Hi Everyone,

It's been a while in between newsletters! The last time I took a break this long was between early December 2024 through late Feb 2025. That spanned the Winter Recess which was on the heels of the initial TAB cancellation announcement, and it also included the Eaton fire which displaced my in-laws and many friends in Altadena.

This break was the result of things just being busy, but in a good way. While in some senses, 2026 feels like it might just bring a new energy and a sense of renewal, at the same time the vibes of 2025 appear to be spilling over into 2026, at least periodically. I'll start with the crappy stuff first…

The USC community is still grieving the loss of over 1,000 fellow colleagues due to layoffs. And now we're finding out that we're actually not quite done yet. In just the past few weeks, a close friend and member of the My15atUSC community was notified that her position was being eliminated. This was significant because a large number of layoffs (almost 100) had already taken place in her department this past August. This was also significant because everything I've heard about “Phase 2” was that it was going to be about restructuring, not more layoffs.

If there was a silver lining in this one instance, she became eligible for her 15-year letter just weeks prior to her notification. Her dependent is attending community college and working towards getting accepted to USC. While the timing seems fortuitous and beneficial on one hand, it also is suspect on the other. She had already taken on additional daily responsibilities and was covering for another department due to their layoffs and held positions. Apparently, they figured it out how to function without her, but only after they had the convenience of her covering multiple roles for months.

And she's not the only one. Another staff member and My15atUSC community member experienced the same thing in January. It appears the department she worked for held on to her in order to complete a marque annual event. She was notified the very next morning, only after the event was successfully completed. It's not the first time we've seen folks treated as if they were being fired for cause, like they were a liability the institution needed to protect themselves from.

I try not to mix my messaging here and with my role as President of Staff Assembly too much, but in all of this I will candidly say that the messaging from the university still appears to be out of alignment with what we're all experiencing. I shared my thoughts during the last General Assembly meeting- and I've done so privately as well- but just know that there are still staff members finding out as recently as March 2026 that their positions are being eliminated. That's heartbreaking, and it's infuriating. Because simultaneously, the public messaging is that “the tough work has been done”, “we've turned the corner”, and “there will be a merit pool”. To add to the cognitive dissonance, it certainly doesn't help that the messaging towards staff around our new fancy $3.1M AI tool (Chat GPT edu) is that it will “make us all more efficient”. I can't name a single staff member who hears this and doesn't immediately think that this will ultimately lead to more job loss at some point in the future. They probably just need us to train it for them first.

In other similarly shitty news, this month I also met a new My15atUSC community member who found us only after submitting for TAB reimbursement for a dependent’s graduate degree and was rejected. I won't go into the details, but I'll give you three guesses if their family was notified of the cancellation of graduate degrees as was promised in the meetings in October 2024. 

This most recent connection has sparked some new discussions on what legal avenues may exist, especially since there are now those among us who have suffered actual damages. While they have a tangible cost (and potentially a case), many of us haven't yet suffered a financial impact. The university could simply say “there was no guarantee of acceptance”. USC’s other argument is likely that “there is cancellation language”. I believe this is a (legally) flawed argument. I'll share why in a second.

This was one of the main reasons why I started this community back in October 2024. Because as we've just been reminded, literally a thousand times over, we can all suddenly become former employees. Our “at-will” designation provides the university complete control in this. The other reason why I created this community was for those that had already made the decision to leave voluntary. They did so because TAB was promised to us, and because they had earned it. They had every right to leave. Google “promissory estoppel” and see how that makes you feel about the validity of the cancellation language. Here’s a Reddit thread explaining it like you’re a 5 year old. According to one commenter: ”My professor described it as latin for ‘stop, you're being unfair!’"

And in a last bit of downer news, I just want to acknowledge that many are struggling with what is happening nationally, and now, internationally. It's been a difficult few months since the last Newsletter. In that sense, 2026 continues to follow the trends of the past year. 

