UMass Boston students, staff protest cuts amid Mount Ida purchase

BOSTON — Students and staff at University of Massachusetts-Boston are calling on university officials to direct more funds to their campus amid the multi-million dollar bail out purchase of the Mount Ida campus by UMass Amherst.

UMass Boston students and staff rallied in protest over cuts on campus amid the $75 million purchase of Mount Ida College.

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"When UMass Boston was and is still suffering, the board of trustees, president Meehan, or UMass Amherst did not assist us. However, when a private institution goes under, UMass Amherst bails them out of all their debts and those students become, and I quote, a top priority for president Meehan," said UMass Boston student body president Katie Mitrano.

Amid extensive construction and the search for a new permanent chancellor, UMass Boston is looking to close its $30 million structural deficit to just $5 million by this summer. To do it, the school has slashed the budget for 17 academic centers, eliminated the food pantry and childcare programs and laid off roughly 50 staff members.

Judith Frey works in the now student-run U-Access program for students in need. They recently lost their director.

"We all feel really disgusted with it. We feel as if we're being shut out. We feel like there's a constant war on poor and black people that use these programs," said Frey.

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The university system has said "the system and the board of trustees are fully committed to supporting UMass Boston, including through a similar strategic investment at the former Bayside Expo Center to benefit UMass Boston."

But students say the improvements are still costing them. Parking in the new campus garage, including the Expo Center, will be up to $15 a day.

They have gathered hundreds of signatures on petitions for reinstating programs and staff.

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"More money needs to come into UMass, as well as there needs to be some control where they're not able to just do what they want and the legislature not have any control over what they can do to the campuses," said Frey.

The UMass Boston students and staff at Wednesday's meeting and protest are planning to take their petitions to the chancellor's office and protest the next Mass Board of Higher Education meeting coming up.

Cox Media Group