Month: August 2018

August 30, 2018

What Do You Want?

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Everyone thinks about things that they’d like to change in their work environment. We all want to be able to perform our best as we interact with students, focus on research, or serve our areas, programs, departments and schools.

The Union can’t negotiate over everything, but there is much that we can do, and have done, to improve working conditions, job security, compensation and more. Many of these things seem so normal they’re taken them for granted. Everything that TAUP members have, they deserve and have earned. But without the Union, the fact that you deserve something would not necessarily mean the University would grant it.

It is only through our collective bargaining that we have the salaries, benefits, degrees of job security, and the support for our work that we have. If you want to consider how faculty would be treated without a union, remember the treatment of adjuncts before unionization. Remember that there used to be a 6 year cut off for NTTs, where they wouldn’t be rehired beyond that point if they hadn’t acquired a TT position. Remember when sabbaticals for tenure-track faculty weren’t guaranteed every seven years and at 65% of salary for a full-year’s leave, and new fathers and mothers couldn’t get a semester’s leave from teaching?

The fact is, as they say: “You will not get what you deserve. You will get what you negotiate.”

In spring of 2019 we’ll be back in negotiations together. There’s a lot to do between now and then. One of the most important things is for members communicate and commit to changing issues that are of great importance.

Last semester, TAUP President Steve Newman and Vice President Jennie Shanker began attending departmental faculty meetings to gain a greater understanding of how the Union can make a difference. Every department needs to engage in these discussions, and can do so by contacting the TAUP office.

When we get to the table in the spring, to do well, we need strong connections to every department in the TAUP bargaining unit. We can create significant change together. Reach out, connect and commit to being a part of the collective force that will working towards change in the 2019 negotiations.

August 29, 2018

Help Our Students, Your Children, and Yourselves through TAUP: The Fast Fund for Students in Need, The Hochner Travel Fund, and Scholarship for Children of Members

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See below for these important opportunities, and please let us know if you’d be interested in helping on these initiatives–raising funds, reviewing applications, etc. at taupaft@gmail.com.

TAUP FAST Fund for Temple Students in Need

When students face challenges securing food and/or housing, it can be difficult to learn. Last year, TAUP was designated by Prof. Sara Goldrick-Rab (College of Education) as the administrator of the Faculty and Students Together (FAST) Fund at Temple, designed to help students in need. The Fund provides rapid assistance to students whose attendance at Temple is threatened by financial emergencies such as overdue rent, car repairs, or insufficient funds for food. For more on how the FAST Fund works and how you can refer students for assistance, click here.

Donations

Prof. Goldrick-Rab’s founding gift was very generous, but your support is needed to supplement it as we continue to administer funds to student applicants. Please consider a tax-deductible donation here.

The Art Hochner Travel Fund

TAUP founded the Art Hochner Award for Non-Tenure Track Instructors in 2017 in honor of our previous president, with the purpose of annually financing travel expenses for up to $500 each for two TAUP members in good standing, one NTT and one adjunct.

Many NTTs and adjuncts are active in research into pedagogy, as well as subject matter. However, funds to support travel related to research are often not available to them. The ART HOCHNER Travel Award will be dedicated to support these faculty members in their research endeavors.

Who can apply?

Current NTT and adjunct instructors who are members who have traveled to professional conferences from 6/30/2017 to 6/30/2019, but did not received travel funds or received only partial reimbursement.

Application Process

A letter soliciting the fund should be sent to taupaft@gmail.com. It should describe the circumstances and purpose of travel, and its associated costs. Travel receipts and documented participation should be included..

Applications are due September 30th. Decisions will be made by the end of October.

Donations

To donate to the Travel Award, please contact taupaft@gmail.com. The funds collected are used exclusively for the Travel Award. In addition, all contributions are tax deductible.

Scholarship for Children of Union Members

TAUP founded its Scholarship Fund for Children of Union Members in 2011 with the purpose of annually financing a low income/ high performance student, who comes from a union family with an award of $500 to help with tuition expenses.

Who can apply?

Current undergraduate Temple University students with a GPA of 3.0, who are children of a Union household can apply.

Application Process

A letter soliciting the scholarship should be sent to taupaft@gmail.com. It should explain the student’s difficulty and ascertain their family union membership. The student will request a letter of recommendation from one of their professors as to their character and dedication. Letters of recommendation should be sent directly to TAUP from the author (not given to the student). Tuition receipts and GPA documentation should be included. Applications are due September 30th.

Donations

To donate to the Scholarship Fund, please contact taupaft@gmail.com. The funds collected are used exclusively for the Scholarship Fund. In addition, all contributions are tax deductible.

August 28, 2018

Adjunct Faculty Welcome Back Reminders and Updates!

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Greetings to everyone returning to teach this week! The Adjunct Constituency Council (ACC) of TAUP has compiled a list of timely reminders and information for the start of your semester, just scroll down!

But first, we want to be sure you know about an event we’re having to kick off the school year. You may have attended school or departmental orientations, now you can meet your adjunct colleagues and get more information on any of the items below and more at our union’s…

Adjunct Dis-Orientation!

THIS Wednesday August 29th, 4-6pm

The Draught Horse

1431 Cecil B. Moore

Whether you’re new to Temple or you’ve been teaching here for years, come by, say hi and enjoy your first drink on us!

RSVP HERE!

Parking Permits

Adjuncts are eligible for free parking at Temple lots on days that you are required to be on campus.You can find details on our Adjunct FAQ page

Health Insurance- Sign up before the end of the month!

Adjuncts who are eligible for the TAUP bargaining unit can sign up for health insurance with a subsidy from Temple. Click here to confirm your eligibility. Then go here for benefit information and for the application links.

Course Cancellations: Fees & Unemployment

If you have a course cancelled within 7 days of the start of the semester through the end of the drop/add period, you are eligible to receive a payment of 4% of what you would have been paid for the semester.

Whether your course was cancelled recently or not, if you are not being employed by the University at the same level as you were in the Spring, you may be eligible to apply for Unemployment Compensation, even if you have other income.

Be sure to contact us if either of these apply to you.

Adobe Creative Suite Access

This summer, according to the IT Department, there was an error that inadvertently removed access for “inactive adjunct faculty”. Any returning faculty that lost access during due to this error can renew their access at any time by visiting TUPortal and following the “Adobe Creative Cloud” link in the applications menu.

Have you Read the TAUP Adjunct Contract?

Go here to read over our union contract and let us know if you have any questions! We’ll be in negotiations for an even stronger contract in the Spring and we need your input and suggestions.

Best Practices: Employment Letter & SFF’s

Always be sure to download, print out and file away your Employment Letters every semester.

This term, be sure that you are receiving the $1500 per credit rate that was negotiated for adjuncts. It’s also wise to download your SFF’s for future reference.