Embedded Files
100 community members lined up outside the Flagstaff City Hall and protested an unsafe reopening.
NAU did not listen.
Petitions grew by the thousands.
NAU did not listen.
Articles came out about unsafe policies with RAs.
NAU was "disappointed."
A fundraiser was created to raise money for faculty members who were not provided adequate PPE.
NAU threatened to sue.
Student workers and faculty members sought to speak out about unsafe policies and guidelines.
NAU threatened to fire or sue.
NAU admin has decided not to listen and continue to hide information and mistreat students and staff.
Here are some of the voices that NAU's admin has chosen to ignore.
Rating Administrative Performance
Rating Administrative Performance
A recent survey was sent out by SETNAU and spread throughout various social media and organizations. We received hundreds of responses. Survey takers were asked to rate NAU's Administration on a scale of one to ten, one being terrible and ten being amazing. Over 50% of the responses answered with a one or two. Only one response rated NAU's administration over a seven. This lead to an average rating of 3.1.
Are Students Prioritized by NAU's Admin?
Are Students Prioritized by NAU's Admin?
From the same survey mentioned above, here are some answers to the question: Do you believe that NAU's admin has your best interest in mind?
-Not in any way, shape, or form the university prioritizes monetary gain over anything else with still encouraging in-person classes, to last term’s refusal for a complete refund, and an earlier example of Rita Cheng refusing to cancel classes during the worst blizzard Flagstaff has ever faced despite multiple warnings and guidance from the fire department
-I feel like they don’t care about faculty and students. They are moving students around in the middle of the semester
-I don’t feel they do. Their priorities are not the safety and health of students and it shows
-What’s really bad is they do not seem to care about their own faculty and teaching staff, which is really unfortunate because the professors here actually care about the students.
-No. Lack of affordable housing and poor covid response
-No they just want money
-No I do not because they seem more focused on getting money then students safety
-absolutely not. they say students must complete health check to go on campus, but i have never once been asked to show my passport. they are not enforcing maximum occupancy rules in on campus establishments. i have classes that are not being flexible with attendance due to waiting for test results. i’m just done with the bullshit and lies
-As a student living on campus, it's very obvious that they prioritize getting apartments filled over health. NAU knows that staff and faculty are dissatisfied with how NAU does things, but continues doing things we disagree with. They do not listen.
-they do a lot of things that make me question their motives.
-in person classes everything is so expensive, disability resources is a joke
-They have stated publicly and shown through action that their priority was opening for financial reasons, not protecting students.
-Nope all they want is our money and they do not care about the students or staff as people
-No. Lack of affordable housing and poor covid response
-All they really care about is money plain and simple. What’s really bad is they do not seem to care about their own faculty and teaching staff, which is really unfortunate because the professors here actually care about the students.
-I don’t feel they do. Their priorities are not the safety and health of students and it shows
-I feel like they don’t care about faculty and students. They are moving students around in the middle of the semester
-Not in any way, shape, or form the university prioritizes monetary gain over anything else with still encouraging in-person classes, to last term’s refusal for a complete refund, and an earlier example of Rita Cheng refusing to cancel classes during the worst blizzard Flagstaff has ever faced despite multiple warnings and guidance from the fire department
-They clearly have financial interests as their highest priority, as seen by the construction projects everywhere to spend their state grants, holding partially in person classes to get students to sign housing leases for the year, etc.
-They have money in mind. We are simply clients to them.
-absolutely not. to them i am another source of income, not a person
-The upper admin is entirely profit driven, from all I can tell. The president, the provost, the vice presidents, they are all corrupt and cruel. Deans, chairs, and faculty are excellent, but upper admin I would not trust with anything.
-They benefit more from students’ money than their happiness, and unfortunately a lot of us aren’t in the position to stop giving them money so nothing’s going to change if they don’t have to.
-Years of exposure to the university as a student, neighbor, and employee have made it clear that the administration cares for little but growing the endowment.
-NAU Administration decisions have been based upon one thing: finances. This has been trend in the past several years that has led to reduced faculty support, increased class sizes, and reduction in institutional support.
-NAU does not seem be very concerned about the lives of their students. If they were, they would have a better plan of action and do more to enforce CDC guidelines f or COVID.
-They only care about money. Even so, I am being forced to work in person when my job is easily done online. They don’t care about my safety.
Is NAU Transparent?
Is NAU Transparent?
Here we have the final question asked in the survey: Do you believe that NAU Admin is Transparent?
-I think NAU hasn’t been transparent because there’s been too many time where I find out ‘how things actually work’ throughout my time here when it should have just been upfront.
