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SEIU Local 200United, which represents contingent faculty members at Wells, claims the college has not provided "financial information relevant to negotiations" and refuses to honor the union's proposals, including severance packages for affected employees, in negotiations.

Contingent faculty members include non-tenured professors and part-time instructional staff.聽

Wells College's closure announcement on April 29 surprised faculty, staff and students. The college's leadership cited financial issues as the reason for the closure.聽

Although Wells has not been transparent about the extent of its financial woes, tax filings show the college lost $3 million in the year before it closed.聽

Leslie Schumacher, a visiting assistant professor in Wells College's history department, said the college's leadership has "irrevocably damaged and, in many cases, likely ended for good" the careers of faculty members.聽

Despite the college's actions, Schumacher is hopeful that the school will agree to provide severance packages to SEIU Local 200United members.聽

"They still have a chance to fulfill their moral obligation to help those who put their faith in them to act as responsible stewards of our beloved Wells," Schumacher continued.聽

Andrew Hunt, a visiting assistant professor in Wells College's theater department, explained how the college's failure to communicate about its financial challenges affected the faculty.聽

Hunt noted that faculty members with expiring contracts were renewed for two or three more years before the spring semester began.聽

"Given (the administration's) secret knowledge of the college's financial state, this deliberate act of misrepresentation trapped these faculty who otherwise would have gained an opportunity to apply to open positions," Hunt said. "The deliberate lie is more egregious as it has become clear that administration never had any intent of honoring the contracts."聽

The union is urging Wells College to fulfill its request for information about the closure and provide severance packages to faculty members.聽

In response to previous questions about the impact on employees, Wells College has said it does not have a formal severance policy.聽

"As the college winds down its operations, we are working with all employees to do so as humanely and respectfully as possible," the college added.