ERIC M. JUKELEVICS

Paul Burkhardt, professor of communication and cultural studies, speaks with a group of Arizona International College students and faculty Friday night at the AIC student building about the closing of the college. UA President Peter Likins announced Thursday that the college would no longer admit new students and that its faculty would lose their jobs as their contracts expire.

Monday October 15, 2001

Students and faculty plan to foil Likins' decision

Plans are underway in the Arizona International College to protest UA President Peter Likins' decision to close AIC, which was announced Thursday.

Students and faculty are planning a mass letter-writing campaign with the help of their friends and family in hopes of persuading the Arizona Board of Regents to turn down Likins' decision, which was made to help ease the University of Arizona's financial burden in light of $13.8 million budget cuts from the state.

During the academic year, AIC receives approximately $2,259,000 in funding.

Although ABOR must still approve Likins' decision to close the college, Likins will recommend AIC's closure to it on Nov. 29 and 30.

"I'm going to do the best I can for this not to happen," said Melissa Andrews, a junior at AIC. "I'm going to contact the media (and) write letters to Likins and state representatives. I'm also going to start a petition on campus."

While AIC is obligated to continue liberal arts education for the 417 students already enrolled, Andrews says she believes the college must remain open.

"I think that if (the Board of Regents) sees how much this college means to the community, then they won't cut us off," she said.

AIC is a liberal arts college that was supposed to eventually become independent from the UA. It was scheduled to relocate from its current location at 1609 E. Helen St. to a location north of the UA where it would share land with Pima Community College.

Andrews organized two meetings Friday to bring AIC students together and organize a preliminary plan to protest the president's decision.

"It was really unprofessional for (Likins) to close (AIC) without any warning at all," said Rochelle Perper, a liberal arts sophomore. "It was really devastating, and disrespectful, and we have to do something about it."

Barbara Bixby, political science professor in AIC, said in the meeting that by writing letters to the regents, representatives and even Gov. Jane Dee Hull, AIC students would have their voices heard.

Also, she said showing up to the public meeting on Nov. 29 and 30 would force ABOR to see the faces of those they would be affecting.

"There is no guarantee what (the board) will do," Bixby said. "But if we don't say anything, then we know for certain what they'll do."

Several faculty members were upset about Likins' decision, not only because it meant they needed to find new jobs, but also because Likins told the press different things than he told the faculty, Bixby said.

"He spent 10 minutes telling us how wonderful we were, then he told us he was dismantling us. He said nothing about a sinking ship or failed experiment," she said. "(Likins) had told the press before he told us too, because there were reporters waiting to talk to us when we got out of the meeting. He was nasty."

Several students also criticized Likins' description of AIC as a "sinking ship."

"That isn't fair," said Sara Howell, a liberal arts junior. "(AIC) has proven we're heading in the right direction. We're raising enrollment and lowering costs. We're being misrepresented. Today, it only costs the college $5,000 for one student, and we still pay the same tuition as everyone else."

AIC, which was in the middle of a nationwide search for a new dean when the closure announcement was made, currently has 20 faculty and 12 staff who will lose their jobs when their contracts expire.

The faculty, all of whom are non-tenured, is what makes the AIC so unique, Perper said.

"The newspapers on Friday made it sound like non-tenured faculty meant second-rate faculty," Perper said. "But our professors chose not to do a tenure program. They decided that being there for the students instead of publishing for personal gain was more important. They just want to help us."

It was this attitude of "just wanting to help" that brought liberal arts junior Shawn McElroy back to school.

McElroy, a Colorado native, dropped out of school in 1997, but decided to come back when he heard about the AIC.

"I came back to school for this college," McElroy said. "The student-teacher ratio is very low, and you can make your own program. I'm basically coming here for what I want to study. I know that if I have to drop out because of this closure, I'm never going to finish school."

Students agreed that their unified efforts against the closing AIC will be a battle of "David versus Goliath" proportions, but they said they feel their efforts will make an impact on the Nov. 29 and 30 meetings when Likins makes his recommendation.