UCSD Classroom Shortages

Chancellor Mary Anne Fox
9500 Gilman Drive # 0005
La Jolla, CA 92093-0005



Dear Chancellor Fox:

Thank you for providing our Senior TA, Tom Waidzunas, the opportunity to speak at last quarters Chancellors Town Hall Meeting for Students about the issue of classroom shortages at UCSD and their effects. This letter is intended to follow up on the concerns he raised, and to bring together a collective voice of several UCSD Sociology faculty, staff, and graduate students concerned about this problem.

Over the last couple of years, we have been experiencing an increase in evening and early morning schedules for both lecture and section times. These changes are having a drastic adverse effect on the culture of the university, the quality of undergraduate education, and the workload and quality of life for faculty, graduate students, and administrative staff. For undergraduates, odd class times are not optimal for learning, and they interfere with community development. These changes have created major difficulties in scheduling for administrative staff. Moreover, they adversely affect the research work and quality of life for faculty and graduate students. Finally, for faculty and students with other vital commitments, these changes are extremely difficult for creating work-life balance.

In summary, we feel that with increased enrollment at the university, building multi-purpose classrooms should be a top concern on par with the many other construction projects on campus. Thank you for considering these concerns and for your service as Chancellor.