UC Davis Magazine Online
Volume 20
Number 1
Fall 2002
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Features: Setting the Stage | Parents as Partners | Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy | Division I?
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Letters
'DO TELL | LECTURER CONCERNS | AN HONOR? | A LOOK BACK | CORRECTIONSummer 2002 cover image

'DO TELL

What is it about the cover of your summer 2002 issue that reflects education, standards or future? It belongs on the magazines in the grocery store.

Joan Watson, mother of two UC Davis graduates

LECTURER CONCERNS

As a full-time lecturer at UCD since 1981, I was glad to see that you gave mention to “Lecturer Concerns” in your “News in Review” section [summer 2002]. But I thought you presented the controversy in a one-sided way, not at all the way I see it. You described the issue as follows: “A plan to reduce the number of lecturers in order to increase the number of tenure-track faculty in the Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies. . . .” I for one have nothing against such a plan. But what is actually happening is the replacement of one class of lecturers with another truly temporary class of lecturers. Thus we are setting up a revolving door of temporary lecturers, to the detriment of undergraduate instruction at UCD.

John Boe
Lecturer, English

Elizabeth Langland, dean of the Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies, responds: The strategic plan for the division focuses on hiring more senate faculty to ensure that more courses are taught by professors. That is what distinguishes campuses of the UC system, and that’s why students choose to attend California’s top-tier research universities. Foundation courses—composition and foreign languages—will continue to be taught by a balance of instructors, including research faculty, lecturers, postdoctoral scholars and graduate students under the supervision of faculty. Lecturers will continue to be an important part of our teaching mission, and we have no policy or practice that seeks to establish an arbitrary limit to the number of years they may be appointed.

AN HONOR?Grieb bobblehead photo

With all the recent attention the Aggies are getting in the media with the recent series “Sorority Life,” I could only laugh when I received a bobblehead doll of Mark Grieb (class of 1997 and quarterback for the Aggies from 1994 to 1996). On top of leading the league the last two seasons in passing efficiency, Mark has led the San Jose Sabercats to an undefeated 12 and 0 record this season.

You would be hard pressed to find truer icons of pop-culture than MTV and bobble-head dolls. But I’m curious to know if Mark represents the first Aggie to receive bobble-head fame?

Mike Carl ’85
Half Moon Bay

A LOOK BACK

[Concerning the summer 2002 issue, “A Backward Glance . . . 75 years ago,” page 49] That caught my attention because that is when I started back to Davis for my second year of non-degree education. The last part of your article said, “Mercury Phillips will be in charge of the events of the evening and guarantees an unusual time to all who attend.”

Mercury Phillips was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and lived in the house with me when the house was in downtown Davis. He lived in Patterson, Calif., and drove a gasoline truck during the summer to make money for his education. He joined the Army during World War II and lost his life in the Philippines, killed while bringing food to prisoners of war.

It brought back memories: Davis had 1,200 citizens; the College of Agriculture had 300 students; I was 19 then. Those were the days.

Dean DeCarli ’28
Stockton

CORRECTION

In “End Notes” in the summer issue of UC Davis Magazine, we inadvertently gave Paul Takushi of the UC Davis Bookstore a promotion. His correct title is tradebook buyer.

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