SQE Town Hall calls for greater involvement in decision-making process.
By Saige Washington, Staff Reporter
CSUDH officials have hosted several town hall events over the past year to address issues on campus—most notably, the budget problems affecting California State University. On Oct. 14, the Dominguez Hills chapter of Students for Quality Education (SQE) held its own forum for Toros to share their thoughts and concerns about the state of campus life.
SQE is a student-led advocacy organization affiliated with the California Faculty Association that operates across the CSU system. The Student Town Hall, held in the Loker Student Union explored a range of topics, including the university’s relationship with Huron Consulting Group—the firm contracted to audit operations in light of the budget shortfall.
Among the most pressing concerns raised was the state of campus facilities. Attendees lamented that some classrooms were not suitable for learning in a university environment and expressed frustration that certain areas of the Innovation and Instruction Building—one of the newer buildings on campus—are sometimes closed to students.
Other points of frustration included the quality of campus dining, slow response times from some university offices, and the lack of privacy in the women’s restroom on the second floor of LaCorte Hall. Students noted that the accessible stall there is cordoned off by a curtain instead of a door.
“If they put a door there a wheelchair would not fit, so get rid of one of the stalls,” said Alfredo Carlos, labor studies professor and CFA member.
However, attendees appeared to be most concerned about the cost of the Huron Report released on Sept. 8. The report—an eight-month analysis of the university’s operations and degree programs—outlined recommendations for campus officials to consider as they navigate the budget shortfall.
According to California State University data, the system has paid at least $11.7 million to Huron to date.
“Why are we spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on that report?” asked one attendee, a criminal justice student. “There are students who are into research and want to gain experience doing that, instead it was easy for [the university] to spend money on a report.”
Carlos attempted to offer insight into the level of faculty involvement in these decisions. He said university committees are often made up of hand-selected members. “It’s never an open process.”
Attendees also discussed the upcoming departure of CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham, who will retire at the end of December after seven years at the helm of the university. Parham announced his retirement in May, saying he had “a great deal of pride” in how the campus grew under his leadership.
Carlos said Toros should have a voice in how the university selects its next chief executive—a sentiment echoed by Elliot Gonzalez, vice president of Associated Students, Inc.
“If somebody is going to get a $600,000 job … a more democratic experience needs to happen,” Gonzalez said.
The Bulletin asked the university for comment following the town hall. In an Oct. 20 email, a university spokesperson said administrators are open to meeting with students who wish to share their perspectives and concerns.
“We welcome student engagement and encourage organizers of this event to reach out if they would like a meeting,” the spokesperson said.
The statement also noted that the selection of CSUDH’s next interim or permanent president will follow the same process used across the CSU system. That process, the spokesperson said, is overseen by the Chancellor’s Office and includes a campus consultation to gather community input before an appointment is made.