Last year I tried to approach this topic with sensitivity when I first explored the idea of a video called “parallels”. It was actually fully written and rehearsed, but I asked the community for feedback before I moved forward. The parallels idea was in response to the approach “DOGE” and the Trump administration were taking, using Executive Orders to cut consequential and popular programs used by everyday people without going through the normal approval or budgetary protocols. I likened that with how USC’s administration was approaching its budgetary challenges, through a series of what appeared to be arbitrary and indiscriminate cuts, with little in the way of intentional calculation or awareness of the impact to our people, our morale, and our institutional values. It felt like there was a list that someone drew red lines through based on dollar amounts and a deficit target, all of with little to no discussion or warning. Decisions were made that were unpredictable, unpopular, unilateral, and unapologetic. But it was the ones made with impunity- or perhaps obliviousness?- like the cancellation of our vested TAB, that had a devastating- and in some cases immediate- effect on people's lives.

As with all things politics, especially these days, I understand these topics can be deeply divisive.  I know that there are differing viewpoints, so again I'll opt only to leave it with an acknowledgement that people are distraught, and hurting, and feeling powerless. I'll invite anyone who feels strongly for or against anything I've said to reach out to me offline. I'm always open to hearing differing viewpoints and discussing things civilly without trying to change people's minds. I also remain committed to keeping our public efforts apolitical, while not ignoring the reality of what we are (or at least I am) experiencing every day. You all told me as much last year when I asked, and I'll continue to do my best to honor that publicly while not silencing who I am as a person, and how I share my personal thoughts with you here.

Alright, had enough crappy yet? Here's some of the lighter stuff…

For those who are no longer at USC, the biggest news was the decision to appoint Beong-Soo Kim as our 13th President. I'll share some resources towards the bottom of this email, but I figure that's worth a mention. I think it's undeniable that there is increased optimism among many staff with his appointment. I am one of them. I also admit at this point the bar is pretty low. But the adage ”actions speak louder than words” comes to mind. We've been here before, and as much as the messaging says that the hard work is behind us, I disagree. The tough work of winning back the trust of staff is still very much ahead of them. Morale isn't going to suddenly improve just because something that should have been addressed a long time ago finally got done.

In other hopeful news, as mentioned, we received notice that staff would be receiving merit increases this year. It still remains cryptic in terms of exactly what it might look like, but it comes as welcome news. 2025 was the second time in 5 years where our merit increases were cancelled. Again, being mindful of which hat I'm wearing right now (I took off the My15atUSC hat three sentences ago), I will say that there are a handful of reports where folks have been told by a supervisor that they will not be getting an increase come July. Given the global messaging that “there will be a merit pool”, I'd invite you to use the feedback survey on the Staff Assembly website to share what you've been told. If it's anything similar, we would love to know. While I'll have no ability to directly change anything regardless of which hat I wear, both hats have every right to point out when there's a disconnect between our actions, our values, and our words.

And for the last bit of positivity, I'll just share a few of my personal updates, as it relates to my family. Most of which is why I've been lagging on these Newsletters.

Aside from a plague-like sickness that descended upon our house in late January and was passed around to everyone except mommy, life has been relatively manageable. Good even. But man, that sickness was brutal. I got it first but was just “walking wounded”. I sequestered myself to my office for a week and slept every day when I got home. I saved the sick days knowing it was going to spread, because This is the Way. My son got it second and missed 7 days. My daughter got it and missed 9, with only 4 of them overlapping my son. This bug had a nasty second wave, where all of us felt recovered for about 24 hours only to have a second stint of overwhelming exhaustion and illness pull us back down for a few extra days. But here we are now in late March, we seem to be recovered, though anyone who coughs around our house still gets the suspicious side-eye.

My daughter had a playoff soccer tournament out in Redlands which was a “reward” for placing second in her Fall AYSO Area playoffs. If you don't remember, that was the one she yelled at me for showing up on her birthday, after driving 50 miles to Arcadia in-between my son's games at his tournament in Santa Clarita, just to surprise her. The joys…

Anyways, we headed out early on a Saturday in February as they got to play in the AYSO Core Section One playoffs, which brought teams from all over the LA Basin. They won one and lost two. She played well, and got an assist on one of the two goals we scored on the day. We were especially happy for her because she hadn't played in two months. But most importantly, the girls had a good time in between games just being together. For us, as much fun as soccer tournaments can be, we were grateful that we didn't need to make a second trek to Redlands as they didn’t qualify for the final championship round on Sunday.

