The written response comes after an Oct. 30 meeting between about 15 members of the Campus Solidarity Working Group,  Roellke, Kitzinger, Chenette, Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Faculty Policy and Conference Committee Steve Rock, Vassar Student Association (VSA)  President Caitlin Ly ‘10 and VSA Vice President for Operations Brian Farkas ‘10. The meeting was intended to be a discussion clarifying demands, not a negotiation of them.

Members of the Campus Solidarity Working Group wished to video tape the discussion to be publicly available afterwards. The administrators present were hesitant and only agreed to allow the meeting to be taped if the tape would only be shared with members of the Campus Solidarity Working Group. Students present did not to agree to these conditions, and instead read a prepared response to questions about their demands—which had been sent to them prior to the meeting—before ending the meeting.

Along with their response to demands, Roellke, Chenette and Kitzinger also sent a letter to the group outlining their concerns with the group’s tactics of making demands occasionally disruptive proceedings. “We believe your actions are motivated by your deep commitment to your ideals of community you hlod dear,” they wrote. “However, your recent expression of those ideals in the form of demands impairs community by seeking to impose your will outside the representative and governance processes that are in place to ensure that a wide variety of voices inform decision-making.”

“At this point we offer you a written response to demands as the best option available, absent the opportunity for the conversation we had desired. If you wish to pursue a conversation that might provide for mutual understanding and compromise, we remain open to further exchanges,” senior officers wrote in the letter.

The demands included the “reinstatement of eliminated positions and cessation of job eliminations” as well as the inclusion of the unions on campus in all negotiations. The Officers replied that the compensation budget of the College represents too large a percent of the operating budget not to be reduced in the process of restructuring Vassar’s budget. In the response, they explain that because the restructuring of the budget must be permanent, temporary pay cuts across the College would not achieve the desired savings, and permanent pay cuts would render Vassar’s compensation of its employees uncompetitive.

The senior officers also listed measures to reduce the compensation budget that they exercised before eliminating positions, which included replacing vacant positions only when absolutely necessary, pay freezes for administrators earning more than $50,000 annually and a program of retirement incentives.

In response to the demand for direct negotiations with unions, the Officers clarified that there is a formal process for hearing union grievances. “The College stands ready to hear all grievances appealing staffing decisions that have resulted in layoffs, consistent with the established grievance process detailed in each union contract. Several grievances concerning some of the steps the college has taken were already in process prior to the receipt of the ‘list of demands,’” they wrote. ”The grievance process is a time‐tested method of settling disputes between labor and management. Each grievance focuses on addressing the individual request of an employee and how it complies with the mutually agreed up contract.”

Other demands included a thorough review of the new custodial schedule, the re-examination of expiring faculty contracts, financial transparency and an opportunity for members of the community to give suggestions about the financial decisions of the College. The senior officers responded to each one and reminded the group that the College is receptive to ideas through the e-mail address budget@vassar.edu or the Vassar and the Economy web site. According to the senior officers, they have received a variety of useful suggestions but did not feel that it was appropriate to share them publicly as they were not offered with the intention of being public.

In response to the first demand, the senior officers wrote that the College’s commitment is to the long-term fulfillment of the educational mission of the College, “There will be disagreement about what is essential to that mission and how to achieve it, and we welcome and depend upon discussions among members of the community that help to inform all of us about these differences.”

The complete response to the demands of the Campus Solidarity Working Group can be read after the jump:

November 3, 2009

Response to the demands of the Solidarity Working Group

Prepared by Dean of the Faculty Jonathan Chenette, Dean of Planning and Academic Affairs Rachel Kitzinger and Dean of the College Christopher Roellke.

#1 and 2: Reinstatement of Eliminated Positions and Cessation of Job Eliminations

In the first quarter of this academic year, numerous individuals have been notified that they will no longer have positions at the College several months from now. Therefore, we demand that those who have lost their positions during this academic year be reinstated immediately or immediately given jobs at the college with equal pay. It is increasingly clear that job eliminations are unpredictable and may very well continue at various levels of employment at the College. Therefore, we demand that all job eliminations are ceased immediately.

