Urgent Action - Register Now to Defend Higher Education on October 29th

10/22/2020

Dear FSU Members,

Our efforts are working.  Governor Baker has proposed a level-funded budget through this fiscal year.  But we must push the legislature to improve on this and ensure the budget includes specific measure to stop/reverse cuts, furloughs, and layoffs.   If you haven’t already, please call your legislator!  The MTA makes it easy. Or click here to send an email instead.

Most importantly, please attend – and encourage your students to attend – a Boston-area Teach-In and Legislative call out on October 29th, from 3:30-4:30pm. Register here.  You can attend this event via zoom or (physically…but social distanced!) at the State Capitol.   

This is a great opportunity to get students involved.   All of us, but especially students (who are perhaps most impacted), must let our elected officials know what is happening to our colleges, universities, and communities as they deliberate the state budget.

This event will be educational.   We will hear from students, staff, and faculty from not only UMass Boston, but from Roxbury Community College, MassArt, and Bunker Hill Community College -- all of whom will talk about how their learning and working conditions have been impacted by budget cuts.  We will also learn how funding decisions are made at the state level, and take part in a collective effort to phone our state legislators -- Democrats and Republicans --  in order to send a clear message to policymakers that public higher education must be at least level-funded during this emergency.  

Let students know that you will be attending, and explain why you believe it's important to do so.  If you happen to be teaching a course about politics, budgets, higher education, or other related themes….encourage all your students to come for what will be a hands-on educational dive into the world of state funding and the legislative process.

In an ideal world, students, families, and communities would find out on their own about the politics and funding issues affecting higher education.  But in the actual world we live in, it is important for faculty/librarians to help UMB students (as well as our friends and family!) learn about and engage with these issues.  We hope you and many of your students can attend the event.

Register now!   The future of higher education depends on it.

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