Please sign this letter

[Update (Nov. 23/07): Open Letter to Shawn Graham with 404 signatures sent to the premier, the MLAs and the media on Friday. Thanks to everyone who signed, and to those who collected signatures. A particular shout-out to the masked cartoonist on that score. The letter will remain posted here and the names of people who have signed after the letter was sent are marked with an asterisk.]

As part of the lead-up to the much-anticipated throne speech, the following open letter to the premier is going to be was sent to the various papers as well as emailed to all the MLAs, City Counselors and N.B. Senators. If you would be interested in signing it, please either email me at jones at unbsj dot ca, leave a comment to this post, or use the “Contact” form (link at the top of this page). Include your email address so that your signature is verifiable; if you want to identify yourself further (”UNBSJ student”, “resident of Saint John”, etc.) go ahead. If any of the papers print it, they won’t include all the names; they will just say something like “45 84 103 142 166 a bunch of signatures.” But the names and contact information will go went in the sent version. Here is the letter:

Open letter to Shawn Graham,

We the undersigned urge you to take the opportunity of the Throne Speech to end the uncertainty with regard to higher education in New Brunswick. We realize that the Presidents and Principals Committee will not have finished its discussions, but the situation is dire and requires immediate action.

Thousands of university students continue to live with acute uncertainty about their futures. They are wondering if they will be able to finish their programmes, and those who can are considering transferring. Prospective students are going elsewhere. The institutions themselves are facing significant damage. Saint Thomas University and Mount Allison received assurances back in the Spring, but UNB and UdeM continue under threat. The situation is inhumane.

We believe that the existing system of higher education in this province is capable of dealing with the minor difficulties of transfer credits and such; moreover, that if the universities were adequately funded and the community colleges were freed from the restrictions of direct governmental control, as they are in other provinces, we would have a healthy and vibrant system.

We believe that the largest Anglophone region in the province deserves its own university campus, that UNBSJ should continue to be an integral part of UNB, and that UNB continue to be New Brunswick’s national comprehensive university, recently ranked 5th in the country.

We believe that the liberal arts and sciences, and business, are integral parts of UNBSJ.

We believe in ongoing access to university education in the North, and in an educational system that respects and nurtures our unique position as the only bilingual province.

We believe that education should be affordable and student debt loads decreased.

We believe that the people of New Brunswick deserve access to a range of educational opportunities, and that their choices need to be enhanced, not closed off.

We would remind you of the many thousands of signed postcards you and your ministers have received, the many thousands of letters, the over three thousand signatures on the online petition, over one hundred and twenty letters to the editor and sixty commentaries in the Telegraph-Journal and elsewhere, and the thousands who have demonstrated in Edmundston, Fredericton, Saint John, and Shippagan.

The people of New Brunswick, and beyond, will be watching on November 27.