Response: The administration and the trustees have an obligation to protect the long‐term health of the college; members of the community who are committed to the value of the kind of education that Vassar offers also care about its survival for future generations. In these times of financial stress, what we would like to do in the present and what we must do for the future of the college have to be carefully considered and, in some ways, weighed against each other, and choices have to be made. In making those choices we are guided by the educational mission of the college. There will be disagreement about what is essential to that mission and how to achieve it, and we welcome and depend upon discussions among members of the community that help to inform all of us about these differences. Those who are given the responsibility by the Governance of the college to make decisions about the allocation of resources make those decisions in the context of our collective and varied understanding of our educational mission and take to heart the importance of the College’s ability to fulfill that mission today and in to the future.

Decisions also have to be made with reference to financial realities. Here are some of them: As we have discussed with the Vassar community over the past year, we know that we need to restructure our operating expenses permanently and not through short‐term measures. We also know that the share of our operating budget that goes to compensation makes it  impossible to restructure our finances without reducing this budget. And we know that we cannot create the kind of permanent change that is required through a temporary, or even permanent, reduction in any particular subset of salaries and wages, even an across the board reduction. The dollar value of the change we need to make is simply too large and would translate into unfair and inequitable compensation for many positions at Vassar. Colleges exist in a competitive market and, in that market, competent people expect to be paid at one institution in keeping with salary levels at peer institutions. If we reduced salaries now, we would risk eroding the quality of our workforce and the education we provide our students and would need to raise salary levels in the near future in order to attract and retain the best employees for Vassar. This cycle would not achieve permanent change.

Given these realities we made a decision to lower the compensation budget in the following ways: 1) we decided to restructure when an employee left the college voluntarily, so that we would only replace a vacant position when absolutely necessary; 2) we initiated a program of retirement incentives, to encourage further vacant positions that would not have to be filled; 3) we did not give salary increases for those administrators whose annual salaries were above $50,000. This third approach to controlling compensation was guided by an understanding that our peers were taking similar steps, and by a sense of what was fair and defensible in a difficult year. We were committed to the raises contractually agreed upon under union contracts and honored all of those raises.

These initial steps were insufficient to place the College on a path to sustainable budget levels. Fortunately, the Board of Trustees supported a multi‐year plan to reach a new equilibrium. The level of spending from our endowment this year and next, even with the changes we achieved through voluntary departures, remains very high, and we cannot increase it further. After many people carefully considered the work that is essential, we identified 13 non‐faculty positions that could be eliminated later this academic year. Knowing that people in these positions deserved the college’s support as we made this change, we gave considerable advance notice and have taken several steps to help them find employment, either in other areas within the college or elsewhere. These efforts at assistance continue.

The changes that have been announced put the College in a position to meet our goal for the non‐faculty compensation budget for the 2010/11 academic year. We will continue to review positions as individuals retire or resign, however, since our reliance on endowment support is still too high. We have been working on adjustments in the faculty over the same period of time, with input from various faculty committees and extensive discussions between the Dean of the Faculty and departments and programs. We expect to implement these changes by July 1, 2010. These decisions will again be taken with as full a consideration as possible both of the college’s mission and an understanding of the variety of contractual arrangements that different groups within the faculty have with the college.

#3. Direct Negotiations

Though steps have been taken to minimize the number of staff layoffs and firings, it is essential that campus workers and their unions be given the opportunity to negotiate these issues. Therefore, we demand that the College open direct negotiations with all unions represented on campus.

Response: The College stands ready to hear all grievances appealing staffing decisions that have resulted in layoffs, consistent with the established grievance process detailed in each union contract. Several grievances concerning some of the steps the college has taken were already in process prior to the receipt of the “list of demands.” The grievance process is a time‐tested method of settling disputes between labor and management. Each grievance focuses on addressing the individual request of an employee and how it complies with the mutually agreed up contract. The College is committed to upholding the same fair employment practices in the settling of these grievances as it would in any other case. It is neither appropriate nor necessary to establish another channel of communication, when in fact the contracts themselves outline a clear process for direct communication on the interpretation of contract language about every aspect of employment and cessation of employment. The College participates in this process with a strong commitment to our employees’ welfare.

