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<DIV>Hey all you current students and social justice seekers and supporters of our children and their generation's courageous efforts to bring about important social change--</DIV>
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<DIV>My daughter is currently working in solidarity with other students on strike at the University of Puerto Rico in a multi-campus struggle against unfair tuition hikes. Of course such issues, along with the ones listed below, can be found at the intersection of classism and racism on campuses everywhere -- students understand this very well. Let's support their efforts locally at UMass and on every campus -- for a better tomorrow.</DIV>
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<DIV>-Amy </DIV>____________________________________________ <BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Nick Camerota <wmassiac@hotmail.com><BR>To: AriseAction@yahoogroups.com; WMAPage@yahoogroups.com<BR>Sent: Mon, 18 Apr 2005 14:29:40 -0400<BR>Subject: [WMAPage] Support UMass students!<BR><BR>
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From: "Bryan P" <<A href="mailto:bgp%40iacboston.org">bgp@iacboston.org</A>>
Subject: URGENT! Support UMass students!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!
April 17, 2005
An Open letter from progressive UMass-Amherst student-workers: Yes to
independent Student-Worker Power at UMass! No to administration plans to
"restructure" student organizations!
Dear sisters and brothers,
WE NEED YOUR URGENT SUPPORT! Please read the following and then contact the
University of Massachusetts administration officials at the end of this
statement.
Last fall our campus-UMass-Amherst-witnessed a series of very public racist
incidents involving several outgoing leaders of Student Government. The
events were indicative of a racial climate on campus so hostile that the
campus administration was forced to assemble an outside panel of experts to
advise it on how to address the problem.
(Go to <A href="http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/28901" target=_blank>http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/28901</A>)
The Commission on Campus Diversity spent five months meeting with students,
parents, faculty and community members to find ways to address and improve
the situation here at the university, releasing their recommendations in
early February.
(See <A href="http://www.umass.edu/campusdiversity/pdfs/final_report.pdf" target=_blank>http://www.umass.edu/campusdiversity/pdfs/final_report.pdf</A>)
On the first day of Spring Break, Chancellor John Lombardi released a
proposed "action plan" in response to the Commission's recommendations.
Although he claims his plan will improve diversity and inclusion at UMass,
it unfortunately has little to do with these issues and completely ignores
most of the Commission's recommendations.
(Open
<A href="http://www.masslive.com/chicopeeholyoke/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1110703622274281.xml" target=_blank>http://www.masslive.com/chicopeeholyoke/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1110703622274281.xml</A>)
Instead, Lombardi has proposed the most sweeping reorganization of student
affairs in over three decades, and the creation of a new centralized
bureaucracy unaccountable to students or other members of the campus
community. If Lombardi's proposal is implemented, all student organizations
will be consolidated under this new centralized bureaucracy, stripping them
of their independence and limiting their programmatic control.
(See <A href="http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/34733" target=_blank>http://boston.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/34733</A> and also visit
<A href="http://www.takebackumass.com" target=_blank>http://www.takebackumass.com</A>)
For women, students of color, and LGBT students, the Chancellor's proposals
are shocking and unwarranted. Contrary to the Commission's recommendations,
the chancellor's proposal will mean the end of the support services run by
and for these students, ending a thirty year tradition of student
self-activity and outreach.
If Lombardi's plan is carried out, the first student groups to lose
facilities and funding will be progressive and left-wing student
organizations which will also reduce the power of campus unions and other
progressive sectors on campus to fight back. It is also possible that under
a consolidation such as a "Center for Student Development" many campus union
members who staff some of the current student organization offices or
process paperwork, etc. will possibly lose their jobs through downsizing,
attrition and forced retirement.
It's also vital to note that the administration's attacks on student
independence and power are happening at the same time of increasing police
militarization of campus and administration consolidation of financial,
banking, and military interests most boldly represented through the UMass
Foundation. (Visit <A href="http://foundation.umass.edu" target=_blank>http://foundation.umass.edu</A> and read this background item
at
<A href="http://www.dailycollegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/02/23/421bea85d8936?in_archive=1" target=_blank>http://www.dailycollegian.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/02/23/421bea85d8936?in_archive=1</A>)
Outgoing SGA president Eddie Bustamante, says Lombardi's proposal, "reveals
a longstanding plan by a high ranking UMass official to usurp the autonomy
of the SGA and silence the voice of dissenting students. This plan has been
in the works since long before the Commission on Campus Diversity was
formed. If allowed to proceed, it will take control of the following SGA
functions: the school newspaper, television station, radio station, legal
services office, commuter services center, and office of minority advocacy
and education." Added Bustamante, "If this plan is implemented it will form
an umbrella with one purpose: to ensure that the University speaks with one
voice. It will finalize many years of planning to control any voices that
may possibly dissent from the campus' message."
