Dear Colleagues:

We have recently learned that the BU Graduate Workers Union (SEIU Local 509) has voted to authorize a strike of all graduate student workers in the bargaining unit, which began on Monday, March 25. Dean Lazic will reach out with additional information about how we will manage operations during the strike. I wanted however to speak briefly to our community about the moment and our intersection with it, towards supporting students, faculty, and staff, and ensuring that we continue to do right by our mission as a school.

First and foremost, I want to say that we care deeply about making sure that all members of our community—staff, students, and faculty—feel valued and respected in the work that they do at the University. With the senior leadership of the university and all those involved, I hope, most of all, that there is a quick resolution of the matter. I realize that there are many complexities to the points around which the university and the union are bargaining, and I am grateful to those involved in the day-to-day efforts of trying to reach a place where all indeed feel suitably recognized for what they do.

Second—echoing what the university has communicated—we respect students’ right to strike and will make every effort to ensure we do our part to create space for this to happen even as we continue to meet our responsibilities to support the learning of our students in our classrooms and the progress of our research projects in which so many of our students are engaged.

Third, I realize that a moment like this is difficult for our collective well-being. I will remind everyone of the resources available to promote well-being that are summarized here.

As I have communicated many times before, it is our goal to always interact with one another with respect, compassion, and kindness. This is never more important than when there are contentious issues that we are collectively dealing with. A thank-you in advance to all members of our community for navigating this moment with grace, for creating space and having the forbearance to make sure that we can get to a resolution that enables us all to continue moving forward towards the pursuit of our shared mission.

Warmly,
Sandro

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH
Dean and Robert A. Knox Professor

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