One responsibility of supervisors and managers in each area of the college is to determine the size and responsibilities of the workforce needed to accomplish the College’s goals. These are essential responsibilities of the employer, as outlined in the collective bargaining agreements, and the College would not negotiate away the responsibility for determining the ultimate size of the workforce. The contracts also contain language regarding seniority, notice periods, severance pay and benefits, all of which we follow in the event of layoffs. The College has taken great care to abide by all provisions in the three separate labor contracts which determine conditions of employment for some of the employees affected by layoff decisions. The unions received formal notification of all layoff decisions, and, although we were not required to do so by the union contract, we invited an official representative to be present during the initial communication with the unionized employees in all cases (except one, due to a scheduling problem.) Copies of letters to employees who are members of each bargaining unit were also sent to each union.

#4. Cleaning Shifts

The academic year has made clear that changes in cleaning shifts made over the summer have not worked for many individuals, be they custodial staff, students, or other staff and faculty. Shifts begin early in the morning, though many employees have children to care for during that time. Shifts end in the early afternoon, leaving facilities unattended to if problems arise. Shifts require that staff move frequently from building to building, regardless of weather conditions. Therefore we demand a comprehensive re‐examination of the current model of cleaning shifts.

Response: Vassar staff – custodial managers, cleaners and janitors – are still adapting to procedures implemented on August 17th. We do not believe sufficient time has elapsed to judge the effectiveness of this new approach. We do agree that ongoing review and adjustment are important to the success of this change in procedure; under the leadership of Tom Allen, Kiki Willliams, and Cynthia Van Tassell, changes that improve both the service and the ability of employees to do their work are being made all the time.

This process includes soliciting feedback from those who receive service (faculty, students, administrators and staff) as well as from custodial staff members. To date, the managers responsible for custodial services have made changes in the amount of time spent in various facilities and have improved protocols for equipment and supplies. The ongoing assessment will be comprehensive, just as the initial research and planning was. The “team cleaning approach” is a proven method in use in many multi‐building campuses. Although some members of Vassar’s custodial staff in the past had one building assignment, quite a few moved between several buildings in the course of theirwork, and some of those moving assignments occurred during the night shift. The new shift schedule is an improvement for some staff, who now work predominantly in the daytime. All custodial employees who had personal circumstances that made it difficult for them to adapt to the new schedule, including family care responsibilities and transportation issues, were given a revised schedule to accommodate their special needs. The College will continue to address employee needs for schedule adjustments. (Although the College proposed a procedure to handle such accommodations in a routine way in the future, the union representatives rejected that approach. Instead employees will file grievances, and the College will respond. We would have preferred a less confrontational approach.) There is an established procedure for addressing difficulties in buildings when a custodian is not present. Requests for assistance can be made by contacting the Service Response number between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM (extension 5555). After 5:00 PM, calls go through the Campus Response Center (CRC – extension 5221). This procedure was in place even before the cleaning schedule change, since no Vassar facility was ever staffed 24 hours a day. The Service Response personnel or the Troubleshooter (after hours) evaluates the issue, determining if an immediate response is needed; if it is, the issue is referred to a Custodial Supervisor, who will call in personnel as needed.

#5 Job Security

Vassar College is indebted to the Poughkeepsie and Mid‐Hudson communities. Therefore, we demand that the College recognize this responsibility by continuing to provide stable employment, including winter and summer breaks, with decent wages to community residents.

Response: Vassar is committed to being a responsible and fair employer in the mid‐Hudson region. Positions at Vassar are well compensated and carry very strong benefits. Vassar strives to offer all employees compensation that is fair and equitable within the appropriate labor markets. The Human Resources Office reviews wage levels for similar positions within the local or national labor market, in order to ensure that we are providing appropriate salaries, wages and benefits.

Not every position is full‐time or full‐year, given the academic calendar and the operational needs of various service departments. When a position is advertised, the College includes information about the work schedule attached to that position, and we make clear that work cannot be guaranteed for hours outside that standard schedule. It is true that there have been additional opportunities for work during winter and summer breaks in the past. Whenever possible, the College has used additional opportunities to allow employees to fill in gaps in scheduled employment. These additional opportunities arise from programmatic need. Summer employment, in particular, depends upon the level of summer program activity, which is not guaranteed to the College and therefore cannot be guaranteed to employees. The College took steps several years ago to ensure that benefit‐eligible employees remain eligible for health insurance year round, even during intersession periods.

