Students, staff and faculty of UMass Boston are speaking out against cuts to classes offered by the university to the Board of Trustees.
At least 20 courses have been cut this summer while the university tries to dig itself out of a multi-million dollar financial hole.
During a meeting on Wednesday, Marlene Kim, the president of UMass Faculty Union, expressed fear that more will be cut this fall.
"We are looking at 20 courses cut for the summer," said Kim. "If you're trying to cancel courses...you should have faculty input."
Kim wants assurances there won’t be more cuts to classes, layoffs, or any tuition hikes.
"We are concerned that there will be less education here in the fall as well," she said.
School leaders didn’t make any specific promises at the meeting, but did say they would keep the excellent departments, improve others, and cut the rest.
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"We will make sure they have the courses they need, that there are seats in those courses," says school spokesman Dewayne Lehman.
Opponents to these cuts approached the board of trustees Wednesday to address the changes to courses and possibly tuition. Signs and stickers reading #SaveUMass were on display.
The board along with outgoing Chancellor J. Keith Motley listened to student and faculty protests.
DeWayne Lehman, the Director of Communications at UMass, responded, "We will make sure that they have the courses they need, that they...graduate on time."
