To: Barry Mills, Chancellor, UMass Boston
Petition in Support of the Early Learning Center at UMass Boston
On Thursday, July 6, parents of children attending the Early Learning Center (ELC) at UMass Boston received a letter at the end of the day revealing UMass Boston’s plans to close the center on December 29, 2017, due to budget cuts. This will leave over 50 children without care, and dedicated staff and students from the University without jobs.
We call on Chancellor Barry Mills and the Budget Committee at Umass Boston to do the following immediately:
● Rescind the decision to close the Early Learning Center on December 29, 2017.
● Ensure full staffing with qualified individuals of the Early Learning Center during this transitional time, and going forward.
● Immediately meet with parents and stakeholders to begin the long- term collaborative planning process to ensure that the Early Learning Center remains a viable, sustainable, high quality, and affordable educational institution for the children of UMB faculty, staff, students, and the greater community.
We call on Chancellor Barry Mills and the Budget Committee at Umass Boston to do the following immediately:
● Rescind the decision to close the Early Learning Center on December 29, 2017.
● Ensure full staffing with qualified individuals of the Early Learning Center during this transitional time, and going forward.
● Immediately meet with parents and stakeholders to begin the long- term collaborative planning process to ensure that the Early Learning Center remains a viable, sustainable, high quality, and affordable educational institution for the children of UMB faculty, staff, students, and the greater community.
Why is this important?
We are parents and friends of the children attending the UMass Boston Early Learning Center (ELC). UMass Boston's decisions about the ELC not only greatly affects the families who send their children to this wonderful center, but it also has an impact on members of UMass Boston staff, faculty, and students who access their resources, the larger Harbor Point and Boston communities, and the ELC staff who work tirelessly to provide quality educational services at the Early Learning Center. When you sign, please tell us your connection to the ELC/UMass Boston (student, faculty, community member, alumni, etc.).