An Open Letter to Dr. Wallace and the Faculty

It is unfortunate indeed that we are down this road, and that this commitment from you (Dr. Wallace) to address issues that have troubled me deeply for the past two years, is coming at the eleventh hour.

I have never been pro union myself. Like most professors I have been content to immerse myself in things academic, to serve students, to dabble in the world of thought and ideas. A raging introvert, I would go out of my way to side step contentious matters, and to leave the "issues" to politicians and to people who choose to spend their lives setting, fanning, or putting out fires.

I knew coming into teaching that the money was not great, but prior to two years ago, it was always enough, and above all, it was generally fair pay for honest work. Today, the very last thing that I want to do with my scarce dollars is allocate 1% of it to paying others to look out for me. I have always viewed paying dues to a union as surrendering milk money to buy protection. I have always found the idea cowardly and distasteful. Consequently, I have never been a union member.

I ask myself daily why it is that in the twilight of my working life, I am in a position in which I am willing to give up my milk money on the premise that some outsider will be looking out for me? Why am I willing to go against the grain of what has been a life-long belief system? Why am I so inclined to vote for the union? Are things that bad at FCCJ?

From what I am hearing in the hallways and at the water fountain, I know I am not alone.

Lall E. Comar
Professor - Computer and Information Systems
South Campus