Today, students plan to protest the termination of one of the
Academic Advancement Program’s coordinators as well as the
many budget cuts that will soon affect AAP.
As a result of recent decreases in funding, AAP chose to let go
a coordinator of one of its mentoring programs, and students are
strongly opposed to the decision.
Barbara Ige, coordinator of the Pre-graduate/Pre-professional
Undergraduate Mentoring Program will be leaving her position on
Dec. 12.
Associate Vice Provost of AAP Adolfo Bermeo circulated an e-mail
to AAP students informing them of the difficult decisions to
come.
Despite heavy cuts in mentor program funding, Bermeo said AAP
will continue to provide students with these services.
“AAP will remain a community dedicated to excellence and
will continue providing the highest quality tutorial, counseling
and mentoring services to every AAP student,” Bermeo said in
the e-mail.
An e-mail petition was circulated by an AAP student calling for
students opposed to the termination of Ige to direct their concerns
to Bermeo.
“This decision is sad and heartbreaking. She (Ige)
influenced my pursuit of graduate studies, and I owe credit to her.
She has guided me through this process, and I feel she is the best
resource we had at AAP. I don’t think anything can replace
her as a resource,” said AAP member David Rodriguez, a
fourth-year history student.
Bermeo contacted Rodriguez and invited him to meet with him
today to discuss why Ige was let go.
“I feel that he is going to say that due to budget cuts
AAP has had to make very difficult decisions, and I want to make
sure that he knows how students feel. I want to see if there are
any last-minute influences I can press,” Rodriguez said.
After the meeting, Rodriguez plans to hold a student rally
outside of Campbell Hall protesting the termination of Ige.
Rodriguez also plans on informing students during the rally of what
Bermeo says during their meeting.
“I want people to realize what is going on due to budget
cuts. I realize this is a hard decision for AAP, but why AAP and
why Dr. Ige? We all hope she is able to stay and at least finish
off the year,” Rodriguez said.