California Education under duress...

So I've returned to my University after a ***** year hiatus. The energy of starting a new phase of learning is tantalizing.

Talking with school staff I haven't seen in a long while sucked a lot of enery away under the current working conditions that allow them to maintain their jobs.

Collectively its called being furloughed. It means for all staff, it was either take a 11% pay cut or find another job. For staff and educators it's being paid in 2003 dollars for a 2009 position.

To cut costs at the administrative level, the Univeristy decided to close administrative offices on the first and third Fridays of every month. Guess which Friday I unknowingly chose to finish some needed administrative work. Yep, that was an almost pointless day.

This furlough status is just new this year, and hopes that the California budget will be able to be staightened out before this becomes a permanent problem.

Am I going to rant and rave about it since my first journal? No. I've been able to help those who work with me as best as possible and will adapt and continue on just as the other 35,000 students are doing as best we can.

I'm not seeing as many patrons attend all of our productions, but the ones who make the sellout shows are finding a glad cameraderie for a moment away from what is outside.

Cut where we can, as long as we never cut the heart of what is our core.