-I do not feel the administration is not transparent enough regarding COVID 19 cases. As far as I can understand there are more cases than what’s being stated of course we just had Labor Day which people had gatherings by that logic we should be seeing more cases now.
-I do not because of its handling of the covid situation on campus
-absolutely not. There are reports of students testing positive for covid and still going to class. they report that they are at less than 50% capacity for quarantine and isolation housing, yet they are kicking students out of apartments and dorms to make more room. I feel like they are not being transparent about the number of cases as when students go in for testing, they are asked to provide their permanent address, which is out of flagstaff for most students.
-Absolutely not. We get told important information last second and without any concern for our opinions. Every email is vague and clearly meant to not portray all of the information.
-No. I’ve had many students tell me the COVID numbers are presented as lower than they actually are.
-Not at all, demonstrated actions that indicate fraud, corruption and abuse
-No. None of their emails have real content and they refuse to discuss openly the issues which are most important.
-No because they have not updated the students for how many cases are on campus
-I do not feel the administration is not transparent enough regarding COVID 19 cases. As far as I can understand there are more cases than what’s being stated of course we just had Labor Day which people had gatherings by that logic we should be seeing more cases now.
-I think NAU hasn’t been transparent because there’s been too many time where I find out “how things actually work” throughout my time here when it should have just been upfront.
-They seem sketchy and don’t tell us everything
-Not at all with evidence of them lying about the number of positive COVID cases on campus, the sudden move of students out of the honors college, and the overall lack of transparency in any regard under the Rita administration
-No! I'm being moved out of my dorm out of nowhere with no consideration for my situation.
-No. They are literally hiding pandemic numbers from us.
-No, they are a reactive administration. Even faculty don’t know what’s going on until it is announced to students. They just do whatever ASU does.
-No. I have been trying to figure out for YEARS why the innocence project was defunded. No answers from ANYONE. Terrible.
-no, because coronavirus cases and other major campus decisions have been largely secretive
-Absolutely not. We aren't being told anything about the virus. Worse than that, it is clear that NAU is actively lying about the virus to save face, comparing what they're reporting and what actions they're taking to clear out dorm halls.
-If they can’t even communicate properly with the people who work there, they’re definitely keeping things from the students.
-No. We are told weekly cases in an email covered with a ton of information without telling us some specifics. What is the positivity rate for instance? Lots of rumors going around without any word from admin. Other schools (some of which are smaller) have a dashboard with information. It feels as if NAU is trying to downplay and sweep info under the rug. From my calculations in the latest email, we could have anywhere between a 2-5% positivity rate.
-Not at all. NAU administration has purposefully obscured COVID-19 numbers, including hiding athlete and RA infections before the semester was over. NAU administration continues to say they are not able to provide accurate numbers of faculty that were not-renewed, claiming data is unreliable and unavailable. This should EASILY be available through payroll, if not through the office delivering contracts.
-I feel they released data when needed to ease the public. I believe it's just enough to get by without being sued
-Not transparent! As a parent of an NAU student, I am not getting accurate information about the COVID situation. I am very concerned about my daughter's health. I wish the powers of NAU would release current and factual information like test results, where sick and quarantining student are staying, what they are actually doing to prevent spread, number of students being cited for not wearing masks and social distancing, etc. I feel the NAU administration is not doing enough to protect their students, faculty and other on campus workers.
-Absolutely not. They refuse to tell us how many cases are on campus but secretly create more quarantine areas. I feel like there’s an outbreak and it’s being kept quiet.
-I'm fully prepared for a huge spike...NAU is already being dishonest about the numbers it seems
-NAU is not being transparent about policies at all. The fit classes were in person and didn't require masks and i just got an email from my instructor that now there are people with COVID. But NAU keeps saying that all classes require masks at all times...hmm
-The NAU numbers are so under inflated. I tested positive, I've had friends test positive, I've had acquaintances and classmates talk about people on campus they know who tested positive. This is ludicrous on NAU's part to continue going about their business as if they don't need to make any changes. We need to crack down on large gatherings. I feel like that is what is going to fuck us over like what happened at ASU.
-Nau is for sure downplaying the virus
Response to COVID-19 Policies
Response to COVID-19 Policies
Here are community responses to the mistreatment of RAs and faculty, NAU's COVID-19 policies, and NAU's COVID-19 response:
-I care about my life, friends, and family. I’ve had personal experience as an RA last year (I quit), and they are acting exactly as I figured they would act.
-I KNEW this was gonna happen! This is TERRIBLE! Get that president OUT OF THERE!!!
