I commend students Corey Payne, Grace Hargrove and Chase Alston for their very insightful commentary calling out Johns Hopkins President Ron Daniels and the decision makers at Johns Hopkins University for their poor treatment of lower level Hopkins employees ("JHU efforts to cut a union company raises doubts about its commitment to Baltimore," July 29).
The concept of "the white savior complex" clearly describes the paternalistic treatment of employees by Hopkins, which chooses to put forth the idea that these employees should be grateful that they are underpaid by a world class institution. President Daniels says all the right things, but he does not put his money where his mouth is. Mr. Daniels has urged faculty to provide services to residents of Baltimore but has failed to provide funding. He is like a person who leaves the table when it comes time to pay the check.
President Daniels should show the moral leadership required to rein in the bean counters who see it as their duty to balance the budget on the backs of lower level minority employees. As the authors of the op-ed have made clear, the attempt to break the union will cause mostly minority employees to suffer. Unfortunately, this has been the enduring legacy of this institution in Baltimore.
The facade of ethical behavior is being questioned by undergraduate students. Will the administration of Hopkins rise to the occasion? I also commend the union members of Hopkins for joining together to demand better treatment at Hopkins. All Hopkins administrators should be required to take a course on ethical behavior as the ethical standards which Hopkins has displayed over many years are not acceptable.
Edward McCarey McDonnell, Baltimore