At a time of great institutional stress and change it is vital that we remember that we are all one community with a shared and singular mission: to provide the highest level of education possible whether that is in our role as faculty, staff or administrators.
During these unprecedented times we must remember that despite our shared and personal stresses it is of the greatest good to maintain a collegial and professional work environment. Despite the differences we sometimes have we are all here for the same reason.
Our furloughs this year have meant a reduction in salary and less time in which to accomplish work. For some this has meant a necessary and contractual workload reduction, for others it has essentially become a pay cut. During these times, it is impossible for the same workload to be maintained across the university, nor can it reasonably be expected. Faculty cannot expect staff members to maintain such a workload, just as students cannot expect faculty to not take furlough days during some class days. Despite the stresses we are all under to complete more and more work with less time and less money we cannot and we must not have unrealistic expectations of each other and should maintain a cordial and professional environment.
Indeed, this is a time for us to become more generous with each other — administrators, faculty and staff alike — to make exceptions and to be understanding of each other in all ways possible. By recognizing our shared mission and proceeding in a state of generosity and shared and mutual respect we will weather these difficult times and emerge even stronger than before as individuals, as departments and as a university.