LCHP Releases Report on the Use of Contingent Labor at the UC

The Luskin Center is not only devoted to producing a new mode of research that brings historical depth to issues of policy relevance and urgency.  We are also deeply committed to marshaling the exceptional talents of student researchers, both undergraduate and graduate.  At the same time, we are intent on examining critically our own university environment, especially in the wake of the call for self-reckoning that followed the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.

In this spirit, we are pleased to launch a suite of three new LCHP research reports, all of which have been spearheaded by UCLA graduate and undergraduate students.  The first to be released here explores the stunning rise and longer-term consequences of contingent academic labor in the University of California system.  The second, to be released in late February is devoted to the history of race and racism at UCLA, focusing on forgotten personalities and chapters now brought to the light of day.  The third report, to be released in early March, took rise in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and investigates how UCLA responded to past crises of major scale.

As a whole, these reports offer a much-needed critical and constructive perspective on the institution that we call home. It is our hope that a thorough and honest exploration can show the path to a better and more just UCLA community.  As always, we welcome your feedback and input on this important body of research.

The Transformation of Academic Labor: Past as Prologue at the UC

The UCLA Luskin Center for History and Policy is pleased to release a new series of reports about the history of the UC and UCLA.

The first report in this series details the numerous factors that led to the University of California’s increased reliance on adjunct faculty and lecturers over the past 60 years, as well as the implications of this reliance.

This report was researched and written by UCLA Geography Ph.D. students Sammy Feldblum and John Schmidt, and UCLA undergraduate student Fariha Khan.

To read the paper, click [HERE].

To read an op-ed by the authors in the San Francisco Chronicle, click [HERE]. 

Listen to Sammy Feldblum and John Schmidt in conversation with Dr. Caroline Luce about their research in the podcast episode [HERE] or below.