Dear Editor,
The Editorial, “It’s CSU East Bay: Get Over It” by Chase Thomas from your February 7th edition, is both insensitive to the feelings of many and ignores the facts of what took place around the name change.
I lived it and was part of the fight against the name change from Cal State Hayward to CSU East Bay. As an activist, at the time, I didn’t feel it was the most important issue to be focusing on, but I was told by several students that this was an issue they wanted me to help them fight. A poll taken by a student at the time showed 85% of students were against the name change, with 15% undecided. That is zero percent for the name change. I listened and I agreed the name should not change. I, and a few other student activists, went to the Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach to speak on behalf of the vast majority of students who did not want to see the name changed. Unfortunately, the Board of Trustees was just as arrogant and paternalistic as President Rees and university administration. One of them even went so far as to say, “You will be thankful we did this someday.” Well, she was wrong. I am still as unhappy as ever.
The fight to keep the university name became way more than just about a name — it was about student democracy and shared governance. It was a struggle against a unilateral decision, which was done stubbornly with total disregard of public opinion. We were told this was being done, “for our own good” so that the university could get more donations and attract more students; that if the university could say that it was in Concord and associate it with the richer part of the East Bay, it would attract funding. The name change did not result in this — and there are much better and more effective ways to do this anyway.
I cannot blame the City Council or city of Hayward for having sore feelings about the name change. The name “Hayward” is not something to be embarrassed about, but it became obvious that many the people in favor of the name change viewed Hayward as a nascence to be covered up. Let’s be clear: the name change was done because some people felt Hayward was not a place they wanted the university identified with. Many for the name change were trying to actively dissociate the university with the city in the ultimate act of snobbery and classism. But the fact remains the vast majority of classes are still offered in Hayward. And when people say “Cal State East Bay,” they often have to explain that the university is located in Hayward, before anyone knows what they are talking about. It’s ridiculous.
After the name change ASI, Inc. passed a vote of no confidence against President Rees and the administration for going ahead with the name change against student wishes. Sadly the name change was just a foreshadowing of more drastic changes to come. Things like massive fee increases, class reductions, increased administrative compensation packages, Aramark coming in and taking over food services, and Starbucks in the library. Basically the “re-branding” of the university name represents the “people’s university” morphing into the corporate university, which is driven by profits and a business model and not in the public interest of students or representative of our community.
If the city of Hayward is putting up signs that say “Cal State University,” I believe that accurately reflects how most people feel about the name change — which is they are not comfortable putting “East Bay” at the end. If we took a vote I bet most students and community members would vote to reverse the name change. I know I would. Maybe then we could begin to reclaim what we have lost and what was stolen from us. The university will always be Cal State Hayward to me. Some of us are proud of the Hayward name because we love the city of Hayward and what it represents. Please allow people to have their feelings and respect other people’s right to call the school what their hearts want to. Home is where the heart is, and my heart is with Hayward — the heart of the Bay.
By Tina Phillips
Proud Alumna