My wife lugged her laptop with her for the day, studying during the 2-3 hour breaks in between games. We were glad for her to be with us, and it was a memorable experience. Region 214 (South Pasadena/San Marino) doesn't have a lot of Sectional Playoff runs, so it was special.

For my son, our Winter has been filled with basketball. I was ever so grateful that he made it through a full 11 game season without missing time due to injury. It was my 5th or 6th season coaching him, but it was our first time winning the Championship. It's a community Rec Center in Eagle Rock, so it’s not travel, but it still felt like a big accomplishment. It was also special because he won it with his soccer buddy who joined our basketball team this year. His dad has been my son's AYSO coach going back to 2020, and I was able to recruit him to be my assistant coach. It was fun to share the season (and the winning) with both of them.

This season was a good lesson for my son in playing a defined role, and doing what the team needs. His buddy is a phenomenal athlete in general, and basketball is his best sport. He was our team's leading scorer and averaged 20 points a game (that's a lot). Meanwhile my son, who is “a big”- meaning he is taller than most kids and often plays near the basket getting rebounds and close shots- often assesses his worth strictly based on how many points he scored. In one game, he had 13 rebounds (for a youth game, that's a ton). In another game he had 6 blocks (also a lot). But after each game he seemed upset, and fixated on the fact that he wasn't scoring a bunch of points even when we won.

It was after his 13 rebound game that he told me he had a bad game because he missed 6 layups. I didn't recall that part of his game, as he was absolutely dominant. I don't judge any of the kids strictly on makes and misses, I just coach them to take good shots, and to do their best. “Be safe, have fun, try hard”. That's all I ask of them. But as I'm sure many of you know already- or maybe you are just finding this out with your kiddos- there is an epidemic of low self-confidence, especially amongst kids who are doing relatively well. I'm noticing that it is especially prevalent in young boys. So not only did the end result (a championship) help with the self esteem, but just growing into his role and learning how to be a “Shaq to his Kobe” was a big step. 

He carried that newfound swagger forward into our All-Stars mini-season. He had an even bigger role on that team, playing as our “big” against some really good players from other Rec Centers. Our Yosemite Lakers went 4-0 in pool play, with the last win against a nearby “rival” Highland Park, who had a legitimate Center who was absolutely dominant in the other games we watched. As our team's big, he faced up against this bigger, stronger, better player, and he got the best of the matchup. We advanced to the Semi-Finals in the Metro Region (making the last 4 out of 24) and finished in the final 16 out of 64 teams city-wide. Definitely a proud Dad-Coach moment for me, and it did a ton for his self confidence, especially given all of his injury challenges this past year.

And so in all of this, here is the tie back. We, too, over time grew into our role at USC, faithfully committed to improving game after game, always doing what was asked of us. We played hard. We played injured. We went up against tough opponents. We fought through all of the external factors, the bad referees, the super star teammates, sometimes playing under great coaches, and sometimes unqualified ones. All of us just quietly doing our jobs. Putting in the work every day. Playing our role. Fighting through adversity. Trying to scratch out a W for the team.

And we only expected that, in return, our efforts would be recognized. Not loudly or publicly. Not with anything exceptional, like a new contract or a gigantic raise. We didn't need our name in lights, or even need to win the championship year after year. We just wanted the occasional pat on the back after a really good game, and our names notated on the stat sheet. We knew that nobody was counting our every success, tracking our every play, or recording our every stat. And that was ok. We just showed up, knowing our minutes counted for something. Our time mattered. We did this so when our kids showed up later asking if our contributions meant something, the stat-keeper would look them in the eyes and say, “Yup, right here. I see their name on the game leger. I remember them. They worked hard for it. Here you go”.