-NAU and Residential Life are incompetent and should not be trusted with student’s health.
-NAU claims to prioritize their students and their health yet want to continue in person classes during a pandemic. This makes no senses and puts their students in danger.
-this is such fucking bullshit
-Students > profit
-NAU is a corrupt institution that only sees students and faculty as profit rather than actual PEOPLE
-You're a bunch of idiots who prioritize a money grab over the health of your students and their families
-Concerned NAU employee. The uni has not been transparent enough in their response and are taking advantage of students during the crisis
-NAU must put the safety of students, educators, staff, & the Flagstaff community first. This is not safe & poses as risk to everyone affiliated with NAU
-It’s not hard to believe Rita cares this little about student safety. I stand with NAU RA’s
-This is absolutely absurd. NAU what the heck?
-This is morally wrong and clearly being done for selfish reasons.
-NAU is completely and utterly selfish
-I’m signing because this plan is immoral and greedy. RAs are just kids, and we need to protect our youth
-Nau is hiding information. They are ready for covid to be big on campus and is only here to protect their rent profit
-This is wrong and unjust
-NAU is reckless and unsafe
-I want students safe as well as myself. NAU students needs to be protected
-opening campus is endangering all the students who have been so dedicated to NAU
-My best friend deserves to receive her education without worrying about getting sick and dying
-i go to NAU and i think it’s ridiculous that a school with such a public health program would put the public health at risk for money
-Money shouldn't be more important than safety
-this is outrageous and a danger to all persons on campus
-NAU should be ashamed. Many other schools have taken proper precautions and gone online for the semester, meanwhile this is what the RAs have to put up with after being back for only a couple weeks! It’s not safe!
-Why NAU feels comfortable sacrificing the health and safety of RA's to satisfy housing contracts is beyond me. The school is literally putting profit WAY above people's lives. This is unacceptable, dangerous, greedy, and a number of far worse words. Rita Cheng must resign so that leadership that actually cares for students can take the helm. NAU cannot be permitted to sacrifice the lives of students when courses will inevitably be online anyway! This is SO short-sighted and it is MURDEROUS.
-there is no way to ensure health and safety within the campus
-I have personally worked for this same department, and none of this surprises me. My own health felt compromised last semester and nothing was being done about it, especially by my direct supervisor.
-I am a retired NAU faculty member. I am appalled at how callous NAU has become toward students and all employees on campus and all of us in the Flagstaff community
-I am a current NAU faculty member, and find the plans for reopening grossly negligent with regards to the health and safety of students, staff, faculty, and the community.
-This does not demonstrate implementation of a uniform policy that provides sufficient care for the health and safety for people working on campus
-I’m tired of NAU’s lack of transparency and truthfulness and Rita Cheng’s reckless endangerment of the Flagstaff community.
-Lack of transparency yet again. These students should not be threatened with being fired because they share the protocols but they are being made to enforce.
-The COVID positivity rate is still at too dangerous a level not only for in-person classes to begin, but for thousands of students to pack into communal living situations. Faculty and students take priority over greed.
-NAU is really just out here for the money and that’s not right
-NAU does not value its staff or graduate students and is putting them at an unnecessary increased health risk!
-The students and staff shouldn't have their health be put at risk because of such choices and decisions being made
-Proceeding forward at this time with cases still peaking is morally and ethically unjustifiable
-Covid-19 at NAU is covid-19 in Flagstaff.
-taking a middle ground stance on this issue will literally cost people their lives. Protect the Flagstaff and Indigenous communities!
-Hold Nau accountable for their irresponsibility and gross negligence To the staff and students putting them at risk for illness and death for The sake of profit. They do not care about students health, And their financial policies considering Covid and attendants are tantamount to blackmail
-This is never okay and disgusting to put students at risk like that.
-I live in the surrounding area. NAUs decisions affect more than just your school. People have to stop for gas and visit my town on their way to NAU potentially spreading it to my town. I do not understand how a college full of adults can not responsibly teach through social distancing methods? Kids I kind of understand, especially since they have no choice where they live, needing school as a social program for food and escape from potentially abusive households. But college?!?!?
-I’m signing because I don’t feel it’s wise to bring students back into the residents halls in Fall, when we are just beginning to get the virus under control in Northern Arizona.
-People over profit.
-It is not safe to open NAU campus with the current COVID numbers!
