this is a frightening but not unexpected next step in a transformation that north american universities have undertaken to disregard their charters and instead run themselves like cold-blooded businesses.

will these HCL contractors have the opportunity to participate in senate meetings, university committees, etc, like actual staff members do?

were faculty consulted about this decision?

taking a large chunk of an administratrive department and converting it into something exogenous is a dangerous move and makes it clear what the university leaderhip's priorities are. outsourcing the cafeteria management is one thing. but how much of a university can you carve out and hand off to external for-profit entities -- where is the line?

and, of course, the existing staff that are being shafted -- my heart goes out to them.