On April 17, 2000, I sent the following letter to Gov. Cellucci. I wrote it both as a citizen and as a faculty member. An aide in his office has contacted me, and assured me that she would be conveying this message to the governor.

The governor's e-mail address is goffice@state.ma.us .


Dear Gov. Cellucci:

I arrived in Massachusetts three years ago, just days after you took office as Acting Governor. Since arriving, I have been dismayed at the treatment afforded state colleges in general and state college faculty in particularly.

I have never resided in a state in which public higher education was held in such low regard by political leaders as it seems to be in Massachusetts. I am writing to urge you to take measures that will demonstrate your commitment to public higher education, particularly in the state colleges.

Pay for state college faculty - most of whom hold earned doctorates - is nationally competitive at first glance, but not when regional costs of living are considered. Faculty are underpaid relative to other institutions in the region - including those in the state university system. Moreover, state college faculty face pressure to make unprecedented concessions regarding critical academic issues such as tenure and governance.

Perhaps I should mention that the move to Massachusetts that I mention in my opening sentence was the result of a choice to commit myself to public higher education in this state. Since I became the proud parent of a new Bay Stater shortly after my arrival, I hope that public higher education in this state will endure.

Later, I was in the audience at Bridgewater State College when you expressed your commitment to public higher education here. I urge you to do all that you can to manifest that commitment by supporting a fair contract for state college faculty.

James Hayes-Bohanan, Ph.D.
Bridgewater, MA


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