-Rita puts profit over people, Universities and Colleges are about people becoming educated and prepared for the next steps of adulthood. Quite tired of Rita’s priorities, my spouse has a pay cut ( hopefully to be reversed eventually) and mandatory furlough days. Because when there is a budget problem by all means encourage experienced professors to retire early, up the load on adjuncts and GAs and put a financial hit on the classified staff
-The residents of Flagstaff have been working so hard over these last several months to keep this virus under control. The University needs to be a responsible community member and do everything possible to keep this under control. All classes should be online.
-my best friend, who attends NAU, deserves the SAFEST college experience this year.
-On campus classes and living is not feasible until COVID-19 under better control. Not enough testing, students coming in from all over the country, local hospitals likely to be overtaxed, and test results come back way late. I waited 11 days. This virus doesn't care about anyone's reopening plans just ask the BIG 10 and PAC 12 football conferences who just cancelled all sports in the fall including football
-I absolutely love NAU. I take pride in being a ‘Lumberjack’ and have had an amazing experience here at this school so far, however, the incompetence of staff members and the lack of care for the students and faculty as soon as covid appeared has truly shown. Rita Cheng and her staff are more concerned about NOT letting people know who has the virus which is CRIMINAL...rather than trying to protect everyone at all costs. Very disappointing and suspicious. Very ridiculous. Very backwards. Very unsafe. To everyone making these horrible ‘decisions’ for ‘the safety and well being of the students’.......get smarter.
-Be smart, not greedy Rita!!!
-NAU NEEDS TO MOVE TO ONLINE ONLY. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HEALTH AND EDUCATION. NAU IS NOT PREPARED AND THEY CLEARLY ONLY CARE ABOUT MONEY
-We must demand an end to considerations of profit over the lives of our students. No matter how much money ‘they’ save, the university will not survive if it's inaction results in the death of its students, staff, essential workers, and faculty.
-This department has always been known for ‘thinking a great deal about [insert whatever issue you’d like]’ and it has left a lot of RAs completely vulnerable and with no support other than their fellow student-staff. If it took 6 months to put locks on kitchen doors in a freshman residence hall, when that was not even the step the RAs wanted to take but their supervisors decided it for them without truly hearing what they had to say, it’ll take just as long to figure out how to answer even a single question of theirs and in the meantime a lot of people will be sick. This university won’t listen until they have a lawsuit on their hands.
-I, too, have noticed that no qualitative answers have been given to questions about pandemic policy. I do not feel safe with the current policies in place and I think NAU needs to do more.
Response to Reopening Campus
Response to Reopening Campus
Here are community responses to NAU reopening campus without the consideration of the Flagstaff community, students, or faculty:
-It’s immoral and negligent for universities to be forcing their professors, many of whom are in at risk groups to teach in person while the pandemic in Arizona is at its peak
-It’s a terrible time to demand professors return to a crowded campus when many classes can be taught over the internet just as easily. Public health comes before people’s preferred learning style
-We all know not every student is going to be safe about in person classes. Forcing professors to hold in person classes in small rooms or rooms too small for adequate social distancing will only increase the infection rate.
-RITA CHANG ONLY CARES ABOUT MONEY!! PRIORITIZE HUMAN LIVES OVER PROFIT!
-Faculty and staff should be allowed options. This is not a new idea - many institutions are already moving forward with on-line instruction and many staff are quite successfully working remotely. Faculty and staff should not be forced to risk their lives and the lives of their families ‘for the university experience.’
-My loved ones have autoimmune and I want to protect them and advocate for them.
-My daughter is an NAU student and I don't feel safe having her a 32 hour drive away from me if she becomes infected, which is likely with the current dorm situation.
-We do not want to be an experiment to see how bad Covid19 can get in Flagstaff. Classes should be allowed to be online and international students should not be punished for taking online classes.
-Teachers have a right to protect their health!
-Forcing in person classes will lead to deaths. If this does not concern the administration the idea of lawsuits might. Gordon ACRI v. State of Arizona, 394 P.3d 660, 666, ¶ 20 (2017), any person occupying a decision-making role on campus, who requires face-to-face course delivery, staff office activities (including in-person student advising), and student attendance as part of a hybrid model, would in fact be liable to suit by anyone who became infected with COVID-19 as university administrators have: ‘a) engaged in an unusual activity (an activity that would be considered ‘unreasonable’ or ‘inappropriate’ in light of the circumstances), and b) that activity creates a foreseeable and highly significant risk of harm even when reasonable care is exercised by all actors. A person who is found by a court to have carried on an abnormally dangerous activity will be subject to strict liability for physical harm resulting from that activity.’
-It is wrong to force staff back to work during a deadly outbreak. Our country, and your state in particular, are in shambles, and you should not be asking people to risk their lives for you to keep tuition rates higher. Shame on you. Fix this situation immediately.
