The recent tentative agreement reached between the FFA and EMT has given me a stronger appreciation toward Ferris’ faculty members.
Initially, I felt like many other students; I viewed these discussions as simply another means of drawing more money out of the students’ pockets.
Even before the first day of classes, mention of a strike traveled throughout the campus. With the continuous talks of potential strikes and canceled classes, my views on Ferris’ dedication to education has changed.
However, on Oct. 7, over 40 faculty members gave students flyers and pizza in the campus quad detailing the demands of the FFA.
Walking through the quad, I could not help but notice the number of students going to classes wearing buttons stating their support for the FFA.
The estimated 500 students who stopped by to discuss the negotiations with faculty members showed I was not the only student with questions and concerns.
Being fortunate enough to discuss my views with faculty members, I was interested in knowing if Ferris’ faculty were still concerned with the well-being of the students.
Ferris professor Roxanne Cullen has been at Ferris for 27 years and said she witnessed the university go through many changes.
“We respect our students and want to make sure they understand the issues that are preventing us from getting a contract at this time,” said Cullen. “We want them to know that there are issues at stake that directly impact the quality of their education, that the issues are not just economic.”
She also said assuring a quality education for students was a main priority in the discussion between both teams. Hearing this, I was proud to feel that throughout these discussions, Ferris’ faculty members had remembered the importance of its students.
It seems now that after numerous strike rumors, several FFA discussions and 146 pizzas, everyone can understand each other’s perspective. n