Ex Com E-Vote_ Endorsing UMB Coalition Letter to Chancellor Re Covid-19_3_20_20

FSU EX COM E-VOTE 3/20/20

Ex Com was asked by email on 3/20/20 to vote on the following. The FSU Executive Committee voted to approve the motion.

MOTION:

I move that the FSU Executive Committee be a signatory on the email drafted by PSU and signed by PSU, CSU and GEO to Newman, Kirleis, Bowen, Meehan regarding student pay during the covid 19 closure.

DRAFT EMAIL TO NEWMAN:

To: Newman, Kirleis, Bowen, Meehan

Cc'd to all signatories

Dear Interim Chancellor Newman and President Meehan,

It has come to our attention that an email sent out by Tom Miller seeking estimates of cost savings includes possible savings from student employee pay.  This is both unconscionable and irresponsible.

As you both know well, our students depend on their jobs at UMass Boston for daily subsistence--for their food, rent, medical care, and utility bills. In the midst of this emergency, it is simply cruel to even contemplate cutting student pay.

We are already seeing this pandemic turn into an economic crisis.  According to a webinar conducted by the Economic Policy Institute yesterday, unemployment insurance claims are up 30% in just the past week, as the most vulnerable workers begin to lose their jobs.  A public institution like UMass should be ensuring that we do not add to those numbers.  We should seek savings where we can--through cancelled travel and events, and even through saved office supplies--but we should guarantee that every worker who depends on us for their livelihood will continue to be paid.  To do less would irresponsibly shift the burden onto other public funds which are needed for workers in businesses and industries that are failing.  The University of Massachusetts is far from failing.

We call on you both to issue directives to all campuses, departments, chairs and directors to continue the employment of all UMass workers, be they undergraduate or graduate students, or part-time or full-time staff or faculty.

We look forward to a response.

We hope you and your families stay safe, and that you act to keep us all safe,

signatories.