-NAU alum. Disappointed in NAU's disregard for their teaching staff.
-I'm a GTA with immunosuppressed in the home; why can I take class online but not teach online?
-I have family members who work at NAU and I want to keep them safe. The university can not guarantee daily testing and social distancing guidelines can be maintained, and is putting profits ahead of people. Also, NAU serves a large percentage of the Navajo Nation’s college students. Exposing these students to unnecessary risk at a time their nation is experiencing disproportionate devastation from COVID-19 is unconscionable.
-As a graduate student instructor I should not have to choose between risking my life, the life of my roommate with an underlying health condition, and the lives of my students for my own educational benefit. Instructors should be able to choose to teach live, online in a format that ensures safety along with active learning. NAU’s gross disrespect for its faculty & student instructors during this process is extremely disheartening. I want to work for an organization that supports me and sets me up for success!
-The faculty of NAU should be able to decide for themselves if they are willing to take the risk of teaching classes in person and risk possible exposure.
-Faculty should be part of the decision making when it comes to potentially life or death issues. Like COVID. In the state that is #1 for new infections per capita.
-To ensure that the NAU faculty is offered the best possible protection against contacting the covid virus, they should be allowed and encouraged to remain off campus and teach their classes online.
-My professors should be allowed to choose to teach remotely to ensure their own health. Not all professors are young, fresh, recent college graduates who can bounce back from the virus!
-My daughter is a student at NAU and feels like she is being forced back to campus because a couple professors are not allowing classes to be taught remotely.
-I am an educator who is afraid to go back into the classroom. All educators should have the right to choose
-it is irresponsible to put the safety of students and faculty below convenience and profit.
-Health of students and professors come first
-Stop putting my family members in danger! NAU only cares about money, not the health and safety of its students, disgusting!!
-School boards are having closed sessions on zoom because it is not safe but expect us to believe it is safe to send our kids to school. Plus my daughter attends NAU!
-As an incoming student of NAU I don’t support the manner in which the administration has carelessly decided to endanger its faculty and students with complete disregard for communication and timeliness.
-Although Flagstaff residents value NAU's presence in our community highly, we value the lives and health of our community members and the college's students and faculty even more.
-As a member of the Flagstaff community, it is in the best interests of everyone if learning takes place remotely for at least the first semester. When positive cases are below 5%, discussing about how to safely return will be more appropriate.
-I’m completely remote this semester so why should I have to pay unnecessary fees?
-It is unconscionable to put 20,000 undergraduates and the greater Flagstaff community at extreme risk when NAU could easily hold classes online for the Fall semester. To open for in-person classes is to blatantly disrespect the deaths of hundreds of Navajo elders. Flagstaff medical facilities are already struggling with too many patients and too few supplies. To me it seems clear that NAU's tepid plan to bring back students for what will surely be an online-only semester is a blatant cash grab for their housing contracts. Why do these students need to risk their health, and the health of their communities, when they could save tons of money on housing and stay safe at home while taking online classes? NAU's endless greed must be stopped.
-My daughter is a student at NAU and her life matters to me!
-The last minute changes expose the utter lack of planning. Loyalty and student retention comes from excellent communication and transparency. Both are lacking in the planning for this semester.
-it is unsafe and reckless to open up campus to in person classes and dorms AT ALL this fall semester. Pushing in person classes back to only Aug 31 will NOT curb the rate of infection. AZ has the most cases out of anyone right now and shoving thousands of students into dorms and lectures will not help that
-I was really looking forward to this semester but I don’t think it’s worth putting students’ lives in danger by opening up NAU. A lot of people are moving to NAU Flex and teachers are changing their courses to online only. There’s not really much of an experience (as a freshman) that I’d be obtaining going in person and I don’t want to risk my life to head to a campus to do exactly what I’m doing at home already. With that being said: tuition, fees, and other charges should be wavered as well.
-If the administrators do not have to be in person, how can you demand your teachers and personnel to sacrifice their health for profit?! DO NOT MAKE THE TEACHERS CHOOSE BETWEEN THEIR LIVELIHOOD AND LIVES FOR YOUR FINANCIAL GAIN. Be the example for Arizona- allow your faculty and student body to return when it is SAFE- which is NOT this semester!!
-It’s not safe to hold in-person classes this fall semester. Even if students are less at risk, what about faculty and staff? Why does NAU not care about their employees??
-Flagstaff Unified School District has deemed in person learning unsafe and so should NAU. NAU will not only be putting students at risk, but the community as well.
