We as graduate and undergraduate students, employees, alumnae/i, and faculty of the University of Chicago are appalled by the sudden layoffs announced before the end of quarter, and are deeply concerned about the larger process of implementation of “shared services.”

We demand:

1. All the layoffs be put on hold.

2. The implementation of “Shared Services” be immediately halted, pending further conversation involving all of us as different constituents essential to the functioning of this university. We are concerned about the lack of transparency in the decision-making processes involved and demand that these processes be democratized rather than imposed from above.