BRIGHTON, N.Y. — Faculty and students at Monroe Community College hit the picket line Wednesday to protest potential layoffs. The Board of Trustees says it needs to downsize due to declining enrollment.

“I am worried that professors who I know would be fired. In that case, might not have a job in a year,” said Chianti Stefan, an MCC student who joined the picket line days before graduation. He says it was his way of showing his professors how much they mean to him.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with other picketers in front of the MCC campus on East Henrietta Road, Faculty Association President Bethany Gizzi says she hasn’t given up hope.

“If the college is committed to reducing the number of full time faculty, there are ways to do that without laying off people,” Gizzi said. She says the Faculty Association has proposed other ways of addressing the budget concerns, including early retirement incentives.

“It would be a way to hopefully reduce the number and also have an impact the budget in a positive way. And it would not impact people who are early or mid career,” Gizzi said.

News10NBC has repeatedly tried to speak to the MCC president about this, but has been told she’s not available. A spokesperson confirmed discussions are ongoing and no decision has been made.

In the meantime, Gizzi says she is proud to see her community, students, and faculty stand together.

“We have the greatest faculty and staff here. I love my colleagues, I love being here working with them. I do feel a sense of solidarity and unity by seeing so many people here,” she said.

Gizzi says the Faculty Association will meet with the Board of Trustees again on May 28.

The MCC administration referred News10NBC to a statement released on May 15 by Veronica R. Chiesi Brown, assistant director of community relations:

“In the spirit of our institutional values, the administration of Monroe Community College (MCC) commits to collaboration with employee leaders of our Faculty Association union and Faculty Senate as we also honor our collective bargaining agreement with the Faculty Association. Working together, we seek to identify a combination of viable cost-reduction and revenue-generating options which more fully respond to the institutions’ preexisting fiscal challenges. Such challenges, including historic enrollment declines, are prevalent across higher education. Throughout this process, MCC will maintain laser focus on the success of its students to ensure no disruption to their educational pursuit nor the quality of instruction upon which its national leading reputation has been built and sustained.”

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