Theresa Kulbaga: “Today is about more than Cook Field.”

We also mourn the death of numerous academic programs, faculty who have been let go, and the central academic mission of this university.

Hi, I’m TK, and I’m the President of the Faculty Alliance of Miami, AAUP-AFT, Local 375.

Today is about more than Cook Field. As we mourn this green space, and the misguided priorities of Miami’s President and Board of Trustees in decimating it, we also mourn the death of numerous academic programs, faculty who have been let go, and the central academic mission of this university.

We also mourn the refusal of Miami leadership to work with students, with faculty, and with librarians to make Miami a great place to teach and learn. Unfortunately, Miami administration is more interested in making deals with corporate partners, outside consultants, and banks than serving its own students. Like the politicians and billionaires all over the state and nation who are more interested in lining their own coffers than helping the people, Miami administration has effectively abandoned its own students and university community in favor of paying millions to people outside the university. And make no mistake — these millions are made possible by charging students more and paying faculty and librarians less.

Management is currently refusing to negotiate fairly with FAM. They are offering faculty just 3.75% wage increases over the course of three years — that’s barely over 1% per year. In this economy? NO. FAM is fighting for 15+% wage increases for all faculty and librarians over that same 3-year period to keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living.

Miami does not need a new $281 million arena and bad advice costing nearly $10 million from outside consultants who don’t even understand higher education. Miami needs real investment in students, librarians and faculty — we are the university. NOT THEM. The students and teachers who foster learning every day make Miami what it is.

Let’s remember why Miami is a top-ranked university for undergraduate education in the US. It’s not because we have sports arenas. It’s not because of external consultants and land developers. It’s not Miami’s incompetent leaders. It’s the students, faculty, librarians, and staff who perform the central academic mission of teaching and learning every single day.

Today, let’s mourn Miami leadership’s misguided priorities. Let’s mourn the death of shared governance, fair workloads, and the arts and humanities at Miami. But let’s celebrate our students, our librarians, our faculty, our staff, our beautiful human brains. Let’s celebrate our power — as we ARE the university — to demand a Fair Contract Now for faculty and librarians and a better Miami University for all.

[CHANT: “Whose field? OUR FIELD!! Whose campus? OUR CAMPUS!! Whose university? OUR UNIVERSITY!! STUDENTS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED! FACULTY UNITED WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED! LIBRARIANS UNITED WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED! Whose university? OUR UNIVERSITY!!]