The following poem consists of phrases from from emails concerning the recent layoffs at Bowling Green State University.
Submitted by Elizabeth Voss in honor of the 119 BGSU faculty and staff who were laid off on May 15, 2020:
Important Communication
I recognize that this is a challenging time for you.
Thank you for your patience and for the work you will be doing.
We will continue to make decisions in the best interests of our community.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
There is more work to be done, but we are in this together.
We have united to overcome these unprecedented times.
We need to ensure we are supportive of one another.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
None of this was easy—it has required sacrifices.
You are doing the heavy lifting.
I know that I am asking so much of you.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
It is a very challenging and stressful time for many people.
We are actively planning for a number of contingencies.
We unfortunately must defer a final decision about your re-appointment
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
This is how a public university creates public good.
We must prove that we can be efficient.
We will need to operate with considerably less resources.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
The brand of our University reaches beyond a tagline.
A university is only as good as its faculty.
Faculty is the University’s most valuable asset.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
How we treat people in a crisis defines who we are as a community.
We must accelerate our focus on the future.
We now understand that we are unable to avoid reductions.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
The circumstances we face as an institution may be severe.
We will strive to be transparent throughout our next steps.
We were not able to find common ground.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
I know many of you have been personally impacted by this crisis.
I deeply regret that you will bear this additional uncertainty.
Stay positive in your interactions with students.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
Our actions reflect our values and our vision.
You have our deepest gratitude for your hard work.
Unforeseen circumstances necessitate the nonrenewal of your appointment.
We must own the legacy to which we belong.
