Marta Cruz-Sojo is one of the most experienced GSIs in the department of Romance Languages and Literatures. She worked as a lecturer in the department for several years and has continued to work as a GSI in RLL while pursuing an MFA in the School of Art & Design.
During the break between semesters Marta returned to her home in Spain. On January 3 she was told by the U.S. embassy in Madrid that she would not be allowed to enter the United States until several problems were resolved. The most serious of these was that an individual with a similar name had been prosecuted for a crime.
Marta immediately informed RLL that her return would be delayed and provided the department with documentation relevant to her situation. She was told that her position would be held open for her temporarily, but that her employment would be terminated unless she was able to return by Monday, January 23. That deadline was later extended to Friday, January 27.
Since Marta’s visa requires her to maintain student status, she also contacted the School of Art and Design. Last week they agreed to take several actions which will make it possible for Marta to remain enrolled so long as she is able to return by February 14. Among these are reducing her course load, paying her tuition for this reduced load, and making available to her a low fraction assistantship with a minimal stipend. The School also initiated contact with Congressman John Dingell and asked him to intercede on Marta’s behalf.
The Graduate Employees’ Organization has been working to ensure that Marta Cruz-Sojo will be able to return to the University of Michigan without incurring any penalties or losing any funding. We have urged RLL not to terminate her employment, have communicated with Art & Design about the importance of protecting her student status, have contacted university president Mary Sue Coleman, and have worked with our state federation to follow up with Congressman Dingell.
On Friday, January 27, we were informed by Congressman Dingell’s office that Marta’s entry into the U.S. has been approved. On Monday, January 30 Marta received her papers. She is scheduled to return to Ann Arbor on the evening of Wednesday, February 1.
We do not yet know whether RLL has terminated Marta’s employment. After being cleared to return to the U.S. Marta asked the department whether she could resume her duties on Thursday, February 2. Representatives from the department declined to discuss the issue.
Until it is clear that Marta’s job is safe, we continue to ask GEO members and allies to contact President Coleman and urge her to guarantee that Marta will receive her promised funding this semester.
For more information about Marta’s situation and what you can do to help, contact the Graduate Employees’ Organization at umgeo@umich.edu or (734) 995-0221.
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