No Union Rep on UB Board of Trustees?

Pio Saqui

News Five is also in receipt of a letter dated July first from the Ministry of Education to President Sankat which is causing consternation to the Union. The letter speaks to the term of office of the faculty representative of the Board of Trustees stating that her appointment ended on February twenty-eighth, 2020. The letter, signed by Chief Executive Officer Deborah Domingo, goes on to request confirmation from Sankat that Doctor June Young is the rep on the board or to provide the name of the new nominee. But the union says that Young’s term should be for three years. Doctor Pio Saqui speaks on the union’s concerns.

Dr. Pio Saqui, President, U.B.F.S.U.

“There is a particular section of the law that is quoted that says that the appointment of the faculty and staff representative should be for three years with the option of it being extended for a second term. Doctor June Young was only appointed for one year and we raised that concern one year ago. So that’s one issue. And I will say this that Doctor June Young has done a tremendous job, has been fair, has represented us fairly and has brought decisions that the Board has shared and has been a very open representative for the union on the Board. Now there is no question from our end that she put in herself in some bad position or question at all. So why on the night before as an important Board meeting would you ask the most important stakeholder, representative of the university, to be removed from the Board? It doesn’t make sense. The letter also points out that the president is asked to name a person or re-endorse Doctor June Young as our representative to the Board. I would assume and hope that he chooses to do the latter because I will tell you right now, without any doubt in my mind, that every single member of our union and faculty and staff who are not members of the union have pledged their support for Doctor Young.”

The union is hosting a press conference on Friday.