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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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