Signed,
[404 signatures sent; currently 417]
Katherine Adams, student
Fatima Ahmad, 3rd year UNBSJ student
Courtney Alberts
Mary Astorino, UNBSJ staff and stipend Instructor
Bruce A. Bagnell, Botanist, Nauwigewauk
Bruce J. Balcom, UNB Faculty
Ann Barrett, President CFUW-SJ: “The members of Canadian Federation of University Women -Saint John Club passed a motion in support of UNBSJ. We reviewed the Post – Secondary report and send our response to all the MLA’s. Please add our name as an organization and my name as a concerned citizen.”
Lesley Beckett Balcom, Librarian UNBF
John Ball, UNBF faculty
Patrick J. Barsalou
Debra Bathgate, Yoga Teacher/Resident S. J.
Anthony Battilana: “I am a resident of Saint John , a Father and a student at age 43.”
Rosemary J. Bautista
Louise Beaulieu, professeure titulaire, Université de Moncton, Campus de Shippagan
Cindy Beckenbach, UNBSJ student
Barry Beckett
Louis Bélanger
Cheryl Belding, resident of Milford Saint John, from Chance Harbour
David Bell, UNBF Faculty of Law
Lynn Bell
Larry Bell
Sandra Bell, UNBSJ faculty
Lisa Best
Jonathan Bidgood, resident of Saint John
Katherine Binhammer, Faculty, University of Alberta
Laura Bond
Lilly Both, Faculty and Senator, UNBSJ
Jenny Bosien
Wendy Bourque, Former Saint John Resident
Gerry Boyd
Jeff Boyd
Kathy Boyd
Mary Brodkorb, Part-time lecturer, UNBSJ
Sheila Brooks, Financial Aid Office, SSU, St. Stephen
Judy Buchanan, Faculty UNB Saint John
Peter Buckland, UNB alumnus, Saint John resident
Delsie Burke, 2nd year UNBSJ student
Mike Burke, UNBSJ student
Janet Burns
Joel Butler, UNBSJ student
Marie Cailliau, student and voter
Angela Caissie, UNBSJ student
Lisa Carrier, UNBSJ student
Tracy Carr, Faculty, UNBSJ
Jason C. Cawley, B.A. and M.A., UNB, longtime resident of Saint John
Andrew Chiasson, UNBSJ student
Lee Chalmers, Faculty, UNBSJ
Jocelyn Chamberlain, UNBSJ student
Doris Chesley, Alumnus of UNBSJ (class 1998): “I strongly support our university.”
Tracey Chiasson, UNB Saint John Graduate
Susan Mary Clarke, Riding of Saint John – Lancaster
Jennifer Clifford, UNBSJ Nursing Student
Jacqui Clydesdale, UNBSJ alumnus (2005)
Grace Colwell, UNBSJ student
Anne Compton
Tom Condon, Professor Emeritus
Susan Layman Conrad, UNBSJ alumnus 1990
Natasha Constantine, student
Bethany Cooke, UNBSJ student
Greg Cook, writer, Saint John
Melissa Cook, UNBSJ student
Phyllis Corbett
Celina Cormier, 4th year student, UNBSJ
Linda Costello
Miville Couture, Teacher of French as a second language, Saint John
Dianne D. Craig, alumnus of UNBSJ (Class of 1998)
Heather Craig
Shannon Crane, UNBSJ Student and Resident of Saint John
Hilary Creamer, student
David Creelman, Faculty, UNBSJ
Joy Crosby
*William Crosby, resident of Saint John
Daniel Cullen, UNBSJ student
Stephen Dale, journalist and author, Ottawa
Andrea Day, Graduate Student, UNB
David John DeCoste, former resident of Saint John and concerned citizen
Susie Bowers DeCoste, MA English UNBSJ 2007
Roma De Robertis, campus minister at UNBSJ
Don Desserud, PhD, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, UNBSJ
Enrico DiTommaso, UNBF alumnus (’97) and UNBSJ Faculty
Tiffany Lynn Dobson, UNBSJ Student
Carrie Lin Doherty
Peter Donahue, former Assistant Director, International Office, UNBSJ
Fred Donnelly, History and Politics
Chris Doran
Dayle Doran
Andrea Doucette, 2nd year Student, UNBSJ
Dwayne Doucette, resident of Rothesay
Debbie and Stephen Doukas: “UNBSJ is vital to our grandchildren.”
George Doukas
Georgia and Chris Doukogiannis, concerned citizens
Militsa Doukogiannis, UNBSJ alumnus (2001) and concerned citizen