#6 Respect, Dignity, and Peace on Campus for All Workers

The College was founded on principles of social justice. We must remain committed to these principles so that they are not undermined by power and privilege. Therefore, we demand that marginalized groups be given an equal voice and vote in the decision‐making process so that the power to make decisions does not come exclusively from the privileged few.

Response: The decision‐making process at Vassar is established by the Governance, with the Board of Trustees as the ultimate authority. The Governance further establishes a number of different committees and individuals to make decisions that affect many different areas of the college. Decisions concerning union employment are made in accordance with agreements established between the college and the unions. There is no single pattern of decision‐making. Vassar’s Governance is based largely on the principles of representative government, where those who have the responsibility for decision‐making are selected by members of the community to represent them. This form of governance by nature incorporates many perspectives in an intentional way, as we strive together to realize our educational mission, which makes evident in multiple ways a commitment to creating better lives for those within and outside our community.

The heading of this demand calls for respect, dignity, and peace for all who work at Vassar. We look forward to working with members of the community who wish to strengthen the ways we currently foster an environment of respect, dignity, and peace for all within the governance structure of the college. We share the desire to find new ways to create an even stronger sense of our mutual understanding and respect for each other.

#7. Reexamination of Expired Contracts

The College has committed to excluding economic factors in the determination of tenure track positions. Therefore, we demand the same commitment be made with respect to expired contracts; that the nonrenewal of contracts will not occur due to economic conditions; and that students, faculty, and administrators will be given equal and active voices in this decision‐making process.

Response: Every year in the fall, departments and programs submit requests for the following academic year for more non‐tenure‐track faculty staffing than the College can afford. Some of these requests are for the renewal of expired contracts; some of them are requests for new appointments, to replace faculty on leave or to expand the curriculum. Decisions about approving requests for non‐tenure‐track faculty staffing require careful balancing of competing curricular priorities, enrollment pressures and trends, confidential contract information, confidential faculty review documents, legal and ethical standards in employment policy, and the College’s financial circumstances.

Gauging curricular need carefully is particularly important during an economic downturn because of the smaller number of positions we can afford. The Dean and Associate Dean of the Faculty have held dozens of hours of meetings with individual faculty members, department chairs, program directors, and student and faculty groups over recent weeks in order to deepen their knowledge of the rationales for non‐tenure‐track faculty staffing requests. To make decisions on the principle that renewing expired contracts takes precedence over all other considerations would be to ignore curricular need and enrollment pressures as part of the decision‐making process. To act responsibly towards our educational mission we must consider the shape of the curriculum, as well as many other factors, in making these decisions.

The faculty, through their elected committees and through the established procedures of department, program, and faculty meetings, are responsible for determining educational policies in each area of the curriculum, and the Dean of the Faculty works closely with the faculty to ensure that staffing supports the curriculum within the limits of the College’s resources. Students participate through CCP, the VSA, and majors committees, as well as individual interactions with chairs of departments and programs and other faculty members. A wide array of student, faculty, and administrative voices informs these decisions.

# 8. A New Management Strategy

The College has used the examples of “peer institutions” to guide its actions, rhetoric, and rationale for various decisions. Therefore, we demand that Vassar College create its own management model rather than use the management styles of “peer institutions” to guide our actions and rhetoric. This model will include the understanding that in times of future economic crises, the College’s first commitment should be to those in the most precarious economic situation.

Response: The governance structure at the college is articulated in the college’s Governance, which lays out the responsibilities of different groups on campus, including the Board of Trustees, the administration, faculty, and students. Each of these groups undertakes its responsibilities in a cooperative and consultative way to the best of its abilities. This governance structure plays a large part in determining the uniqueness of Vassar as an institution. While we recognize and value Vassar’s special character, it is often helpful and informative to see how we compare with peer institutions in a number of areas which are of common concern to all liberal arts colleges in order to make informed decisions. We can learn from other institutions and even other types of organizations, as they can learn from us. As an institution of higher education, using available information that might help us make decisions that will accomplish our mission more effectively is crucial to the principle of inquiry which is central to our educational mission.

Reasonable people can and will disagree, and good processes and cooperative efforts will not always result in consensus. We are a stronger institution if we can preserve our faith in representative processes that lead to decisions, even when we disagree with the outcomes.

