Dear Editor,
As a graduate of the University of La Verne (1976) and an adjunct professor here for the past 26 years, I would like to express my opinions regarding certain issues I feel are important to the University. In December 2024 I wrote a letter to the Campus Times in which I was very critical of certain things that were happening on campus and within our administration. I voiced a strong desire to be able to participate in some of the changes I felt were necessary and expressed a similarly strong wish that the University would take steps to rectify what I saw as problematic areas. I also expressed a desire to talk to Administrators and to have an opportunity to express my concerns (and what I saw as possible solutions) privately.
I never heard a word from anyone other than students and other faculty, who universally told me they agreed with my concerns.
In the interest of hopefully effecting some change this time around, I would like to re-state these concerns:
- The high degree of turnover in both administration and faculty: high turnover generally indicates dissatisfaction with working conditions and/or lack of vision and planning on the part of the administration.
- The extremely low morale of the faculty: Students have commented to me on numerous occasions (without any solicitation from me) that they feel faculty are “going through the motions” and that they “don’t feel appreciated.” Examples the students use are (a) many faculty (in all departments) are rarely in their offices for consultation; (b) increasing numbers of classes are being taught on-line; students almost universally feel that on-line classes are much poorer learning experiences; and (c) students do not feel a connection with their professors.
I feel like the strength of the University of La Verne has long been its “family” culture; with small classes, students and faculty have been able to establish relationships which extend beyond the classroom and help students gain a broader perspective on life. I believe one of the issues is that seemingly greater emphasis is being placed on publishing rather than teaching, and this has cut down greatly on the relationship-building that faculty can create with students.
- There have been numerous long-term faculty who have left the University (or been removed) over the past few years. Another of the strengths of the University has been the mentoring done by long-term Faculty with newer faculty. This phenomena appears to have been lost entirely.
- There has been the merging of departments and the elimination of certain classes. In the sociology/anthropology department, I attempt to maintain contact with students after they graduate. One of the questions I ask them is “What are the classes that have had the greatest impact on your career?” Almost universally, the four are Intro Soc, Sociology of Deviance, Juvenile Delinquency and Internship. Juvenile Delinquency is no longer offered and Deviance is only offered every two to three semesters. My point is this: if these classes are seen as important to students and benefit them more in their careers, why are they not offered more often?
I want La Verne to return to the unified and positive atmosphere I experienced both as a student here and for the first 20 years of my teaching experience. We are here to help students and to provide both the education and the atmosphere for learning in which they can succeed. I feel some changes need to be made to enable that to happen. Once again, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with Administration and any other interested parties/groups.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter,
Dan Kennan
Adjunct Professor of Sociology