Soula and James Doukogiannis: “We believe strongly that UNBSJ is vital to the health of the community.”
Daniel Downes, Faculty, UNBSJ
Ricardo Duchesne
James E. DuPlessis, UNBSJ alumnus 2004, BA-History
Katelyn Dyer, 2nd Year UNBSJ Student
Stephanie Elder, UNBSJ student
Clare Ellis, 4th year UNBSJ student
Walter Emrich
Jennifer English BA, MA, UNB
Shannon Enright, UNBSJ student
Herb Essenburg (Saskatchewan)
Mellisa Essenburg, San Diego, CA
Richard Evans, 4th Year Business Student, UNBSJ
Joanna Everitt, Faculty, UNBSJ
Deborah Eves, Reference Assistant, Ward Chipman Library
Coleena Fanjoy, UNBSJ Grad Student
Regena Farnsworth, Faculty, UNBSJ
Don Fillmore
Erica Findley, UNBSJ student
Sylvie Fitzgerald, resident of Saint John and former UNBSJ student
David Flagel, UNBSJ Graduate, UNBSJ Faculty
Greg Fleet, Faculty, UNBSJ
Justin Flowers, UNBSJ student
Curtis Fournier, UNBSJ student
Janet Fraser, Librarian, UNBSJ
Melissa Fraser, UNBSJ student
Katherine A. Frego, Professor, UNB Saint John
Karen Furlong, Senior Instructor, Department of Nursing, UNB Saint John
Cheryl Fury, Faculty, UNBSJ
R. Gagné
Lawrence L. Gagnon, Resident of Saint John N.B.
Joe Galbo, Faculty, UNBSJ
Daniel Galbraith, UNBSJ student
John Martin Gallagher, UNBSJ student
Paulette (Godin) Gaudet, Grand Bay-Westfield, NB, former student UNBSJ
J. Gille Gaudet, Grand Bay-Westfield, NB, former student UNBSJ
Kimberley Gaudet, former student UNBSJ, currently working in Manchester, England
Kathryn Gaudet, Grand Bay-Westfield, NB, current student UNBSJ
Colin Drew Gilbert, UNBF Anthropology/Archaeology Candidate: “Help save Canada’s oldest university.”
Monique Gionet, BA alumnus (2004)
Trevor Anthony Goreham, UNBSJ student
Sandra Gorlick, Educator, Oakville Ont.
Elizabeth Gorman, UNBF Anthropology/Archaeology Candidate: “I am currently pursuing my second degree (MA – Archaeology/Anthropology) in a discipline that may not survive if the recommendations go through.”
Thomas Goud
Rowena Grant
Brendon Graves, UNBSJ student, Proud Resident of Saint John
Brenna Clarke Gray, M.A. (Carleton), Ph.D. Candidate, University of New Brunswick, Co-President, English Graduate Student Society, Hell-Raiser
Lisa Gray, UNBSJ student
Gregory Grondin, BCS alumnus (Class of 2000)
Anthony Grotenhuis, 3rd year Sociology major
Christine Grotenhuis, Rothesay, N.B.
Jing Guo, UNBSJ student
Rameshwar Gupta, Faculty, UNBSJ
Signe Gurholt
Susheel Gurjar, UNBSJ student
Tonya Haevens: “I definitely support UNBSJ! It is the foundation for education in our city and Province!”
Trudy Hahn
Jessica Hamer, UNBSJ alumnus (2007), resident of Rothesay
Crystal Hammond, UNBSJ student
Kurt Hansen, UNB alumnus, Concerned Liberal
Jason Harley, UNBSJ student
J. Peter Hastings, concerned educator
Jillian Hector, student
Alie Heffernan, student
Darel Henderson, student
Nicole Henderson, St. Stephen NB: “I drive back and forth 3 times a week to campus, and I am a single mother of 4 1/2 year old twins.”
Amanda Henry, UNBSJ Student
Tammy Hicks, UNBSJ staff
Sandee Hicks-Moore, UNBSJ Faculty
Roderick Hill, Faculty, UNB Saint John campus
Virginia Hill, Faculty, UNB Saint John campus
Denise Hollway
Francesca Holyoke, Librarian, UNB- Fredericton
Helena Hook, 3rd year UNBSJ student, “We need this university in Saint John for our children and grandchildren. Our future depends on it!”
Jessica Hooper, 1st year Bachelor of Nursing UNBSJ
Samantha Hope, UNBSJ student
Gerard W. Horgan, Quispamsis
Michelle Horgan, student
Jula Hughes. Faculty, UNBF
Russ Hunt (STU)
Cathie Hurley, Faculty, UNBSJ