In response to economic crises, the College must balance many different commitments and ensure that no value central to its mission of educating our students is compromised. One of our values is to be a fair employer, but, while we are committed to treating all of our employees well, there will be times when we have to adjust our levels of employment, in accordance with present and future needs.

#9 and 10: Financial Transparency and Town Hall Meetings

There is a general concern in our community that information is often not transparent, available or trustworthy. When information is made available, it is done so selectively and to particular groups and constituencies of the College, confusing the processes of communication between community members. Therefore we demand financial transparency. Students, faculty, and staff are perfectly able to, and will, partake in financial decision‐making and the creation and dissemination of financial information. All available information will actively be made public to the College community. Similarly, the sharing and discussion of available information is critical in maintaining a healthy and communicative community. Therefore, we demand that at least monthly town hall meetings be held to bring together students, faculty, staff, and administrators where not only information will be shared and discussed, but all community members will have the opportunity to engage in collective decision‐making.

Response: Those at the college whose job it is to report financial data to government agencies, auditors, and organizations that collect data about college and universities take responsibility for making accurate information available to the community in various locations, such as the website for the Office of Finance and Administration, the Vassar and the Economy website, and the website for the Office of Institutional Research. In addition the administration has made an effort to give information to all constituencies in a variety of forums, where there is an opportunity to explain data, answer questions, and engage in discussion about the college’s situation. We have deliberately varied the groups at these meetings, so that people feel free to bring up issues of concern to a particular group and so that different schedules can be accommodated. Large group meetings do not always encourage discussion. The information presented at these meetings, as well as on the websites, has been consistent and is based on the college’s audited financial reports and reports required by a variety of external agencies. Some information that informs decisions at the college is protected by standards of privacy and confidentiality; this information cannot be shared widely.

The purpose of our meetings has been both to share information with the community and to hear concerns, opinions and ideas from those who attend. The email address,

budgetideas@vassar.edu, initiated in the fall of 2008, and the Vassar and the Economy website, initiated in August of 2009, provide means for all members of the community to communicate ideas and suggestions anonymously. We seek to allow any informed member of the community to participate in the process of change with suggestions, ideas, commentary and advice. The decisions that result from this consultative process, the responsibility for which lies ultimately with those charged with it under the Governance, benefit from vital community input through these channels. We strive for transparency by providing the community with the information that enables members to participate in an informed way and then by making clear the principles, the input from the community, and the data upon which the decisions are made. Ideas about how to share and discuss information in a more productive way, within the limitations of both union contracts and the Governance of the college, are welcome.

# 11. Invitation to Submit Cost–Cutting Ideas

Though particular actions have been taken in order to save the College money, it is clear that ther remains an abundance of ways, possibly unnoticed by many, that the College can cut costs. Therefore, we demand that all students, faculty, staff, and administration by given an open and public invitation to submit their own ideas about how to cut costs at the College. All proposals will actively be made public to all students, faculty, staff, and administrators, who will all be given ample time to consider these proposals before any financial decisions are made.

Response: We have been soliciting, taking into account, and following up on cost‐cutting ideas from the community for about a year now. Individuals can submit ideas by e‐mail, letter, or on the economy web site. We have received many useful suggestions. We have not made all proposals public, because some have not been given with the assumption that they would be made public. For example, we have received suggestions that specific positions be eliminated or comments that certain departments are inefficient or ineffective. It would not be appropriate to make such recommendations public, but the feedback was properly relayed so that it could be considered.

As for the over‐all strategy for addressing the financial crisis, the discussions have been inclusive and consistent with our governance structure. A variety of committees have been involved, from committees of the Board of Trustees, to the Priorities and Planning Committee (with faculty, administration, and student representation), to AGAFR and CCP (both with faculty, administration, and student representation). Financial decision‐making is ultimately the responsibility of the Board of Trustees. The administration, in consultation with other constituencies on campus, informs the Board’s decision‐making. Our foundational documents require that major financial decisions be made in this way. Because our hourly staff have chosen to unionize, they cannot, by law, be involved in management decisions. They work through union representatives in their discussions with management.