-safety > profits
-go to NAU and i think it’s incredibly irresponsible to re-open in person classes for ANY reason during the pandemic. if this means that NAU goes under, then fine
-NAU has time and time again shown that they place their own benefits and financial gains over the safety of their students and staff. This is similar to the times we still had to attend classes despite the snow storms and every other school in the districts closing their doors. Also, while I'm at it, students shouldn't be paying the same amount for classes if they are going online.
-I want my two granddaughters ( 1 a student, 1 a teacher) protected until this virus is under control.
-I care about my immunocompromised peers and friends. They should not have to be in this much danger to go to school
-Better to be safe than sorry. The one hospital in Flagstaff will not be able to handle any major outbreaks.
Response to Faculty Layoffs
Response to Faculty Layoffs
Here are community responses towards NAU's mass layoffs:
-I work for the K-12 school systems and while I am worried about layoffs, I think we need to be careful not to overreact. Please don't make these cuts. We need higher education to stand together and not just start cutting.
-I believe that if Ms Cheng really supports NAU’s employees, she will make sure that she does everything in her power to protect them.
-Rita Cheng should take a pay cut before she cuts people’s jobs!
-The way layoffs at NAU are being handled is unjust. Work out how to balance the financial needs of the University with fair, just solutions. Right now, NAU has ZERO positive relations with the people of Flagstaff. FYI, I have no connections to NAU other than some coursework years ago and a recent graduate in my family. I'm disappointed with NAU leadership.
-Teachers can't be replaced
-Education is NEVER a cost cutting tool for Future success !
-Firing employees now us short-sighted. Perhaps money could be better saved by reducing Administrative salaries.
-We need all our educators now more than ever. They are the backbone for all our children.
-I have twin granddaughters that attend NAU. I want them too have a great education, not a mediocre education due too not enough professors.
-I live in the community and know it will hurt us all of this happens and I know people that work there as well. There has to be another way.
-NAU is supposed to be helping Flagstaff not destroying it. Laying off necessary teachers brings down the quality of the University. Maybe you should consider changing top administrators.
-This is short sighted. UA decided to do furloughs and pay cuts with the explicit reason of saving jobs. When unemployment is high students tend to enroll in greater numbers. What will happen next year if a large number of students return? Will NAU use taxpayer money for many job searches to rehire these cut positions? Why not do pay cuts and furloughs for now and then reassess the needs when not in the midst of an unprecedented year.
-I'm an alumni and don't want to see NAU educators and family laid off.
-Need to think long term for all, not just to balance the short term budget issues.
-NAU's stellar professors are one of the few things that kept me going to the university. If not for them, I would have transferred out long ago. To cut dozens of talented and dedicated faculty members would hurt not only NAU's already declining quality, but Flagstaff community members and families.
-I value the education I received from the fantastic faculty at NAU. Often, the first on "chopping block" are the most motivated, engaging instructors your college has to offer.
-As a staff member who has been assured my employment at NAU is sound, I would be more than willing to furlough to keep other faculty/staff employed at NAU. Although NAU does need to adjust its organization, workforce, and programs to be sustainable, rushing to make long term decisions over just a few months during a crisis is not the answer. Making temporary, short term budget choices to preserve jobs over the next year would serve a couple of functions. First, it allows people to remain employed, reducing the economic impact on families, Flagstaff, and the State. Second, it allows departments and colleges the time needed to make decisions and include all stake holders in these discussions versus being held largely between administrators with some input of faculty. Lastly, it gives time for those who will be let go to find and prepare for future employment opportunities. I hope compassion and rational thinking will win over fear and rushed decision making.
-Education is the basis for our society. Do NOT sacrifice educators because of monetary issues which would be foolish and shortsighted !
-Teachers should be placed as the highest priority. NAU is losing sight of itself faster than we can imagine. Heartbreaking.
-This is wrong! People have worked long and hard for these careers and yet building dorms is more important than faculty. Admin positions are more important than faculty. Rita’s vacations are more important than faculty. The emphasis should be on student learning!
-NAU is a vital part of our community. NAU provides our community academic and cultural programs and is an economic engine providing jobs and bringing students to our region. Drastic job cuts during this pandemic and economic downturn brings further economic devastation to a Flagstaff
-I’m not convinced NAU has a well considered plan that considers our community at large and our recovery plan. I struggle to have confidence in an administration that has been so supportive of growth then cries downsize at the first challenge. We’re you ever considering the university or the community?
-Layoffs would be a hasty response to what we imagine “might” happen. This approach would be bad for NAU, bad for Flagstaff, and bad for Arizona. Time to take a deep breath and figure out the smart thing to do.
