On a small campus such as UIS, students have the distinct advantage of interacting with faculty and administration in the classroom and at social events on campus.

The announcement that the faculty could exercise their right to strike because of stalled contract negotiations reveals that this advantage comes with great responsibilities for students.

Chancellor Koch, for example, regularly attends student functions on campus, which shows her commitment to being involved in student life. At the same time, though, she represents the interests of an administration that many believe have not negotiated in good faith with the faculty. Working without a fair contract certainly impacts student life as the majority of our time is spent with school work under the guidance of dedicated faculty. Anything that distracts the faculty from their core teaching mission impacts our education.

When the Chancellor attends an event, take the opportunity to thank her for supporting students by being there, but also accept the responsibility you have to remind her that your professors deserve a fair contract so that they may uphold high standards in teaching and service.

It is essential to be respectful, but the Chancellor would benefit from hearing your concerns regarding the working conditions of your professors. Their working conditions are students’ learning conditions. As students, we have a responsibility to make our concerns heard whenever we have the opportunity to speak with representatives of the administration.