Layoffs. Pay cuts. Loss of job security. On that protest day of October 14, it seemed that our school’s senior administrators were committing the most sins this side of Gomorrah. And maybe they are, but can we really be sure? All coins really do have two sides: and we should be open to seeing both of them before committing to either one. Personally, I hate labeling things of this nature as being wholly correct or incorrect. Let’s take a step back and see that there are quite a few people who aren’t quite as radical and don’t think that “Cappy needs a pay cut.” Of course, there are those who do think so, and fair representation of both sides is called for. So before your eyes go over the paragraphs to come, please take a moment to put aside what you personally feel briefly, as I have had to do while writing this piece.
Thirteen staff positions have reportedly been eliminated, making it easier to understand and agree with the Communication Workers of America’s demands for a “good Christmas,” as Science Support Technician Carl Bertsche, a business agent with the CWA, puts it.
This camp’s demands are based on a simple logic: if there’s a shortage of money, let all, not just some feel its brunt. For the CWA, pay cuts should travel all the way up to the President.
Indeed people do have children to take care of, and if they feel that their employer isn’t letting them do so, a protest is legitimate. It’s also totally understandable that those directly affected by this recession have been rendered restless, helpless and angry.
But there has to be some reason, a well thought out one, which is behind these decisions. And this is where we hop over to the other side and intentionally second-guess ourselves to become more informed. “If you know more about how the college works, you’ll have a better shot at protecting what you believe in,” says Stephanie Damon-Moore, Vassar Student Association (VSA) Vice President for Academics. An example Damon-Moore cited was the erroneous perception that “40 to 50” faculty positions were going to be eliminated in the coming academic year. Describing such perceptions as being “inflammatory,” Damon-Moore suggests that students who are interested in making a change should “approach the VSA” because it, as a body, has little to gain personally from twisting the truth about lay-offs.
The problem is that despite efforts to disseminate this information, there’s a predominant view that information released by the governing body is twisted. A select few also describe the VSA as a “pawn of the administration,” particularly in reference to its Executive Board. Voila! We have a deadlock.
There is no other way to get information that is wholly valid aside from these two sources, and without information, all protesting loses its importance.
So how do we wiggle out of this one? Trust. Excuse this edifying ending, because this is important. There needs to be trust on both ends. And although it’s hard to have faith in something when you yourself are angry or restless, it is essential to remember that the purpose of all groups involved in this situation, be it the CWA, the administration or the VSA, is ultimately to benefit the Vassar community as a whole.
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