Each time I go to Los Angeles, my favorite activity is to
visit colleges and meet Dan’s colleagues. California State University Los
Angeles (CSULA) is the most beautiful campus in Southern California that I have
visited. I have come to the campus several times, but the campus still
fascinates me each time I visit it. I used different angles to shoot shots of the
gothic buildings. I moved forward and backward to read the golden words of the
Confucius Monument. I admired the Eagle statue that is symbolic of the United
States’ freedom. The Campus is the harmony between Western and Eastern
structure and civilization, including the natural beauty of landscaping that
makes the University unique. We have taken almost 500 photos around the campus,
but we were still missing the leftover beauty.
At the
English Department, I have had a long conversation with Professor Ruben
Quintero, the former Chair of the English Department, and the secretary, Ms. Yolanda
Galvan. I was proud of my improving English speaking skill. I did not have any
trouble during the conversation. I could not believe that I could naturally
talk to an English Professor, a department chair, whom I always respected and
caused me to be tongue-tied. I murmured Confucius’s quote, “Among truly
educated persons, there is no discrimination.” Eureka! Education lifted me up to equal the Chair of the English
Department, who treated me as an equal. I looked up to the sky and talked
to my father: “Papa, do you see your little daughter talking to the Chair of
the English Department?” I told Dan, “Dan, I like this university very much.
The people are friendly and make me feel comfortable when I interact with them.
I can talk to your colleagues.” Dan agreed with me.
I was eager to meet
the members of the California Faculty Association (CFA). I held Dan’s hand and
told him, “Dan, I am shy. I am afraid to talk to your colleagues.”
Dan reassured me,
“It’s okay, Honey. You don’t have to. You can hide behind my back and I will tell
them you are shy.”
John welcomed us in
front of the meeting room. He shook Dan’s hand and greeted him, “It is nice to
see you again.”
He gave Dan a boxed
lunch with Dan’s name and told Dan to sign in. John looked at me. Dan
introduced me to him, “This is my fiancé, Anhthao Bui from San Jose. She came
here for her vacation. I already let Jackie know she would attend the meeting.”
John gave me a boxed lunch with my name on it. I was
surprised and impressed; I only uttered, “Oh!”
Jackie approached; she shook my hand, smiled at me,
and said, “My name is Jackie. It is nice to meet you. Thank you for coming.”
Jackie told me, “You can pick out a t-shirt.”
I looked at the red t-shirt with the white heart; two
arms made a heart shape and two hands met each other at the center of the heart.
The logo symbolized knowledge to connect students and instructors at the
heart—humanity, following Confucius’s words, “Acquire knowledge patiently,
teach other unceasingly.” That was the CFA’s philosophy. I joyfully cried, “Oh,
a Valentine t-shirt.”
Jackie nodded, “That is right!”
I admired the t-shirt’s designer, who rationally
displayed the CFA’s message as well: the Valentine’s Day heart is the center of
the Universe; the red and white are the colors of the Flag of the United States
of America. The red represents valiance and love; the white is purity.
Education provides good citizens to the society to serve the United States. The
CFA’s mission is to support and gain benefits for the California State
University faculty, with all their courage and unconditional reason.
We entered the meeting room. There were not many
people in the room. They greeted us with friendly smiles. Dan talked to his
colleagues. I wanted to ask Dan about the woman’s room, but …Jackie read my cue,
so she offered to help me.
When I returned to the room, the meeting had already
started. Dan told me, “In 2016, the University will transfer from a quarter to a
semester system.”
I replied, “Really? Interesting!”
Leslie Bryan, a CFA Bargaining Team Member, asked the
audience to introduce themselves and express the problems or desires they
wanted to discuss. Ms. Bryan was the bridge between the instructors and the
University administrators. However, the Union needed the cooperation and voices
of the instructors to win the negotiation and meet the needs of the faculty’s
members. Ms. Bryan encouraged the audience to get involved, act, and invite
more members to join the CFA. She highly
recommended the audience keep tract of all the records of their professional
development activities, meetings, and volunteer service because these were the
investment of the instructors’ future benefits. She said that some instructors did
not keep any records and proof of their professional development activities.
Thus, it was difficult for the CFA to ensure their benefits.
I looked directly at the speaker; my eyes smiled with
her to show my appreciation of her recommendations. I realized I should keep records
of and report all the meetings I attended and volunteer activities I participated
in with Dan for my resume.
Ms. Alejandra Marchevsky, the Faculty Rights Chair,
was the second speaker. She talked about how CSULA will transfer from a quarter
system to a semester system, the hiring levels of faculty, and benefits. The
two speakers liked to learn more about the new faculty members and their
concerns, and encouraged them to take action.
I looked at Jackie and gave a thumbs-up sign for the
productive and well-organized meeting.
--Anhthao Bui, Los Angeles, February 20, 2014
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