Scattered around San Francisco State University’s campus over the past few weeks are posters referencing the recent budget cuts and faculty layoffs. However, one seemed grimmer than the others: a march for a “Funeral for Education.”
On Wednesday at noon, lecturer faculty and student organizers will hold a New Orleans-style funeral march starting at 19th and Holloway. It will continue through campus until it stops at Malcolm X Plaza, where they plan to hold a rally for people to speak about their experiences with the cuts.
The purpose of the event is to “mourn the loss of teachers, programs, and resources in the face of administrative mismanagement” according to one of the posters.
According to English lecturer David Gill, faculty members have been organizing through email correspondence, initially coming from an email thread from the Dean of the College of Liberal and Creative Arts. The email, which offered support after the election, sparked discussion and organizing amongst faculty leading to the creation of the funeral procession.
“I was talking to people saying we really ought to mark this moment. It’s a sort of defining moment in SFSU’s history,” said Humanities lecturer Sean Connelly. “Then somebody suggested a jazz funeral march and everyone liked that right away, so we started planning for that.”
Connelly is one of the many lecturer faculty members whom the administration is “exiting” in the wake of recent budget cuts.
“I think of it is sort of like the death of a friend, you know,” said Connelly “I have this thing that I did, that I prepared for years and years out of my life that was so meaningful to me, was such a big part of my identity. And that’s gone now.”
While not officially endorsed by SFSU’s chapter of the California Faculty Association, Chapter President Brad Erickson plans to attend the march along with his students.
“It was organized by rank-and-file members directly impacted by the cuts,” said Erickson. “I’m also going to be there because next year it could be me. I’m certainly encouraging all members of the campus community to come to honor our departing colleagues.”
Other organizations on campus are joining the march in solidarity. The Student Union, an organization intended to function like a traditional labor union, has worked over the past few weeks to spread the word about the event.
“Faculty living conditions are student learning conditions,” said Sohrab Ford, a member of Student Union leadership. “Throughout all of this, we’ve been working with faculty. They’ve shown up for our actions so we’re going to show up for theirs.”
Maci Tolleson, a representative and trustee of United Auto Workers Local 4123, which represents academic student workers, confirmed that she and other members of her union will also attend the march.
“Our union members at SFSU will be attending the march in solidarity since we recognize that these cuts greatly affect our union members, and we believe in investing in education,” said Tolleson. “Many of our members are losing key faculty and we feel the continued cuts deeply.”
The funeral is not an attempt to save the now departing lecturers. Both Ford and Connelly stated that the purpose of this event was to mourn either the loss of a teacher or the loss of one’s job.
“I think this will be solemn,” Ford said. “A lot of people are parting ways with this university. I think that tears will be shed.”
However, Connelly remains hopeful for the future of organizations that are supporting him and his fellow lecturers.
“I want people to be galvanized,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s something that when everyone comes back in the spring, can be a foundation for other actions, other work.”
