Dear Students,

The Graduate Employees Organization (GEO) strike, which began on Monday, February 26, and continued throughout the last week, has resulted in a number of class cancellations and relocations. I offer an apology to all of you for disruption to your academic experience during the past days. We have been working with our departments to ensure that they put steps in place so the educational objectives of your courses are met.

We look forward to getting back to the bargaining table, but we must prepare in case strike activities resume Monday morning. If there are cancellations, relocations, or rescheduling of any of your classes, the department offering that course is responsible for coordinating make-up arrangements and keeping you informed of any changes.

My office has added a new resource to help answer specific questions you might have about the strike and its impact on your education, which can be found here. These pages include answers to some of your most frequently asked questions. This is a public resource, and I encourage you to share this link with your parents or others who may also have questions.

Once again in the coming week, there may be GEO members or supporters protesting or picketing outside campus buildings. This is legal as long as it is peaceful and does not create a disturbance or block entrances or exits. As a student, you have every right to attend your classes. Picketers have the right to talk to you as you enter or leave, but they cannot interfere with your passage. If you have any concerns or experience any difficulties please contact the department that offers the affected class or call the University of Illinois Police Department (333.1216).

I thank you for your patience during the duration of this strike. We have been eager to return to the bargaining table with GEO to resolve our differences and reach a final and fair agreement. I am hopeful that we will resume those negotiations soon and end this period of disruption to the Illinois experience you expect to have.

Sincerely,

Andreas C. Cangellaris
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost