My name is Mikayla Rodgers. I’m a history major and a senior at the University of Illinois Springfield. As the faculty strike goes on, so many students like me are reflecting on our experiences at UIS and want to show our support for the Faculty and the Staff unions.

I don’t stay at UIS for the administration. I stay because of my professors who always support me and welcome me into their classes. I stay because of the staff who greet me in the morning and check in with me to see how my week is going. I have never once felt welcomed and cared for by the administration.

The only time they ever talk to me is when they see me in my wheelchair and they need a photo-op, or when they are with someone important to the University and want to show they interact with students. They don’t try to get to know me or support me as the faculty and staff do.

The fact that both these unions are having to strike and fight just to get a fair contract shows how the administration has failed them. Faculty and staff shouldn’t have to pick up second jobs just to provide for their family. They shouldn’t have to worry about whether they can pay rent or pay for groceries every month. They shouldn’t be afraid that the university will replace them with AI. They shouldn’t have to pay for parking at the institution they work for, especially with the conditions of the roads and parking lots. They shouldn’t be working without a fair contract. Employees of the university should be able to come to work feeling supported by their administration.

UIS Faculty and Staff have invested so much time and work into their students, and the administration needs to fairly compensate them. Without them, I wouldn’t be graduating in May with a full-time position set up with the National Park Service. Without them, I wouldn’t have stayed at UIS these past 4 years.

I am so thankful for the UIS history department faculty who have been some of my biggest supporters and have done everything in their power to help me reach my full potential. I’m thankful for faculty from other departments who had me in their classes, and those who haven’t had me in their classes, but still fight to educate their students every day. I’m thankful for the staff that take the time to get to know me while they keep our campus safe and thriving. Last of all I am thankful for my time at UIS, and the family I’ve gained here.

My instructors taught me how to be an active citizen who supports everyone and taught me the importance of using my voice and my education to fight for what is right. I have so much love and hope for the UIS community, and I want it to be the best it can be.

To do that faculty and staff need to have a fair contract and fair wages.

The Observer invites members of the campus community to submit opinion pieces for possible publication. Columns, which are subject to editing, should not exceed 900 words and should address issues of interest to the campus community. Columns can be emailed to [email protected].