Many of you are well aware of the protests and voices of dissent on campus. We have either seen, heard of or have even participated in these events ourselves. These protests are a reaction to harsh budget cuts. All of us have been effected by these in one way or another. As a full time staff member and full time student myself, these cuts have been particularly visible… and hurtful. I find myself attempting to help frustrated and angry students as I too am coping with the same issues. And as a staff member we are also dealing with a 10% cut. As campus employees and students we all find ourselves having to do more with a lot less.
When I came into work today I spoke with Ron Rodriguez & Elizabeth Housewright about their experience with the Pollak Library sit-in yesterday. I am excited to see that students are taking an active role in their education as we should be. Given my position in the University Librarian’s office as his assistant, I have a good understanding of the situation and I can assure you that service cuts are reluctantly made and done so with great deliberation about the impact on students.
Many students may not realize how much the cuts hurt the faculty and the staff that work here in the library because it effects our ability to help the students. It is up to all of us as students, faculty and staff to let the campus administrators know how important the library is. I encourage students to speak with the appropriate campus officials such as the Vice President of Academic Affairs or even the President about the library cuts. Get your parents involved too! If you still feel like you need to do more, you can get involved in various campus organizations and make your voices heard. The Library Committee and PRBC both have mandatory slots for student representation. These committees help determine what happens to our library.
Also, please remember that you can always come speak with us directly in Library Administration. We want to hear from you. We need your input to help us better serve you. Let us know how you think we can best serve the community in these dire times. We are a community and we will make it through these difficult times.
–Sara
General News
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Excellent commentary Sara!