended,
7-0-2 on February 2, 2010.
Yes: Chikarmane, Jaswal, Limon, Riggle, Shaikh, Tang, Toy.
Abstain: Navid, Jew.
An ASUCD Senate Resolution opposing the proposed removal of the Division of Textiles and Clothing from the University of California, Davis (UCD).
WHEREAS, the division of Textiles and Clothing focuses on research and education linking the physical and social science aspects of textile products, and integrates people and the processes focusing on production, distribution, and consumer use of textiles and clothing; and,
WHEREAS, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has proposed to close the department by cutting funding and not replacing faculty who retire,
WHEREAS, this division was specifically targeted for its small size, in the midst of current budget shortfalls which have forced the CAES to cut $3.8 million from its annual $70 million dollar budget; and,
WHEREAS, the UCD division of Textiles and Clothing is the only program of its kind among all the UC campuses, further contributing to cutting-edge research that addresses “materials and consumer issues such as human safety, comfort, and the role of cultural diversity in consumer decision making”; and,
WHEREAS, the division of Textiles and Clothing provides educational studies advancing the critical knowledge base essential to California’s occupational groups, such as firefighters, emergency personnel, and military; and,
WHEREAS, California has the largest apparel industry and the second largest cotton producer in the nation; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed removal of this division would gradually limit the ability of students to pursue education and research in this field, which has traditionally allowed textiles and clothing alumni the opportunity to occupy professional roles as industry leaders with prominent companies such as Gap, Nike, Adidas, and Northface; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed closure of this department represents a growing trend on UC campuses, where continual fee increases, faculty furloughs, and rampant increases in executive compensation and salaries further degrades the prestigious academic resources, programs, and research available to students and faculty members; and,
WHEREAS, the College Planning Committee tasked with surveying the budget issues that will ultimately serve as advisory council to the Dean’s Office contains no student representatives; now,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the Associated Students of the University of California, Davis Senate opposes the proposed removal of the Textiles and Clothing Division; and
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate strongly urges the UC Davis administration to avoid discrediting the impact of smaller academic departments, and abstain from targeting these divisions as a means to address the current budget situation; and,
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate insists that the UC Davis administration focus the financial burden on non-academic areas of campus that do not impact the research and educational opportunities available to students and faculty members of the University of California; and,
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT, the ASUCD Senate strongly urges the UC Davis administration to invite student representatives to join the College Planning Committee.
THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED THAT, copies of the resolution be sent to Mark Yudof, President of the University of California; the Regents of the University of California; Linda Katehi, Chancellor of the University of Californica, Davis; Fred Wood, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs; Jan Gong, Associate Vie Chancellor of Student Affairs; Beverley Sandeen, Vice Chancellor of Campus, Community Relations; Robert Powell, Chair of the Academic Senate; Neal Van Alfen, Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences; The California House of Representatives; The Sacramento Bee; The Davis Enterprise; The California Aggie; The San Francisco Chronicle; The Fresno Bee; and KDVS 90.3 FM.
DO PASS AMENDED, 9-0-3, BY A ROLLCALL VOTE OF THE ASUCD SENATE ON NOVEMBER 19, 2009.
YES: CASTILLO-RUIZ, CLEMENTE, GOLD, JUAREZ, LEE, MASSOUDI, ROMBI, TAYLOR, WITANA. ABSTAIN: HO, MEONVSKE, ROUHAFZA.
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Joe Chatham Date
ASUCD President
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