San Francisco State lecturers facing layoffs as university deals with financial issues
San Francisco State University staff are facing layoffs as the university deals with budget issues.
Sean Connelly has made his career as an adjunct lecturer in the Humanities Department at San Francisco State University.
"I spent 17 years of my life here. And I did the best job I possibly could," said Connelly as he was walking into the humanities building for one of the last times as an employee.
He's one of dozens of adjunct lecturers who are losing their jobs as SF State cuts its staff amid a shrinking budget.
"It means the rupturing of a community. To lose that is angering. It's infuriating because I know it doesn't have to go that way. It doesn't have to break that way. This is a choice," he said.
Although adjunct lecturers like Connelly are experts in their field, they typically work on year-to-year contracts with less job security than tenured faculty.
The university won't say how many lecturers are being let go.
But a statement from the president's office says lecturer hiring is tied to student enrollment and the numbers are down.
"SF State's enrollment has been declining as part of a local and national trend of fewer college-going students. As enrollment has declined, unfortunately, lecturer faculty are being significantly impacted as there are fewer sections to teach – especially course sections which are populated by incoming freshmen."
The university says enrollment is below 24,000 students, down from about 30,000 in recent years.
"It's been a part of my life for most of my life this university," said Jolie Goorjian, who is losing her job as a literature and English lecturer after 23 years.
She first came to the university as a 17-year-old student and earned undergrad and graduate degrees from SFSU.
For her, parting ways is taking a heavy toll.
"It's a labor of love. We're not paid well. We work really hard during the school year, and we're devoted to our students, and we're devoted to this institution that is obviously not reciprocal in its treatment of us. Which also makes it very difficult," Goorjian said.
Some students are starting to speak out about the cuts and spreading the word that amid the rising cost of education, there could be fewer courses, and more crowded classrooms at the school.
First-year student and Army Veteran Tiy Todd is sharing attention-grabbing missing person posters on campus.
They have the pictures of SF State lecturers who will be missing next semester.
"I'm going to fight for what's right or what I believe is right and that's for people to be able to major in what they want to. Make smaller classes, make it available. Don't take it away. Don't make people in this economy unemployed," Todd said.
Goorjian is taking steps to retire and possibly find a new career.
And Sean Connelly is also looking for work.
"I've been thinking I could do some good things in the prison system because I know there are people there who are very hungry for some sort of education. But I want to keep teaching because it's what I love and I think I'm pretty good at it. And everyone deserves to have a good education," he said.
Connelly and Goorjian's last day of teaching at SF State is Dec. 11.
