More warm and cuddly intimidation from the NYU Provost's office

Dear NYU Student,

The United Auto Workers union has announced that it has decided to proceed with
a “strike.” I want to reassure you that classes will continue to go forward
and we will do our best to minimize the impact of any disruption the UAW may
cause.

As you know, the University entered into a contract with the UAW in 2001, the
first and only private university to do so. We had choices, but we
decided to enter into a contract because the union committed – in writing –
not to interfere with NYU’s academic decision-making. Regrettably,
they broke that promise. In so doing, they damaged a genuine
opportunity for partnership. Remarks from the union leadership, as recently
as this past week, establish that they continue to believe that grievances
of academic decisions, including who should be appointed to teach, are
appropriate.

Still, in August we proposed a new agreement: recognition
of the UAW as the bargaining agent for our graduate students on economic
matters (stipends, health care, employment conditions), but not academic
matters. We made this proposal to bridge the goals important to the
University and the UAW. The union unambiguously rejected the proposal.

We have tried to find a way to make it work with the UAW, twice.
At some point, one must turn from trying to mend an imperfect past and
towards creating a better future.

So, we have implemented increases in stipends ($1000 per year for three years),
and a commitment to an “evergreen” look ahead to enable graduate students to
know the financial aid support three years in advance. A committee of graduate
student representatives has begun work on a new grievance procedure and a
rights-and-responsibility compact.

The UAW is now threatening to disrupt classes. In moving forward after the UAW
rejected our proposal, the University was aware that the UAW might threaten
class disruptions. You are entitled to ask “Is this worth it?” The answer
to that question lies not in whether the autoworkers union chooses to
disrupt classes, but in whether the University’s decision advances or erodes
NYU’s long-term efforts to achieve academic excellence. Along with
many others on campus, I believe it will advance them.

NYU values the freedom to express differences of opinion. In an academic
environment, however, disrupting classes is not an appropriate form of
expression. An academic institution and its faculty must be committed
to classes going forward, to teaching and learning continuing, and to
supporting all its students – including its graduate assistants – as they
pursue their education. In a community of scholars, this is our
vocation, and it is the right course. Despite what may happen over the
coming days, we cherish all of our students. We will remain committed
to them, to their studies, and to their scholarly aspirations, and to your
academic progress.

Sincerely,
David McLaughlin, Provost

I don't feel, and I am sure this will come as a surprise, particularly cherished upon reading these words. Indeed I find them both chilling and frustrating. The claim that NYU values differences of opinion becomes ludicrous given the extraordinarily deceptive, biased, and baldfaced lies through which his provostitudinousness structures his narrative of betrayal and "disruption." Provost Mclaughlin, please listen to me:
We, NYU's PhD students, members of GSOC, (and yes, that's the UAW, you elitist jerk,) are the ones fighting to build a better future. We are the future of the university. And all you need to do to avert the necessity of this strike is start negotitating in good faith instead of resorting to lies and threats. Had NYU spent less of the last month trying every which way it could to intimidate and harass us and instead actually negotiated with the union the vast majority of students and faculty have always supported, we could have had a contract by now. Instead, you can bet I'll be spending cold mornings on picket lines rewriting songs about you. (expecta trecentos hendecasyllabicos!)