I find it belittling that assisting an effort to represent student employees requires faculty support.
My son served as a lance corporal in the Marines before attending Ohio University and was refused a job on campus because of perceived time conflicts between work and military duty.
This is illegal and resulted in my family’s hiring an attorney for the first time in 12 years. My son refuses to work on the campus of OU, and who can blame him? OU is a “military-friendly” campus now because of a few vocal — and angry — parents, students and supporters of our military.
In response to Mr. Shelley’s letter which called employment opportunities a “yearlong rant,” he should know that not one faculty member stood up to help my son. Not a single one. Maybe now they should.
Helping people get jobs is not a conservative or liberal issue. Student Senate, administrators and veterans at OU need to form a Student Employee Commission that provides a right to work.
No one wants to be the bringer of bigger government, but that’s a non-issue — especially on a university campus where people should have fair access to opportunities.
OU needs to help students by forming an employee commission so that students like my son have a voice to fight discrimination. Please tell Student Senate the faster it creates the commission, the better.
Our legal fees luckily were provided for by an organization dedicated to these issues. Our case was just one instance in a larger issue I think is worth fighting for. I am tired of hearing “entitlement, entitlement, entitlement” from people who say entitlements are killing this country. Entitlements are earned.
My son was hired with one of his roommates at a Nelsonville establishment that appreciates veterans, and he is paid hourly with tips.
If anyone is entitled to “rant,” it’s the people who fight for our country and do not receive support from others when they need help.
Cathleen Freight is a Guysville resident and manager for a nonprofit art studio in Athens County.
