Family Ties
Having adopted several children from the foster care system myself, I can attest to the effects of abuse in its various forms (“More children enter the foster care system in Monterey County every year. Here’s how one family united to form lasting bonds,” Feb. 18-24). Love is necessary, but not enough. A strong support system for the family, as well as the willingness to think and act sometimes in unconventional ways can make the difference. Please consider becoming a foster and adoptive parent; especially for the older children. It will make a positive difference in their lives, as well as yours! R.V. | via Web
Preach It, Teach
I came to CSU Monterey Bay in 1998 and consider myself lucky to be teaching in my discipline, even though I’m not on the tenure track, my job isn’t full-time and I drive 120 miles to work each day I teach.
During my career, I’ve accepted lectureships at two UC campuses and two junior colleges closer to home. Each of these positions offered significantly higher wages, but there is no place closer to my heart than CSUMB.
Our students have taught me what it means to be the first in the family with a college degree, and seeing them move on to graduate school and into the professional workforce is my greatest joy. I never went into teaching to get rich. But after years of stagnant wages, I voted along with nearly all my fellow instructors to fight for a 5-percent increase in my salary.
CSU teachers’ salaries have increased only 3 percent since 2009. Furloughs in 2010 reduced our take-home pay even further, by 10 percent. Average CSU faculty salary is under $50,000/year, but now that California’s economy has started to recover, our administrators tell us they have other priorities.
The chancellor’s preference for raising top administrators’ pay instead of faculty salaries confirms our students’ worst fears – especially those who seek to become teachers themselves. Chancellor White now has the chance to correct some of these inequities: 5 percent is not much to ask, and it is the right thing to do. Karen Davis | via Web
(Editor’s note: Karen Davis is an instructor at CSU Monterey Bay.)
The CFA (California Faculty Association) voted to strike a few weeks ago. This would mean that all the CSUs would strike at the same time in an organized fashion. This would be the largest strike of its kind in history. Here at HSU the professors have been given a 1-percent raise in the past… 10 years? While the administration has been given a 40-percent pay increase. Go get ’em professors! Chris Schroeder | via Facebook
When public employees plan to go on strike the news stories should tell us the ask, in real dollars. Devin Podeszwa | via Facebook
What about the adjunct professors? The majority of CSU professors are adjunct. Is the union doing anything for the adjuncts? Sam P. Smith | via Facebook
Unwiseguys
I was taught never put anything in print you would not want your grandmother to read on the front page of the newspaper (“Bruhn building owner needs smarter friends and advisers,” Feb. 18-25). Mark Boos | via Facebook
This is getting almost as good as the King City corruption. #popcorn Adam Rodriguez | via Facebook
So glad that you are reporting on this. Something doesn’t seem right, and that there are asshats being exposed as asshats makes it even sweeter. Jayar Walker | via Facebook
Remember, where there’s smoke there’s fire and where there’s fire there’s suspicions. I hope for everyone involved there was no crime committed. Shawn Adams | via Facebook
Quoting the famous poet Nelly, “It’s gettin’ hott in herr.” David Hernandez | via Facebook
So, so glad Mary Duan is still at the Weekly pi**ing people off! Carol Bouchard | via Facebook
Dumbfellas
How do these people get away with breaking the law? (“DA probes potential asbestos violations at now-destroyed Dick Bruhn building,” posted Feb. 16.) This is a stone’s throw from the Permit Center. We need better enforcement! Al Espindola | via Facebook
Seriously people – beware any person who comes to town bearing big promi$eS of renewal. Restraining anger given my propensity toward architectural preservation. Sustainability is really difficult given this possible new development. Karen E. Lesney Lysanyuk | via Facebook
They were cited time and time again, yet they continued to build out the interior with hotel-sized suites, amid asbestos that they never removed, and the only thing Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District did was shake a finger. Time for a grand jury investigation. Maureen Wruck | via Facebook
Everyone take a deep breath and calm down. Rick DeNoyer | via Facebook
Get On the Bus
MST seeks $8 million to build a new garage in South County (“MST abandons plans to build a garage on Fort Ord,” Feb. 11-17). For that $8 million MST could offer free bus service to everyone in the county, and they would save all the current costs of collecting fares, looking at discount cards and evaluating every incoming passenger.
Their problem now is too many mostly empty buses adding to our traffic congestion.
Let’s put people in those buses. Charles Wilson | Monterey