The acting president of CUPE Local 1393 is voicing her disappointment in the University of Windsor's decision to move ahead with the closure of University Players.
"Certainly we think that there is a possibility to save it and we think there's a way to balance the budget," says Kristen Siapas.
Speaking on AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show, Siapas says the university is not changing its stance and will proceed with the closure.
This comes after the union presented university officials with six options last week to keep University Players open but was told it's 'just not viable.'
Siapas says according to the university it costs $1.3-million to run University Players however the union says the production costs are around $100,000.
She says it was a last ditch effort by the union to save University Players.
"It's a very disappointing day both for our staff, for the campus community, for the students at the School of Dramatic Art and for a lot of our grads working in the industry right now," she says.
Siapas says the university has chosen not to go ahead with any of the alternatives presented by the union.
"We were hoping to see that kind of supportive, creative thinking when it comes to the arts but it's clear the university has decided not to support the arts in this respect," says Siapas. "They've decided to say, University Players just has to go and that's what has to happen and we're not going to open our eyes to any other possibility."
She believes there are ways to save University Players but the university decided against it.
"I think the university has missed the boat here in investing in this," she says. "I think there was a real opportunity here that has been missed and the cost is going to be to the students."
On June 18, the university announced job cuts as part of a restructuring of two campus service areas to address a budget shortfall, which included ceasing operations of University Players, the production unit within the School of Dramatic Art.
The union met with university officials on July 30 as part of the stipulations of the collective agreement,to identify alternative opportunities and support mechanisms for those impacted by the closure.
Six positions will be impacted by the closure of University Players, including set and costume designers, a production staff member, a carpenter, and a scene painter.
Siapas says the union will continue to support staff members and says they will potentially be able to bump into other positions within other departments of the university.