Prof. Avila definitely does know the material. And he makes sure that everyone in class knows just how much he knows the material. Unfortunately he doesnt seem to care if his students know what he does. nor does he try to convey this knowledge. instead, he loftily lectures and lets everyone know how inferior we are to him. i have to agree with what almost everyone said in their reviews--not only is avila an unfair grader, a pompous professor, and unconcerned with students' learning, but he also is a HORRIBLE lecturer. I fell asleep in practically every lecture. He uses big words to sound profound, which is fine i suppose, but he is so dry and unenthused about what he is teaching at times, it is just difficult to appreciate what he is saying. Furhter, like reviewers before myself, i found that if you have a different take on history/point of view, you are obviously WRONG because you don't see things from Avila's perspective. If you want to take an interesting GE or need 10A for your major, make sure to take this class with a different professor. I guarantee you will walk out with a greater appreciation for chicano history.