Ryan ChartrandFor a while, I watched the madness over Jubail University College (JUC) from the sidelines. Finally, I decided to join the conversation and throw in my two cents.
First, I should start by acknowledging that there are legitimate points raised by some who are against the now-infamous deal with JUC. Their opposition is based on genuine concern for equal rights and justice for all. For some, it’s the modest cost of $5.9 million, which is understandable. As a student who was also accepted to Berkeley, I receive regular e-mails from the UCB president, and I learned that it got a lucrative deal compared to us. They signed a $30 million deal with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST is coed, unlike Cal Poly’s EE program), which has the sixth-largest endowment in the world after a $10 billion donation from the King. Hopefully, Cal Poly will get a slice of this pie in the future.
However, there are many misinformed students who just jumped on the bandwagon before learning the facts. For instance, I read so many uninformed comments posted in a Facebook group of more than 400 Cal Poly students where most of them are against this deal. Its creator believes that “honor killings” take place in Saudi Arabia. Actually, such practice takes place in Turkey, not Saudi Arabia, and a Turk will take being compared to an Arab as an insult.
The main individuals leading the crusade against this deal are some members of the Cal Poly College Republicans (CPCR), the masters of divide and rule. One might fall for their sudden concern for diversity, but their records speak volumes. In the past, they have organized events and wrote columns offensive to blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, homosexuals, Indians and women. Their hypocrisy is astounding, and they don’t have a moral high ground to stand on the issue of diversity.
Unlike most students, I am optimistic about this collaboration with JUC. I see this as a golden opportunity to enhance international scientific and cultural contacts. This is the best way to promote Western democracy in a country that badly needs it.
Despite segregation of the sexes and second-class citizenship of females, Saudi Arabia is a country in transition. In 2003, it had only eight public universities serving a population of 22 million, and a majority of students were under the age of 29. But in the last four years, the education budget has more than tripled; and as a result, the number of public and private universities has increased by 150 percent and 300 percent respectively. As Al Kattan, dean of al-Faisal medical school, puts it, “It’s more about transferring to Western culture of learning, and we need people from that environment.” We should all encourage such changes as the reformers move Saudi Arabia closer to Western democracy. Shafeeq Gharba, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said, “Saudi Arabia is a place where people have started to question more, and reforming their education will be like opening Pandora’s box.” By opposing such partnership with JUC, we are playing to the wrong crowd – the conservative Wahabi (not wasabi) elites who have long dictated the academia of Saudi Arabia.
To some of you, I might come across as an ardent defender of Saudi Arabia. Actually, I’m highly critical of the Saudi monarchy and part of its society for personal reasons. I’m originally from Ethiopia, and Saudi Arabia has for years lured poor workers from East Africa and Southeast Asia, including many of my relatives and family friends. Some of these workers face inhumane conditions such as involuntary servitude, where they are subjected to physical and sexual abuse, withholding of wages after years of labor, and restrictions of movement including withholding of their traveling documents. On top of that, if a victim files a complaint, he or she is not allowed to work.
But academia is where you find the most progressive people, and if you have to punish Saudi Arabia, this is the last sector that you have to go after. If you really want to send a message to Saudi Arabia, my advice is don’t buy their oil.
While we debate JUC, we ignore the elephant in the room – the CSU budget crisis. In case you are unaware, Gov. Schwarzenegger has proposed an educational budget cut of $4.8 billion for the fiscal year of 2008-2009. As a result, the CSU system will face a cut of $386 million next year. This means the public universities in California won’t accept tens of thousands of eligible applicants due to lack of economic means. They have already decided to close their admissions early, and Cal Poly has only fall admission scheduled for next year.
What does this mean for Cal Poly students? Well, it means fewer classes and sections and fewer professors. It means more graduate assistants and larger class sizes. The main reason I chose Cal Poly over Berkeley is small class sizes taught by real professors, not TAs. I don’t know if you are already feeling the budget constraints, but I am. This quarter, the program I work for couldn’t rehire 50 percent of its facilitators due to a limited budget. One of my classes was cancelled at the last minute due to lack of funding which means I have to wait another quarter to graduate (if I was in Berkeley, I would have graduated this May). As a resident of Sacramento, I remember an effective demonstration led mainly by UC Davis and Sacramento State University, which stopped an effort by the governor to increase tuition fees. I am actually impressed by the organization of those who are against the JUC deal. If you truly are into supporting “Poly professors first,” then shouldn’t the looming budget crisis be your primary concern?
Haroun Idris is an electrical engineering senior and a guest columnist for the Mustang Daily.