The Executive Committee of the Purdue chapter of the American Association of University Professors has released the following statement in regards to the COVID-19 crisis and its effects on the Purdue community. After deliberation with its membership, and a 27-5 vote in favor of the statement by members, the Committee extends this statement of support for all Purdue employees and their families currently or potentially affected by the impact of COVID-19.
For further information about this statement or AAUP-Purdue contact us at [email protected].
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AAUP-Purdue urges university commitment to retaining all employees, beyond July 1.
April 27, 2020
The Purdue chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-Purdue), the largest AAUP chapter in the state of Indiana, expresses its full sympathies with the victims of the coronavirus, COVID-19, including the already deceased, the already ill, their families, and loved ones. As members of the Purdue community, we also extend special care and support for all those members of our university community whose lives have been disrupted and whose livelihoods and health have been put at risk.
We also wish at this time to express our concern that university upper administration has announced that no one employed by the university will lose their jobs because of the crisis caused by the virus “between now and July 1.” We know the crisis is not going to be past as of July 1. We oppose firings, lay-offs, and furloughs of any kind. Freezing employment in place is not only a matter of saving individuals’ lives by preserving their income stream, their homes, and their health insurance; retaining all employees is a matter of community and national survival. We already see small and large businesses taking this heroic step, and if small businesses whose clients and customers have entirely disappeared can do this, Purdue surely can.
We believe Purdue should commit to retaining every single one of its present employees — regardless of the role they play in our community and regardless of how many tuition dollars are paid, government dollars are awarded, or donor dollars are collected in the coming year. Let’s make sure the slogan “Purdue Leads” is not just a slogan in easy times, but a reality in the hardest of times. The best way to do that is by getting out in front with a firm commitment to its employees that no one at Purdue will be without their jobs because of the pandemic.
Signed,
AAUP-Purdue Executive Committee
TJ Boisseau, President (interim)
Bill Mullen, Vice-President
Alice Pawley, Secretary
Stephanie Masta, Treasurer (interim)
Michael Johnson, Member-at-large (interim)