-NAU alum. Layoffs are not the answer. Address administrative bloat first.
-This proposal is extremely short-sighted and ill-considered. Who wants to work for a university that cares so little about the future and the people who make it great.
-My son and daughter in law are Professors at NAU. They have families, debts, and are dedicated to the University.
-It is short sighted, and mean spirited to lay off people now. This is temporary, and the university will lose a bench of deep talent. Why doesn't Rita Chen donate 1/2 if her ample salary? Why doesn't her no-account-husband, the director of nothing-ology quit and save the university some serious money?
-It's essential to take care of the NAU community during these difficult times. We cannot allow the pandemic to be cause for "shock doctrine" layoffs.
-lay offs can be avoided by simply furloughing all employees for 90 days. Yes, we will still work during that 90 days to keep the university running if it means we can keep our jobs and healthcare.
-Students need teachers not buildings
-My professors and mentors I’ve had at NAU have shaped me into a better person and grown my knowledge of the world. It’s unnecessary and inconsiderate to lay off professors when the school gets so much money every year.
-NAU should implement furloughs before firing anyone. Those administrators on the high end of the pay scale can afford to be assessed a larger number of furlough days and/or pay reductions. Those at the bottom of the pay scale should not be furloughed at all. Permanently cutting the workforce at NAU means economic issues for Flagstaff, and likely will result in declining numbers of students who will be uninterested in attending a small school with huge class sizes.
-I am so grateful for the education I received through incredible classes taught by amazing instructors. If staff is permanently let go, future students won't be able to access that same quality education.
-Using the shock of a pandemic to take up austerity measures that hurt the most vulnerable in our communities is an inherent moral evil.
-Rita Cheng has never displayed the leadership needed to keep NAU in a healthy state of growth. Without our faculty, this school is nothing. Please step up and protect NAU.
-As an instructor at NAU, I know how vital a strong, seasoned staff is to making the student experience (including retention) a positive one.
-I am invested in NAU's ability to achieve student success, which will be compromised by massive layoffs that most other schools are not resorting to.
-I'm an NAU Alum, I have worked at NAU, and I love the Flagstaff community. Rita Cheng's management of the university in this case, and in many others, has been damaging to NAU's reputation and position within the Flagstaff Community. She is making calls that diametrically oppose what NAU has stood for for decades, - putting the community and people - staff faculty and students - first. Instead Cheng's decisions to cut teaching and support staff drastically while continuing to support a massive administrative salary and benefits speak volumes about her priorities which will continue to drive students and community members away.
-I'd like to see what the plans for administrative positions. Does "university employees" include administrators?
-We need to have a just, democratic, and fair process at NAU. This means centering the jobs and life of faculty at risk of layoffs at the expensive of administrators and the rest.
-Flagstaff folks need employment! Rather than 300 folks be left without work, the NAU community should share economic burden (pay cuts, furloughs) before job cuts.
Response to Forced Relocation
Response to Forced Relocation
Here are community responses to students being forced to leave their apartments to make room for more isolation spaces:
-The cowards in University Housing sent the notice after hours conveniently making them unavailable for people to voice their concerns. Just because NAU CAN move them doesn't mean they should.
-I live in Campus Heights and I want to continue living here. It’s really dumb that we have to move out during the most important week due to midterms. I hope they change their minds because I cannot tolerate this.
-The fact NAU can just displace me and other international students was the worst possible decision
-NAU has no right to displace people without their consent or advance knowledge. It’s scummy
-$300 doesn’t even cover rent anywhere what the hell is wrong with this school!! My thoughts and love go out to all the students that are being forced out, may the school reevaluate its decision
-This school claims to care about our safety and well-being, but they are putting us more at risk that way. NAU really needs to re-evaluate this decision
-This is ridiculous
-There was a contract signed and the university should honor it. If they want to contain covid students, they should find a location where they won’t be kicking students out. They have plenty of buildings.
-It’s an apartment, not a hospital
-NAU makes me sick
-NAU can kiss my axe
-We aren’t allowed to break out contracts because of covid, they shouldn’t be allowed either. Plus, they should of had in place a contingency plan for this instead of stating that ‘we’ll just kick these students, that have been living there for 2-4 years’
-There is absolutely no excuse for this!
