Letter to the Editor: Student writes in support of Professor Pauley

Letter+to+the+Editor%3A+Student+writes+in+support+of+Professor+Pauley

Dear Editor:

As a student of Marywood who is affected immensely by the recent failure to renew the contracts of nine professors, I write to the students, professors, alumni and community of Marywood University in hopes to gain support to reverse this decision.

My professor, Lynn Pauley has never fallen short of dedication and commitment to the illustration program and her students. When I needed help with complicated advising problems she took her time out of the summer to come and meet with me to fix the issues. Lynn Pauley has met with me multiple times on weekends to help with both personal and school related assignments and has even used money from her own pocket to help brand her students by offering to pay for business cards and enter us into nationwide, art competitions.

When I attempted to write letters on behalf of my professor, some responses, though not all, were cold and insensitive. Sharing all that Lynn Pauley has done for me and this program I desperately asked for reconsideration in what has happened. To my surprise I was told “the decision was not a reflection of her performance but was made in the context of institutional wide priorities.” It is to my understanding that the students have now moved down on the priority list. I was told that I would still get the “range of courses and experiences that I needed.” This I know to be untrue… Lynn Pauley has done a complete turn around for the illustration program at Marywood University and has not even been given a full year to prove just how invaluable she is. Without Lynn Pauley this program holds little credibility.

I want to stay at Maywood University because it has become less of a university to me and more of a home. In all honesty, without the renewal of this professor’s contract will come the expiration of of my education at Maywood University for the fall of 2016.

In support of these teachers I have started a petition on iPetition under the name “Renewal of Marywood Faculty Contracts.”

Sincerely,

Lily Guziewicz

CORRECTION: The headline for this article originally stated that Professor Pauley was a doctor. The headline has been updated to reflect that this was not the case.