Letter: Open letter to students in research conference

Jeannie Ludlow, Faculty Laureate

Dear students,

I am sorry to miss the important showcase of your work on April 1 (noon to 3:20 p.m., Grand Ballroom). I want to be there to celebrate with you. Instead, I’m going to Chicago—again—to stand with educators, students and families from around the state, to protest our politicians’ refusal to support your hard work, respect your accomplishments, and prioritize your future over their political game-playing.

The statewide protest means that the audience for your showcase will be diminished. I know that will be disappointing. It rankles to work so hard and accomplish so much and not get the level of recognition one deserves.

I hope you will accept my apologies for my part in your disappointment. I also hope that, in the future when you remember this important day, you can say, “Many of our faculty didn’t attend, and that was terrible. Instead, they had to go to a statewide protest to try to keep our politicians from bankrupting our university.”

Please believe that I would much rather the politicians did their jobs, so I could do mine and be with you on April 1. I hope you are as proud of your accomplishments as your faculty are. I am continually impressed by your ability to shine even while those with the most power try to dim your lights.

Congratulations on your success!

Jeannie Ludlow, faculty laureate