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March 26, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Four College Presidents Urge Support by Faculty and Staff of University of Massachusetts During Fiscal Crisis

NORTHAMPTON, Mass.-In a statement issued today, Smith College Acting President John Connolly joined the presidents of Amherst, Mount Holyoke and Hampshire Colleges in urging their faculty and staff to support their colleagues at the University of Massachusetts during its current fiscal crisis. (The Massachusetts legislature reduced the University's budget for fiscal year 2002 by $28.5 million, including more than $5.7 million in library funding.)

The following is the complete text of their statement:

Statement to the Five College Campus Communities
from the Presidents of the Member Colleges

As presidents of the member colleges in the Five College consortium we want to express our deep concern over the financial difficulties that currently confront the Commonwealth and the University.

We are particularly troubled by the effects these difficulties are having on the University, not only because the University is crucial to the continued health of the Commonwealth we share, but because the University contributes critically to the vitality of each of our own institutions.

Over the years the University's strength has strengthened us all. But within our consortium, just as each of us finds strength in the strength of the others, so too the trials experienced by one must be felt by all. That is why as presidents of our institutions and as the Directors of the consortium we are working closely with one another to provide whatever help we can.

We urge all faculty members and staff to join us in this effort by engaging their creativity and energy to find ways to support their colleagues at the University. We know, for example, that some departments are already working together to facilitate University use of the Five College interchange by identifying and publicizing courses at the colleges that satisfy University requirements and that are likely to include room for interchange students. No doubt many other means of support can be found, and we earnestly ask our staff and faculty colleagues to do all that they can in this time of mutual need.

Tom Gerety, Amherst College
Gregory R. Prince, Hampshire College
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Mount Holyoke College
John Connolly, Smith College

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