#12. Response to Demands

We demand a response to these demands, which, along with a copy of this list, will be made public to all students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

Response: We provide this written response to these demands in the spirit of promoting mutual understanding and trust after having failed in our attempt at a conversational exchange. We believe that a give‐and‐take of ideas is essential to the discourse that Vassar as an educational institution depends upon. Our goal is to strengthen respectful exchange and find ways that members of the community can share perspectives in order to influence decisions, always channeling the best ideas toward the governance bodies and individuals most in a position to consider and implement them. We also acknowledge that the process of such exchanges will not lead to agreement in all cases. The Campus Solidarity Working Group has made it clear that they have been driven to make demands, because their attempts to use other modes of communication have not led to the results they seek. Our response is based on different assumptions about how decisions about the college’s financial situation must be made. But we wish to reaffirm our belief in the effectiveness of honest and open exchanges of ideas unconstrained by symbolic or actual force as an essential feature of decision‐making in any context and at any level.

#13. Immunity

We demand immunity from punitive repercussions for anyone who has engaged in this struggle for justice.

Response: Diversity of perspective is highly valued at Vassar, and we encourage such expression. Freedom of expression is an essential component of a liberal arts education and a core value in our community. Because we are a community, we must couple this freedom with a concern for the safety and welfare of others. When we express divergent views and perspectives, it is essential that we all abide by Vassar College regulations and the community’s shared expectations of civil discourse. These regulations and expectations, jointly established among students, faculty, and administrators, are designed to protect the interests of all members of our community.

Our community’s regulations and expectations can be found in the Vassar College Student Handbook; the section entitled College Regulations applies to all members of the college community. Additional statements regarding conduct addressing specific constituencies within the college community are contained within the Governance of Vassar College, the Faculty Handbook, the Administrative Handbook and negotiated union contracts. Should violations of these regulations and expectations occur, the College must uphold the rules and standards of mutual respect by which we live as a community.

It is not clear to us what the solidarity group means by “punitive repercussions.” Conduct proceedings at the College are guided by a number of goals: educating the community about potential violations; protecting members of the community whose safety and welfare may have been jeopardized; and regulating behavior that violates the college’s standards for civility, integrity, and respect for each other, while protecting the right of every member of the community freely and respectfully to express his or her opinions.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 3 p.m., approximately 100 members of the College community held a demonstration outside of Main Building; though there were several faculty members present, the group was primarily made up of students and staff from the two major campus unions, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

According to a list of demands read aloud at the start of the demonstration, those participating were advocating primarily for the suspension of all further position eliminations; the group also asked that those who have had their positions eliminated be reinstated in their former position or in another College position.

A draft of demands was discussed at an open meeting on Monday in the Gold Parlor, which was attended by about 10 students and briefly visited by All Campus Dining Center (ACDC) Chef’s Helper Cathy Bradford. After the demands were discussed and communally agreed upon, they were formatted on Tuesday by John Joyce ‘12 into the draft presented on Wednesday in front of Main Building.

At the start of the demonstration, Bradford was the first to speak. “Stop the laying off. We have families and children that we have to take care of,” she said. After further remarks from Bradford and from Anastasia Hardin ‘10, Sarah Muenzinger ‘10 and CWA Business Manager Carl Bertsche, the group explained that they would march first past ACDC, then Baldwin Hall and then Rockefeller Hall. Hardin said that once the group walked around campus, they would “present a copy of the demands to the senior officers in person.” All the senior officers, however, were scheduled to be in a faculty meeting in Rockefeller Hall until about 5 p.m.; the meeting was scheduled in May, according to the Dean of the Faculty office. Over the course of the group’s trip across campus, the demonstrators grew in number to over 200 people, according to students involved.

Update: By approximately 4:25 p.m., the group moved from the College Center to Rockefeller Hall, positioning themselves outside the building in hopes of attracting the attention of administrators and faculty meeting in Rockefeller 300. By 4:40 p.m. the group had disintegrated to about 25 people, and about five minutes later the demonstration ended officially.

