EIU-UPI and Eastern’s administration have been negotiating for over a year leading to a strike beginning April 6. This has led to almost all classes, advising appointments, committee meetings and more to be canceled impacting students daily life.

Students need to return to the classroom to obtain the education that they are paying thousands of dollars to attend.

They are missing out on valuable education that will be useful to them in the future.

Seniors may be worried about if graduation is going to happen and how it will impact their future.

Students are preparing to join the work force, employers may ask about transcripts and by teachers not working, they cannot provide the necessary documents for the students.

Students are left wondering what it is they should do throughout the day and how to go about completing the school year.

The strike leaves students in a predicament because they have nothing to do, and their future and educations are left on hold until the administration and the union members settle the contract.

The strike makes the university to look unprofessional to incoming students. Advisors are not working during the strike and cannot assist students that are intending on attending the university.

Also, current enrolled students may leave the university as well.

This could abolish the attendance rate of Eastern and create a negative reputation to the university.

Additionally, this can create long-term effects for students that went through the stoppage of everything due to COVID-19.

They may be traumatized from those times and are having to experience something close to that.

To some, it could feel like a waste of time and money since they have no classes going on and are sitting around waiting for updates on when they should go back to classes.

Students are able to keep the university functioning by still hosting the events around campus.

Ultimately, students are not able to have the college experience that they are paying thousands of dollars for. The students are left for themselves in the midst of the disagreement.

We at The News urged those involved to end this now.

Do what it takes to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

No more leaving bargaining sessions at 5 p.m. when you have the ability to go until 2 a.m.

This is not the time to leave for home as if this is a normal nine-to-five job where you get to leave the office at a set time.

Bargaining takes time, it takes patience, it takes communication.

None of this can be done by leaving early.

The Editorial Board can be reached at 581-2812.