Bonnie Huskins, Department of History, UNBF
Arif Hussain, M.A candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at UNBSJ, International Student, and “confused, scared and proud resident of Saint John for the past 6 years.”
Jane Hutton
Don Hyslop, UNB alumnus (Arts 1972)
Stewart Hyson, Faculty Member
Sarah Idler, UNBSJ student: English and Philosophy
Arthur R. James, UNB Fredericton
Ulrika Jansson, PhD candidate, Umeå University, Sweden
Leslie Jeffrey
Brittany Johnson-Ross, 3rd year UNBSJ Education Student
*Nancy Johnston, former faculty member and SJ resident, faculty at the University of Toronto
Jill Jollineau
Isaac Jones, UNBSJ student
Jayne Jones, 4th year UNBSJ student
Miriam Jones, Faculty, UNBSJ
Rosi Jory: “Retired from teaching at UNBSJ, 1965 – 1997. Retired also from scholarship making, especially after creating 20 (twenty) $1.000.00 ‘Saint John NB-Times Four’ scholarships, 1990 – 2005. Keep our UNBSJ alive and healthy, well-funded and thriving for our current and oncoming full and part time students – our future!”
Blaine Justason, Rothesay, N.B.
Merzik Kamel
Josselyn Kane, UNBSJ student
*Abhishek Kar, UNBSJ
Roshini Kassie, MSc candidate, UNB Saint John
*Anjuli Kawatra, UNBSJ Alumni
Rexanna Keats, UNBSJ student
Theresa Keenan, Graduate Assistant, UNB-Fredericton
Margaret Keith, UNBSJ student
Gretchen Kelbaugh, UNBSJ alumnus
Talha Ahmed Khan, International student
Karen Kidd, Faculty, UNBSJ
Joanna Killen, UNBSJ student
Cindy Kilpatrick
Frederick King, UNB Student
Lyn King: “As a grandmother of 4,whose been saving for their education, hope that they will have the choice to stay in Saint John.”
*Suzanne Kingston, resident of Saint John and parent of 2 future UNBSJ students
John Kirk (Halifax)
Doretta Klaric, MA Communication and Culture, YorkU/RyersonU: “Please add my name to your letter/petition for the continued struggle to minimize the corporate domination of education and the dismantling of important disciplines, faculties, departments and programs that provide valid and substantial knowledge and research to the growing demands of our social, political, economic, cultural and diverse country.”
Lisa Kleinhorst, International exchange student, UNBSJ
Anne L. Klinck, English Department, UNB Fredericton
Andrew Knox, UNBSJ student
Annalise Larsen: “I am a mature student and parent of both a student and a graduate of UNBSJ.”
Beatrice Latour
Tracey Lavigne, UNBSJ alumnus and Saint John resident
Alana LeBlanc, UNBSJ student
Ross Leckie
Catherine LeGrand, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of History, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
Linda Lequin, Secteur langue, Université de Moncton
Niko Levesque, 4th Year UNBSJ Student
Debra Lindsay
Murray Littlejohn
Matthew K. Litvak, Professor and Director of the Centre for Coastal Studies and Aquaculture, UNB Saint John
*Gary Long, Université de Moncton, Edmundston campus
Andrew Loomer, UNBSJ student
Andres Felipe Baron Lopez, Biologist, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Adam Loutfi, UNBSJ student
Christina Lowe UNBSJ alumnus 2007
Brian J. Lowry, Faculty, UNBF
Jeremy Lundholm, PhD, Biology/Environmental Studies, Saint Mary’s University: “I am a researcher at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax and I have active collaborations with researchers at UNBSJ.”
Bruce MacDonald, Resident of Quispamsis
*Laura Macdonal, Faculty, Carleton University
D.S. Mack MacKenzie, STU Graduate Student
James MacKenzie, Librarian, UNBF
Judith Mackin, resident of Saint John, supporter of UNBSJ
Nicole MacKnight, UNBSJ student
