As a member and former organizer of GESO, I’m shocked at the out-of-touch and self-absorbed rally put on yesterday.

The student union has asked Yale locals 34 and 35 to stand behind its attempts to, once again, gain recognition from the University. I support the goal. Yet with an endowment projected to drop 25 percent and with over 600 non-faculty jobs on the chopping block (200 cuts, 400 layoffs), the demands made by GESO are not only absurd; they’re truly selfish.

Few graduate students in the world come close to enjoying the benefits we do at Yale. And while I’m largely in favor of GESO’s ultimate goal, I’m more than willing to forego these “extra perks” if that means a few more Yale employees can keep their jobs in these hard economic times. (Graduate students will surely keep theirs.) The failure of GESO to put forth such a position made the organization look like a bunch of spoiled, selfish whiners.

Todd Holmes

March 4

The writer is a graduate student in the History Department.