As many of our departments are scheduling next semester's courses, and
crucial decisions for Spring are being made, the UNC-CH chapter of the
AAUP invites all UNC students, employees, and community members to an
open meeting on Friday, Oct. 30th from Noon - 1:30pm EDT.
https://unc.zoom.us/j/96570533947?pwd=WTFSOUxZUTgzNjE1emxHOC9DZklKQT09
UNC's plan to reopen campuses for the start of the Fall semester was
fundamentally flawed and doomed to fail. Across the U.S., young adults
ages 18 to 22 saw a 55% increase nationally in Covid-19 cases in
August. And now, in North Carolina, hospitalization rates are the
highest since July. This meeting will provide a space to share
concerns and experiences and to exchange ideas, and we will hear brief
reports from the working groups (Strategy, Finance, Governance) that
emerged from our open meetings this summer.
This fall the groups have developed a detailed analysis of UNC's
budgets and governance, titled “Another UNC is Possible.” A summary
statement will be discussed at the meeting.
UNC’s financial crisis did not begin with Covid-19, and now that we're
facing economic losses as a result of the pandemic, new approaches—to
the Spring semester and beyond—are needed.
Please distribute widely. All UNC students, employees, and community
neighbors are welcome.
As of August 17, 279 students and 45 employees at UNC-CH had tested positive, according to UNC-CH Campus Health (a rate of over 12%). Many of us were, therefore, relieved by yesterday's announcement that all undergraduate instruction at UNC-Chapel Hill would move on-line starting today, August 19.
But we are not out of the woods yet. Our leaders are making no move to send students home and have no plans to close the dorms. There will be no effort to reduce density at fraternities and sororities, over which the university has limited jurisdiction. In short, the threat of continued viral spread will remain high. Campus workers, the entire communities of Chapel Hill and Carrboro, as well as many students are still vulnerable.
The situation at other UNC campuses, forced by the BOG to stay open, is likely to get just as bad or worse. Clusters have already appeared at ECU, Appalachian State, NC State, and UNC-Wilmington.
In light of these conditions, we are asking you once again to join us in a call on our leaders to intervene. We have prepared a letter to Governor Cooper and other state leaders asking them to order all system campuses to close their dorms to all but the students who must stay on campus and to move instruction on-line. Simply fill out the form at the link below.
Click here to read and send a letter urging Governor Cooper and state and county health directors to close campus residences to most students and move all system instruction online.
We are also calling another meeting of faculty, staff, and students from UNC-CH and from other UNC campuses to discuss the situation and our next steps.
Please join us at the link below on Friday, August 21 at 12 noon ET.
https://unc.zoom.us/j/94358093237
For the Zoom password, please email info@unc-ch-aaup.org or DM @unc_ch_aaup, or contact one of the officers below.
Please reach out to one of the AAUP officers with questions, etc.
Karen Booth karenmbooth@gmail.com
Michael Palm mwpalm@gmail.com
Jay Smith jaysmith711@gmail.com
We hope to see you there!