Colin MacMichael, Resident student of UNBSJ
Maribeth MacNutt
Louise MacPherson, Saint John Office Manager, Stewart McKelvey
Aniket Mahanti, UNBSJ alumnus (BScCS 2004)
Sarah Maier
Jacqueline Mantle, UNBSJ student
Elizabeth Margaris
Lisa Marino, 3rd Year Arts/Education, UNBSJ
Clancy Marks, 1st year UNBSJ student
Greg Marquis, Faculty, UNBSJ
Janelle Martin, Faculty and alumnus, UNBSJ
Charlene Mayes, Faculty of Science, Fredericton
Lynne McAlpine
Rose McCloskey
Dianne McCormack
Sue McCrea, Saint John, Former UNBSJ Part Time Student
Mark A. McCutcheon, Faculty, UNBSJ
Susan Arlene McDevitt-Smith, UNBSJ student
Elizabeth McGahan, Faculty, UNBSJ
Rick McGaw, Faculty, UNBF
Katherine McGuire, Faculty, UNBSJ
Laurie A. McInnis, former UNBSJ student
Jeannine McKay, UNBSJ student
Kevin McKellar, 1996 alumnus
Charlie McKendy
C. McKeown, UNBSJ student
Allison McKinnon
Carolyn McLaughlin, Saint John
Sean McLaughlin, UNBSJ student
Peter McMaster, Saint John resident
Kim McMullin, UNBSJ student
Darcie McNeill, UNBSJ student
Colin McQuaid, UNBSJ student
Carrie Megaw, UNBSJ student
Morris Mendelson
Sandra Merino, Victoria, BC
Jeremiah Miller, UNBSJ Arts, Rothesay NB
Lisa Miller
Kenneth Mills, Professor of History & Director, Latin American Studies at the University of Toronto
Heather Moase, UNBSJ student
Rob Moir, Faculty, UNBSJ
Monica E. B. Moldovan, MSI, Professeure adjointe en Sciences de l’information, Université de Moncton, Campus de Shippagan
Robert Moore
Paul Mortimer, alumnus of UNB and employee of UNBSJ
Charles Murphy, Liberal in Abel LeBlanc’s riding of SJ Lancaster
Mary Murphy, Liberal in Abel LeBlanc’s riding of SJ Lancaster
Scott Myers, BScCS 06
Obed Nkunzimana, Faculty, UNBSJ
James Noble, Faculty, UNBSJ
Paula Noel, UNBSJ alumnus and Saint John resident
Mel Norton, Saint John resident and UNBSJ alumnus
Linda Nugent, Faculty, UNBSJ
Tom O’Connell, 4th Year UNBSJ student
Elizabeth O’Hearon, student
Daniel O’Quinn, Faculty, University of Guelph
Paul D. Ouellette
Cindy Lou Owre, MA student at UNBF
*Medha Padiyath, UNBF
Janet Palmer, 4th Year UNBSJ student
Rickie Palmer, student
Christos Papadopoulos, Science student UNBSJ
Nick C. Papadopoulos, UNB alumnus with both children attending UNBSJ
Deborah Payne, concerned citizen of Saint John
Karen Pearlston, Faculty Member, UNBF
Dale Peters, UNBSJ alumnus
Ryan Peters, UNBSJ student
Stephany Peterson, BA Honours, UNBSJ
*Sharon Liz Philip, UNBSJ
*Shona Ann Philip, UNBSJ
Emily Phillips, 4th Business UNBF student
Caitlin Porter, 4th year UNBSJ Student
Phyllis Power, former 12 year resident of Saint John and 10 year employee of UNBSJ
Jolene Price, UNBSJ student
Norma Jean Profitt, Department of Social Work, St. Thomas University
Carolyn Radcliffe, UNBSJ student
Jenny Ramsay, UNBSJ student
Jay Rawding, UNBSJ student
Beth Reed, UNBSJ student
Brad Reed, UNBSJ student
Aubrey Reid, Business Consultant, Rothesay, N.B.
Ashley Reynolds, UNBSJ student
Chelssie Reynolds, Saint John Resident, 4th Year English Major-Arts
Drew Richardson, potential student and SJ resident
Harold Richardson, SJ Resident
Joan Richardson, UNBSJ student
Peregrine Riley
Natasha Robichaud, UNBSJ student
Kara Robinson, UNBSJ student
André Rochan, UNBSJ student
Rémy Rochette
Margaret Rogers, Saint John resident
Amy Ross-Davis, PhD, UNBSJ alumnus, 1999 (BSc) 2002 (MSc), Purdue University alumnus, 2006 (PhD)
Bram Roumi, Faculty, UNBSJ
C.J. Rowe, Diversity Advisor, UBC, Vancouver, B.C.
Joy Roy, Resident of Saint John,
Shawna Roy, Education student at UNBSJ
Christopher James Rupert, Future UNBSJ student, and resident of Saint John
