Riding Off Into the Sunset

Today is the last day of the semester at California State University, Sacramento. Next Wednesday, grades are due, and the 2024/2025 academic year is officially over. It is also the end on my 20th semester as a faculty member at Sacramento State — the end of my 10th year on this job. Due to my “classification” as non-tenured, contractual faculty (and about 60% of the California State University system faculty across all 23 campuses), I am officially unemployed until I am offered and accept a new assignment in the fall. While that has always been probable, it has never been certain. However, because of the state budget deficit, for the coming school year that probability is reduced to, “who knows?”

In my case, it’s not as dire as it is for many others in my position. I was planning to retire after the fall semester anyway — right when the fall semester officially ends in early January. But I am eligible now and, if push comes to shove, will retire the day before the fall semester begins. It is not ideal, but it is workable. What it means in the right-here, right-now is the same thing it means at the end of the previous nine years — 10 weeks of “every day is Saturday.” As I’ve said many times before, it is my second most favorite part of my job. The best part? Being in the classroom. Not the prep work, not the bureaucracy and not the grading, but actually holding class.

Until I know more, it’s business as usual. A summer of Saturdays awaits. I have two big motorcycle events planned and a bike to get finished. My pending grading this…