Friday, March 17, 2006

an eerie silence

UM Law Professor Michael Froomkin reports some strange goings on on his blog:

I'd like to read the university's report on pay and benefits for contract workers. I'd like to link to it too. But there's still nothing on the UM web site. Nothing.

I called UM's usually efficient Media Relations. "Evlynne" -- who wouldn't give her last name -- said that she didn't know anything about getting copies of the report. And there was no statement available from the university. There is no press release. "Where did the Herald get its information?" I asked. "I don't know," she said. There will, she said, be a letter to the faculty on Monday. Then she put down the phone.

In fact, it turns out, the Herald sourced its story to an interview with Shalala. I called the President's office. The person answering the phone said she didn't know anything about copies of the committee's report or a statement, and someone would call me back. So far, no one has.

Is it just that everyone is on vacation (it's Spring Break) or is this just slightly odd?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

it's (more than) slightly odd.

Anonymous said...

I'm actually prepared to believe the "on vacation" story.

I'd also be prepared to believe they have a team of lawyers reviewing everything, in order to avoid being accused of an unfair labor practice themselves. That would be a very reasonable to do under the circumstances. And the lawyers would be justified in telling people not to talk until it's all cleared.