Update: About mid-way through the faculty meeting, which lasted from about 3 to 5 p.m., the group of demonstrators gathered outside Rockefeller 300, where the faculty meeting was being held. President Hill reported that she heard banging on the double doors of the auditorium, at which point Dean of the College Chris Roellke exited to talk with the group. ”We requested that we deliver the demands to the senior officers,” said Joyce, “when others from the group demanded that President Hill come to us to receive them. Dean Roellke was already outside of the room at this point. President Hill met with the group briefly, and it was agreed that Stephen [Cheng '10] and I would enter Rocky 300 and the rest of the group would wait outside.”

According to Hill, at the time when Joyce and Cheng entered, Dean of the Faculty Jon Chenette was actually already halfway through reading the demands aloud to the faculty in attendance, as he had been forwarded a copy earlier that day.

When Joyce and Cheng entered the room, Chenette asked if they would like to finish reading through the demands and they declined, instead delivering a brief statement to the group. Joyce also presented President Hill, Dean of Planning and Academic Affairs Rachel Kitzinger and Vice President for Finance and Administration Betsey Eismeier with copies of the demands, which were also distributed to members of the faculty at the meeting. “I think it was really good that they sent two students in and that they were given the opportunity to speak,” said Director of Institutional Research David Davis Van Atta, who attended the meeting.

According to Van Atta, the rest of the meeting was spent discussing the original items on the meeting agenda.

This From the Newsroom entry has been updated with corrections and further information since it was first posted at the scene of the demonstration this afternoon. The last update was made at 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Please continue checking miscellanynews.com for more breaking news throughout the week.

At the meeting, one of the event’s other organizers, Robyn Smigel ‘12, began with introductory remarks, explaining that the meeting was initiated by students primarily as a result of the 13 position eliminations which were announced last week by President Catharine Bond Hill in an all-campus e-mail.

One of the first to speak was Science Support Technician Otto Bertsche, who serves as the business agent for one of the two prominent unions on campus, the Communication Workers of America (CWA). Bertsche claimed that since Hill announced the reduction of the 13 positions, three more had been eliminated and that the employees in those three positions had been given their notice without the usual representation by the CWA. “They should have been provided representation in those meetings,” said Bertsche, who explained that Associate Vice President for Human Resources Ruth Spencer has since apologized.

Several expressed concern that though the economic crisis has shown signs of improvement, the College has maintained the “same pace of job eliminations,” said the Business Agent for the Local 200, the Vassar chapter of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Professor of English Donald Foster was also at the meeting. Although not present at the open forum with Senior Officers last Tuesday, Oct. 6, he was a major focus of the discussion. Over the course of the last month, Foster compiled sets of data in a document which he distributed at his discretion to students and other community members—major points of the letter were later refuted by Senior Officers, who made a formal written response, which they urged Foster to forward to all whom he had sent his initial document.

“When Frances Fergusson retired,” said Foster, speaking of Vassar’s ninth President, who resigned in 2006  after nearly 20 years of service to the College, “our giving dropped about 50 percent and stayed there. Our giving has collapsed. No one’s going out there schmoozing with the rich people. Our peers are, but we aren’t, and so our money is not coming in. The markets have come back up, but our fundraising has failed and our administrative costs have skyrocketed. Someone has to pay for that mistake, and it’s coming out of the wrong group,” said Foster.

Halfway through the hour-long meeting, Smigel redirected the conversation by suggesting that those present draft a list of “demands” that they would be able to deliver to the Senior Officers. Hardin began by suggesting that more transparency be a major priority. “One thing that we all share in common,” said Hardin, “is that we’re getting mixed messages, and we don’t have clear information or transparency.”

Though few others had suggestions for demands, all who spoke agreed that the group should work to increase the visibility of their message on campus. According to one student, Adjunct Associate Professor of English Judith Nichols will be working with a group of students to interview and take pictures of those who have recently lost their jobs in order to create “an instillation of posters in the College Center.” Next week, the group will be tabling and selling cupcakes to raise money for the posters.

Before the end of the meeting, one student called on the members of the Vassar Student Association (VSA) Executive Board—all but one of whom were present—to speak about how they were working with the administration and what they planned to tell the Board of Trustees during their scheduled October visit to campus next week. VSA President Caitlin Ly ‘10 rose to speak, reassuring those present that she and the other members of the Executive Board have been working closely with the Senior Officers to represent student opinion in the decision-making process.

Please continue to check miscellanynews.com and From the Newsroom throughout the coming week for further updates on these and other issues.