11-20-08, 10:56 am

Resolution Passed Unanimously by the New York State Alliance of Higher Education Unions, November 14, 2008

In light of the financial crisis facing the nation and higher education, we affirm the following:

(1) that academic freedom and economic security for all faculty are necessary for the success of academic institutions;

(2) that no cost-saving measures be considered that contravene existing contracts resulting from collective bargaining;

(3) that no work-force reductions be made for budgetary reasons; (4) that universities “open the books” to share full information with the faculty on the state of university finances;

(5) that university boards of trustees establish meaningful governance structures for trustee-faculty communication about fiscal and academic matters not covered by collective bargaining agreements;

(6) that university officers indicate publicly what cost-saving measures will be taken vis-à-vis administrative structures that have expanded dramatically in recent years;

(7) that the current economic crisis should not be used as a pretext to reduce retiree benefits or to lessen the rights and worsen the working conditions of contingent and contractual labor;

(8) that the current economic crisis should not used as a pretext to reduce access to students from historically underrepresented groups through the diminution or elimination of financial aid/access programs;

(9) that academic institutions must protect initiatives designed to develop, hire, mentor and retain faculty and professionals from historically underrepresented groups;

(10) and that students should not bear the brunt of the current economic crisis through increased tuition and class size and reduced resources.