If you’re interested in the general student strike planned for Thursday and Friday at UMass, here are the demands. Most of the concerns are legitimate (I’ve already expressed my skepticism about getting the police out of dormitories, which my students tell me interferes with pot-smoking in public spaces). At this point, I can’t tell if this general strike is a just a piling of issues on top of grad student contracts or what. Also, I wonder, why now? I TA on Thursday and haven’t heard what the professor plans to do. I’ve got mixed feelings and several student teachers to consider.
Mark
Here are the demands as posted by the Graduate Student Senate:
STUDENT FEE ROLLBACKS
For the past several years, student fees have continued to rise and rise. While last year’s fee increase was near the rate of inflation, over the past two decades fees have outpaced inflation by 300%. The impact of this upon the whole student body has been a decrease in affordability and accessibility, which is in opposition to the philosophy of this public, land-grant institution. Governor Patrick’s recent initiative to fund capital initiatives on campus signals an increase in the state’s commitment for meeting infrastructure costs, relieving students from the burden of capital expenditures. Therefore, we call for a rollback of all student fees.
FUNDING AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DIVERSITY
1. Increase in outreach and funding to Springfield, Holyoke, and Franklin County
Outreach programs to qualified, prospective students in surrounding low-income areas have been eliminated by administration within the past several years. Grants targeting these communities have not been applied for. We call for a renewal of an investment – in step with Governor Deval Patrick – of the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Hampden County area.
2. Transparency and binding input into diversity funding
No sufficient plan for the allocation of diversity funding exists at the graduate student level. The graduate student employee union (GEO) has been bargaining for the administration to develop such a plan for 11 months, but has gained little ground. For the administration to fulfill the requirement of diversity as a core mission of the University, we call on them to institute a transparent, accountable and democratic process that incorporates student input and oversight.
COPS OUT OF DORMS
Unwarranted searches, police intimidation, and illicit investigative tactics in dormitories are now an everyday violation of student dignity on campus. This has resulted in the arrests of hundreds, if not thousands, of students who have disrupted no one and have caused no harm. Furthermore, the prospect of police patrolling through the bedrooms of students has created an atmosphere of distrust and atomization of campus life. We call for an immediate end to this breach of student rights and privacy.
STUDENT CONTROL OVER STUDENT SPACE
1. Honoring Student Governance of the Student Union and Campus Center
The effective privatization of services within the University has undermined student control of space – particularly that of the Campus Center and Student Union, which are designated explicitly for student use. Worse, the financial burden of maintaining these privatized services has fallen onto the very constituency (students) that it is meant to serve. The Campus Center and Student Union exist for the needs of the students, not the reverse. We call for a return to the administrative agreement of student control over student space, and an end to the fleecing of student organizations for services to which we are entitled.
2. Reverse “All Freshman” Dormitory Policy
With little student input and consideration, the Office of Student Affairs and Campus Life has ordered the implementation of a policy “All Freshman” dorms, particularly in the Southwest Residential Area. This is an abrupt shift in long-standing policy which negatively changes peer dynamics and creates an artificial divide amongst the student body. We call on an end to “All Freshman” dorm housing, and for student input and influence into future housing policies.
Last Updated ( Monday, 12 November 2007 )
davemb says
(but they’re in computer science which tends toward the apolitical)
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The faculty union has asked us not to retaliate against students who participate, particularly TA’s who decline to perform their assigned duties. I’m still holding class on Friday, and I expect any students who skip class to be responsible for finding out what they missed.
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It seems to be rather poorly organized — I first heard of it last week. And the demands are an odd grab-bag of major issues (the fees) and things that ought to be taken up between the VP-Student Affairs and the undergrad government
(the freshman-only dorms).
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Thanks for posting this.