OPINION | Why are 29,000 Cal State faculty going on strike? Because faculty working conditions are student learning conditions.

During commencement ceremonies at California State University, San Bernardino, there is a moment that sends everyone reaching for their camera phone or a tissue. It’s when our university president asks all graduates who are the first in their family to receive a college degree to “please stand and be recognized.” The vast majority rise, proudly wave to their loved ones, and the arena erupts in celebration.

Like many CSU campuses, CSUSB ranks among the nation’s top universities for social mobility. Nearly 80% of our undergraduates are first-generation college students, 77% are underrepresented minorities (including 69% Hispanic students), and more than half receive Pell Grants, which are for low-income students. Moreover, two-thirds of CSUSB alumni live and work in California’s Inland Empire, making the university a catalyst for regional growth and progress.