Anne Ryan BA BSC MA, “Former mature student, parent of two prospective students, deeply concerned citizen whose family helped settle New Brunswick in the later 18th century”
Heather Sager, 4th Year UNBSJ Student
Amy Salter, UNBSJ student
Paul Saulnier, 4th Year UNBSJ Student
Jeffrey D. Schofield, B.A LL.B.
Brenda Schyf, BN (UNB); BA (UNBSJ); MEd (UNBSJ)
Jane Sears, UNBSJ alumnus
Brodie Shannon, 3rd Year UNBSJ Student
Tom Shannon, 4th Year Philosophy Student
Ruth Shaw, Alumnus/Faculty, UNB Saint John (+ wife and mother of UNBSJ alumnus)
*Erum Sheikh, UNBSJ
Greg Shupak, HBA (Toronto), MA Candidate (UNBF)
Vicky Simpson, PhD Candidate, UNBF
Joshua Sleep, UNBSJ student
Nicole Slipp, 4th year UNBSJ student
Irene Smith, Cuba
Laura Smith, UNBSJ student
Wendy Smith
Edith Snook, Faculty, UNBF
*Tao Song, 3rd year UNBSJ student
Carol Ann Spencer, UNBSJ staff and MEd Candidate UNBF
Jordan Stanley, Saint John Resident, UNBSJ Student
*Rachel Steeves, UNBSJ alumnus
Graeme Stevens, UNBSJ student
George Stoica, Professor of Mathematics at UNBSJ
Joan Stoica, Saint John
Jeremy Stolow, McMaster University, Hamilton Ont.
Bonnie Sudul, International Student Advisor, UNBSJ
Vinay Sukumar, UNBSJ alumnus
Robin Sutherland, PhD candidate, UNB
Heather A.J. Tait, B.A. (UNBSJ), Corporate Law Clerk, Stewart McKelvey
Sara (Buchanan) Taylor, BSc (UNBSJ Alumnus), MD
Leena Thampan, UNBSJ student
Jon Thompson, Fredericton
James Tibbetts, 4th Year UNBSJ
Mary Torcat (UNB Fredericton), Cambridge-Narrows
Ellen Tucker, BSc, CTC, CTM, concerned Saint John resident
Adam Trainor, UNBSJ student
Joe Trainor, Original UNBSJ Class: “UNBSJ Forever!”
Stephen Turnbull, Faculty, UNBSJ
Ujjwal Upadhyay, UNBSJ student
Jack Vanderlinde
Gerald Vickers, resident of Saint John
Helen Vickers, resident of Saint John
Karen Vickers, resident of Saint John
Kathleen Vickers
Bernadette L. Wagner, Poet, Saskatchewan
Gary Waite, Professor, University Research Scholar, UNBF
Christopher Waldschutz, Saint John resident
Janice H. Waldschutz: “An aged student of the 60’s.”
Andrew Allison Wallace, B.A. UNB ‘72, Rothesay, New Brunswick
Christopher Walsh, UNBSJ alumnus (2003), currently a professional business writer and editor in Saint John, NB
Kathleen Ward, UNBSJ student
Tony Ward
Lloyd Waugh, Faculty, UNB Fredericton
Sherry Waycott, mother of current UNBSJ student
Hazel Webb, PhD Candidate, UNB Saint John
Lisa Weir, UNBSJ Student and life-long resident of Saint John
Emma May Weisseneder: “I fully support the continuing role of UNBSJ as part of UNB serving this large area of Southern New Brunswick. I am appalled that a suggested change that is detrimental to the education of our large population would be considered by our politicians. UNBSJ must not only remain but be enhanced by the addition of programs and research chairs to meet the needs of a growing population. Our MLA’s are elected to serve our best interests and it is time they made their voices heard.”
Gordon West, Director, Digital Social Praxis, Toronto
Emery Whalen, UNBSJ 1978, concerned citizen of Saint John
Helena Whalen, student
Theresa White, UNBSJ alumnus 2004
Robert Whitney
*Sarah Willigar, UNBSJ Student
Alexander Wilson, UNBSJ faculty
Alisha Wilson, student
Jeremy Wilson, 2nd Year UNBSJ Student
Heather Wishart
Lester Wood, Badmin UNBF
Megan Woodworth, UNBF alumnus (BA ‘03, MA ‘05), PhD student at University of Exeter, UK
Everett Zufelt, First-year Law, UNB Fredericton

[N.B. Email and/or street addresses are not included here but will be were when the letter goes went out]