Month: March 2021

Vaccines

TAUP is glad to hear that Temple will be vaccinating employees who are city residents starting next week. Kudos to the administration and the City for working together effectively on this crucial issue. We encourage our members to read the message and fill out the Vaccine Interest Form.

But we are also being pro-active in getting our members working on campus vaccinated.

Last week, when we heard that the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, in concert with the NAACP and Workers United (Philadelphia Joint Board), was going to distribute vaccine, we immediately contacted the AFL-CIO to reserve as many slots as we could (they were going fast!) and then we contacted everybody we knew who was working on campus so that we could forward their info. We are very grateful to our union colleagues and the NAACP for organizing this and for setting aside slots for our members.

If you are working on campus and you would like to be notified about available vaccines, please provide your information here.

This is not a substitute for other programs linking Americans to vaccines. But, TAUP will let you know if we learn of available vaccines for members who may be working in person.

At the same time, get yourself on every list, including Temple University’s planned program of vaccination.

We join the administration in urging our members NOT to rely on this on-campus program since doses will be limited; get on every list you can so that when you’re eligible you increase your chances of getting vaccinated!

But we also know many of our members are frustrated; the system for distributing vaccines is confusing, unwieldy, and inequitable; and colleagues working on campus have cause to be particularly concerned since they are putting their health in jeopardy by simply doing their jobs.  Unfortunately, both the state and the city have defined higher education workers in a less-exigent category than those currently being vaccinated (1B in the state and 1C in the city).

TAUP has also been working hard to move the city and state to: a) revise this classification, and b) to prioritize on-campus workers whenever higher ed workers become eligible.  We have reached out to Temple’s administration, to the city’s Departments of Labor and Public Health, to elected allies in city and state government and AFTPA, our state federation.  We will continue to do so, and there have been some productive conversations of late that we hope will yield results.

We also know that you have many questions about the university’s plan for the summer and fall.  We have requested a meeting on health and safety, and the administration is working to arrange a date and time.  As soon as we have news there, we will let you know.  Of course, if you have particular questions or concerns about what’s going on right now or about the summer and fall, please let us know at taupaft@gmail.com 

Steve

How to Not Get Laid Off

Temple is planning a 5% budget cut for next semester, which will result in layoffs and larger class sizes.

Now more than ever, we need to unify and push back.

In conjunction with TUGSA (the Temple University Graduate Students Association), TAUP has launched the campaign #TempleMadeMillions

For critical budget information, details on the campaign and other ways to get involved, visit TempleMadeMillions.com

TEMPLE UNIVERSITY IS CALLING FOR MORE BUDGET CUTS.

ADMINISTRATION INSISTS THAT CUTS ARE NECESSARY FOR THE FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE INSTITUTION.

But records show that Temple made a profit of $163 million in 2020 compared to the $155 million of revenue-over-expenses they made in 2019. We believe that the profits should be used to save jobs and departments, and improve working and learning conditions at the university.

SIGN OUR PETITION TO FIGHT TEMPLE’S BUDGET CUTS

TAUP Condemns Georgia Hate Crimes

“We mourn all the lives lost to the systems that continually oppress and murder beloved members of marginalized communities. The 6 Asian women who were shot in Atlanta last night were not only victims of a 21-year-old white man’s anti-Asian hate, but also of the racism, sexism, gender-based violence, xenophobia, and imperialism that are intimately woven into the fabric of the U.S.”  Asian Americans United

 
On Friday, March 12th, Stop AAPI Hate issued a report which detailed the tremendous scale of anti-Asian hate and violence.  The horrific shootings and murder in and around Atlanta painfully illustrated the absolute worst of this scourge of anti-Asian violence.

On Monday, a 21-year old man legally purchased a 9mm handgun which he used on Tuesday during his murderous spree which left 8 people dead and one injured.  Six of the eight people were identified as Asian-American women.

We must acknowledge the roots of these heinous acts in misogyny and the hyper-sexualization of Asian women, weak gun laws in Georgia and in our country, and the increasing boldness of white supremacy and anti-Asian sentiment throughout the country related to the spurious messaging from the former President about the origin and cause of the Coronavirus.

TAUP condemns the hatred and violence of this and all other white supremacist incidents targeting Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.  We mourn those who have been lost in this deeply reprehensible hate crime, and we are devastated for the great loss their families and loved ones must feel. We must also recognize and respect the fear and trauma that the past year has inflicted on all of our AAPI friends, colleagues and students and must do everything we can to show our understanding and solidarity.

We must not allow these deaths to be minimized or misrepresented. We must continue to condemn and speak out against white supremacy, violence, and injustice whenever and however it appears.

Please click here for resources on how to support the AAPI community during this difficult time.  TAUP will be donating to Asian Americans United and encourages others to do the same. 

Remember all of the victims of Tuesday’s shootings in a meaningful way.  Let us say the names of the five people who were murdered in Acworth:  Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan and Daoyou Feng.  Let us add the names of the four women murdered in Atlanta when they are revealed.   Let us hope for the swift and complete healing of Elcias R. Hernandez-Ortiz, who remains hospitalized with injuries.  Advocate for, acknowledge, honor and respect the diversity that exists in our society — as well as the essential equity and inclusion that we must work towards together at Temple and throughout our lives.

In Solidarity,

The TAUP Executive Committee and Staff