The Community Forum: A Call to Action for the Administration

Jack Shlomby, Guest Writer

On Thursday, December 12 in the University Center, staff and members of the Lecturers union joined forces with University of Michigan-Dearborn’s students to hold a community forum in which they invited Chancellor Grasso. 

Though he did not show up, the forum proceeded as scheduled. With Faculty members, Lecturers, and Students speaking to the crowd and the administration on the recent news of CASL budget cuts, class size increases, and class cancellations. 

This news spread like wildfire, as it was immediately met with resistance and outrage by CASL-affiliated faculty and students alike. 

The selected speakers spoke about the issues and discussed their personal allegories and their opinions on the plethora of issues. 

Those speakers were as follows: 

1. MC: Jamie Wraight, LEO Lecturer Faculty, History

2. Anna Lariviere, First Gen Student Org

3. Liz Rohan, Tenure Track Faculty/AAUP, Composition & Rhetoric

4. Graeme Cave, LEO Lecturer Faculty, Philosophy

5. Megan Brown, PRIDE Student Org

6. Quinton Delaat, Wolverine Media Network 

7. Camron Amin, Tenure Track Faculty/AAUP, History

8. Joe Kirkland, LEO Lecturer Faculty, Philosophy

9. Bobby Madamanchi, LEO Lecturer Faculty, Ann Arbor

10. Rita Lee, University Staff United, Ann Arbor

11. Atia Sidiqqui, CASL student in Journalism and Media Production (JuMP) 

The speeches were electrifying and the unity from the crowd was something that could be felt all around the University Center. Most of the speeches were about the effects the CASL budget cuts will have on faculty, students, and specifically lecturers. Which will be taking place right before December 20, or rather the last day before break. Something that was met with a lot of criticism, as they had moved the date from December 4, after a flood of emails and concerns reached their inbox. 

Most of the speeches were personal, and heavy set with emotion and logical rhetoric. Similar to the admin march that occurred Tuesday, December 3 in which students, LEO lecturers, and other faculty member marched in unison to call for action from the UMD administration to come back to the table to discuss potential fixes to the problems that the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters have faced. 

Many important notes were made by the speakers including; the pride in our small class sizes, administrative absence, and the call to action regarding the increase in tuition with a decrease in class options. 

Many passersby stopped to listen and cheer with important points made by the speakers, as well as signing the petitions and asking for more information regarding helping the cause. 

All in all, the community forum event can be garnered a success, as it calls to action the students and faculty to ensure their future for themselves and for future generations of students.