-This is super messed up, no one should have to move out of their dorms last minute and so suddenly like this just to accommodate covid cases that the school should have been prepared for. It isn’t right for the students and they should be getting compensated for this way better than they are. It’s messed up and unethical
-It is unethical to keep students in the dark about decisions being made, and we deserve to at the very least know what new precautions are being put in place to ensure our health is not being jeopardized. Additionally, NAU should take into consideration that the honors dorms residents had to pay an extra fee to live in a residential hall with other responsible students, so if moving forward all honors residents should be refunded the extra housing fee. There are other options that would not put others at risk that should be looked into. We as students have the right to be a part in this decision that directly impacts our life and well being.
-Students testing positive should be quarantined in a separate facility to prevent exposure.
-Covid positive students should be quarantined separately from healthy students.
-My roommate's boyfriend is being kicked out of his housing for this
Response to Rita Cheng
Response to Rita Cheng
Here are community responses to Rita Cheng:
-She is a terrible president for our school and she is running it into the ground
-I would like a slice of Rita Cheng’s bonus at the end of the year
-She’s only in it for her $700,000 bonus from the state. on top of her $320,000 base salary. I want her out
-Rita Cheng doesn't put students first when it comes down to students safety, she was already fired from her last school so I don't even understand why Nau would hire her in the first place. I'm appalled at nau's choices in our president
-Rita does not care about the safety of her students and has shown that in numerous ways. It is unacceptable
-Rita Cheng has demonstrated over and over again that she values money over students safety, well being, and quality of education.
-Rita Cheng does not have the safety and wellbeing of her students in mind when making decisions that involve or lives, families and futures. She is clearly unfit for her position
-This university does not care about replacing condemned buildings, but instead building a volleyball/tennis court. Rita Cheng would rather pay herself than the professors and student employees. There is constant construction making it hard for students to get around campus. Our university standards have become low and the acceptance rate is too high without enough housing in the city for students.
-This overcrowded campus is costing students thousands of dollars in delay of graduation. The counseling services are very poor. Everyone seems to know it and doesn't care to do anything about it.
-My opinion on Rita is much like other students in that we absolutely despise her
-I feel she runs just like President Trump where money is priority over human lives.
-Does not understand the Student Body one bit
-I personally don’t like her because there’s been a bunch of unsolved issues but I don’t think she’s evil like people make her out to be.
-I wish she was fired
-I don’t agree with her policies and I don’t think she has any genuine consideration for students who have lower economic statuses.
-Worse than Hitler, because at least Hitler had the courtesy to kill people after he was done fucking them
-fuck rita
-All I know is that she continuously makes poor and money focused decisions. I've never heard a good thing about her, from staff or students.
-She puts profits before people, and cares more about catering to freshmen than existing students.
-worst thing to happen to NAU in a long time. Good riddance
-greedy
-Thief, Liar, Greedy
-I believe that she is capably reducing the ability of students and employees to stand up for the rights that she is systematically removing. I believe that her calculating and destructive strategy has no place in a University setting.
-ehhhhhh -10/10
-Not good, have expletives to describe how I feel about her. Following her contract and wants money but also like not sure how much of a puppet she is to the board and if re-electing someone else will help
-She has no consideration for her faculty or students.
-She is a self interested businesswoman whose only concern is to make herself and the school more money at any cost. She embezzled our money for god's sake.
-0/10
-I’m glad she has chosen to not pursue the position again
-An incredibly corrupt businessperson. Rita Cheng represents everything wrong with neoliberalism and trying to run universities like hedge funds. Rita Cheng is despicable, and I hope her time at NAU serves as a bloody bloody stain on her record and resume.
-Don’t like her. Glad she’s leaving
-I know about the scandal last year and I do find that scandal disturbing. I do not know of Rita Cheng’s impact on the University or much about her otherwise. From what I do know, I disapprove, but I should be more educated about her than I am. It does feel like she’s trying to play herself up to make herself look better recently.
-I think she's trying to jump ship so that she doesn't have to deal with the flaming oil spill that's falling into our laps.
-places priority on profit above student success, faculty quality of life, and institutional integrity
-Well yeah shes a fucking idiot
-Bad. Due to other influences and little acts have been to gain my respect
-Sadly, she seems more concerned about keeping her numbers up than the actual safety of students, faculty and on campus workers. If she thinks it is so safe, why isn't she out and about everyday, walking the campus, seeing in person what it is truly like, not hiding in her office or another city.
-Very negative. She doesn’t care about the students at all. I’m glad she resigned.
-She is self-serving and unethical. From employing her husband as her own assistant and FCB spy, to treatment of faculty and disregard for staff. She is a poor speaker (ugh, umm...) who speaks with little substance. She has worked only to line her pockets and damaged the greater Flagstaff community.
-I'm so fucking sick of her. Praying our new President won't be like her
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