The fight for the rights to public education for poor and working-class
students, true diversity and ultimately student-worker power is a historical
and immediate responsibility of this generation, stresses Bustamante.
This proposed dismantling of independent student power on campus, if
successful, will also have national implications. Private and public
universities will take UMass-Amherst's lead to neutralize, render
ineffective or quash dissent precisely at a time when student
resistance-undergraduate and graduate-is on the rise from the anti-war
movement, protests against draconian tuition and fee increases and graduate
student union struggles.
(Visit: <A href="http://www.geouaw.org" target=_blank>http://www.geouaw.org</A>, <A href="http://www.yaleunions.org/geso" target=_blank>http://www.yaleunions.org/geso</A> and
<A href="http://www.2110uaw.org/gseu" target=_blank>http://www.2110uaw.org/gseu</A>)
As students who care deeply about diversity and social justice, we think
this is simply unacceptable and that OUR University can do better. We also
believe the first place to start is with the Commission on Campus
Diversity's original recommendations.
Fortunately two of the commission members have drafted an alternative to the
Chancellor's plan, the UMass Community Action Plan. This plan implements all
of the Commission's recommendations, and most importantly leaves the
programming and organization of student groups where they are most likely to
succeed with students.
The UMass Community Action plan has been endorsed by a wide array of
faculty, students, staff and community members because it strengthens rather
than attacks student organizations and services for underrepresented
students on our campus. To review the Commission's original set of
recommendations, the UMass Community Action Plan and Chancellor Lombardi's
plan, visit <A href="http://www.umass.edu/campusdiversity" target=_blank>http://www.umass.edu/campusdiversity</A>. For newspaper articles and
further coverage on these plans, visit <A href="http://www.takebackumass.com" target=_blank>http://www.takebackumass.com</A>
Now is the time to preserve independent student-worker autonomy at UMass!
Time is of the essence.
The comment period on Lombardi's plan ends Friday, April 22. After this date
no public comments regarding the "restructuring" will be accepted.
-------------------------
Please take a moment to contact Lombardi and the following individuals.
Please cc letters to: <A href="mailto:contact%40takebackumass.com">contact@takebackumass.com</A> and UMass System President
Jack Wilson: <A href="mailto:jwilson%40umassonline.net">jwilson@umassonline.net</A>. If you're a member of an organization
please ask your fellow members to make calls to these administration
officials throughout this week: April 17-22.
Tell Chancellor Lombardi to throw out his proposed reorganization of student
affairs and demand: Hands off student-worker organization's now! Voice your
support for the democratic and progressive UMass Community Action Plan
instead of the Chancellor's "restructuring" plan.
**********
John V. Lombardi, Chancellor
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, MA 01003
(413) 545-2211
<A href="mailto:lombardi%40umass.edu">lombardi@umass.edu</A>
Jack Wilson
UMass System President
One Beacon St. 26th Floor
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 287 7050
<A href="mailto:jwilson%40umassonline.net">jwilson@umassonline.net</A>
<A href="http://www.jackmwilson.com" target=_blank>http://www.jackmwilson.com</A>
James J. Karam
UMass System Board of Trustees-Chair
180 Horizon Way
Fall River, MA 02720
(508) 676-6268
-------------------------
*Resources: PDF brochure "Chancellor Lombardi's Action Plan and "'Student
Control'" at UMass"
<A href="http://www.takebackumass.com/documents/lombardi-brochure2.pdf" target=_blank>http://www.takebackumass.com/documents/lombardi-brochure2.pdf</A> -- END
--
Union labor donated.
_______________________________________________
FORWARDED IN SOLIDARITY BY
Western Massachusetts
INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER
<A href="mailto:wmassiac%40hotmail.com">wmassiac@hotmail.com</A>
<A href="mailto:wmass%40nodraftnoway.org">wmass@nodraftnoway.org</A>
<A href="http://www.iacenter.org" target=_blank>http://www.iacenter.org</A>
<A href="http://www.troopsoutnow.org" target=_blank>http://www.troopsoutnow.org</A>
----------------------
Founded in 1992 by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, the
INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER was an initiator of the ANSWER Coalition and
helped organize the newly formed TROOPS OUT NOW! Coalition. For regular
local updates on our activities, join our low-volume listserv by clicking
<A href="mailto:wmassanswer-subscribe%40yahoogroups.com">wmassanswer-subscribe@yahoogroups.com</A>, send the pop-up email to yahoogroups,
and reply to their verification notice.
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