But the rules were changed. And many weren't even notified before they blew the whistle and called game over. 

So because of this injustice, having earned every right to be here, against a true “big”, USC, still we Fight On.

We are 421 strong.

First, I want to acknowledge that the world probably doesn't need another podcast. Which is why it is Disclaimer #1 in my…wait for it…new podcast. 

So if you missed this exciting announcement in the last Newsletter, please know that the thing the world doesn't need any more of exists anyways. My first episode was similar to my first YouTube video. Or I guess my second YouTube video. According to some, the first one “looked more like a hostage video”. But the My15atUSC Podcast Episode #1 serves as an intro to our movement and the actions that inspired me to create this community. As with all things in life, we tend to get better as we do more of something. We also improve based on feedback. So I encourage you to listen, even if only to help me improve.

Some of the feedback I received was that the volume was too low. With the help of a radio journalist friend, I think I got the recording levels better this time. In this second episode, I share a portion of my journey, the first 4-5 years at USC. I plan to do at least one more, to set the stage for either me telling some of your stories myself, or (hopefully) us doing an interview style episode when we tell yours together. The good news is, it can only go up from here. Consider it your homework to listen to at least one. Extra credit for both.

You can find it here on Spotify. Or you can search “My15atUSC” on Apple Music, Amazon, or iHeartRadio.

As you know, our Instagram content is almost exclusively generated from comments made on our surveys. Dust yourself off and help us get back in the game. The TAB Dreams survey asks you just three questions.

We only have two responses so far. Hopefully this newsletter, and the break I gave you, will inspire you all to contribute. I’ll just keep asking if you don’t.

I was able to attend the State of the University Address at the Health Sciences Campus in person. Having worked there for over two years, it was good to be back on the campus. There was definitely some positive energy as President Kim’s appointment was only a week old, and it was the first of the two SOTU addresses. One of the things I enjoyed most about the speech was that it was specific to the Health Sciences Campus, and their work. It was less about what had been accomplished, and focused more on where we had the potential to collectively go. He was honest about the challenges facing USC. It was completely opposite what we saw in 2025, where we were told to believe things were going great when it was obvious- especially for our community- that they simply weren’t. If felt less like the typical “practice run” before the big UPC event, and more like he was speaking directly to the community. I’d encourage you watch either (or both) the HSC Presentation and UPC Presentation if you haven’t already.

As I shared, I am optimistic about the future under his leadership. In my interactions with President Kim, he has an authenticity that helps you feel like you’re co-creators of the same moment, whether big or small. At the HSC address, I had the pleasure of briefly speaking with Board of Trustees Chair, Suzanne Nora Johnson. I shared my thanks for their decision, and I commented that Beong feels like the right person at the right time. Not just because it’s a good time to have a lawyer as our leader, but because he doesn’t just feel like a university president, but instead, he feels like a Trojan. And that has the potential to go a long way in a time where we’re all feeling disconnected.

As shared in past newsletters, I’ve asked him on two occasions about the possibility of revisiting TAB, both when he was in the interim role. While he provided slightly equivocal answers, there was at least what appeared to be an earnest commitment to, in his words, “take a look at it”. It was accompanied with the caveat that “there would have to be tradeoffs”. Now that he’s been selected, and there’s mention that we’re projecting a surplus, it feels like an appropriate time to start revisiting this.

As we continue this journey, I’m hoping to shift our storytelling movement away from myself, and towards our community. I have some folks who have expressed interest, but please let me know if you’d consider being one of them. The Storytelling survey has exactly zero specific questions about you, it’s just to express interest. Please consider it.

As always, I appreciate you being here and contributing to this movement in whatever way you can. We all have conflicted feelings given the past 18 months, but the one thing that is true, almost universally, is that there are pockets within the Trojan Family where despite everything, the connection remains unbreakably strong. It’s within these communities that we’ll not only find comfort, but hopefully, the strength to continue to push forward.

I look forward to hearing from you, in the surveys, via email, and in person. Reach out to me at any time.

Until the next time, take care.

Phil

[email protected]