West Virginia University Statement
Monday, September 18, 2023
Graduate Employees Organization Local 6300
The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) at UIUC, IFT/AFT Local 6300 stands in solidarity with the instructors of world languages and cultures at West Virginia University. As a graduate workers’ union, GEO strongly condemns university actions that lead to the erosion of higher education, including the closing of entire departments to follow the logic of profit as is happening at West Virginia University. West Virginia University is attempting to close their entire language program in the capitalist interest of forcing students to use language-learning apps. This university action is outrageous, as it will not only affect faculty who will lose their jobs but also students who are deprived of their learning opportunities.
Organizing is the only tool we have to contrast this kind of action and preserve colleges as learning environments. Recently GEO has been able to win better pay, working conditions, and health care, among other benefits and we hope that this kind of organizing can also help students at West Virginia University. No language-learning app can replace our professors and TAs! Students organizing at West Virginia University have already managed to maintain 5 positions in Spanish and Chinese language programs, but this is not enough! Students deserve more and people must keep their jobs!
Please consider signing their petition: https://www.change.org/p/preserve-students-rights-to-study-world-languages-at-wvu
Solidarity forever!
Graduate Employees’ Organization
809 S. 5th St., Geneva Room
Champaign, IL 61820
Email: geo@uigeo.org