eBulletin 20180827

Here’s an update on some of the work that union members and elected representatives have been working on throughout the summer.

Labor/Management Committees: As a result of the negotiations for adjuncts, representatives from Temple’s administration, faculty and TAUP representatives have been meeting.

• One committee has been looking at adjunct office space and other resources (secure storages space, office supplies, software licenses, etc.). A survey has been developed that should be sent to all adjunct faculty this semester. The results should help in gaining an understanding of where there are needs to be addressed.  
• The Job Security Committee has met multiple times and has engaged in productive and sometimes difficult discussions on possible ways to increase job security at Temple and universities where this has been done. We have not come to any agreements, but we have discussed the key role assessment would likely play in any job security proposal, whether  longer-term contracts for adjuncts, preference in course assignments, or paths to full-time employment. Fair assessment, we believe, would require more than Student Feedback Forms, which have been proven repeatedly to be of limited value; but we also acknowledge that peer mentorship and evaluation require significant investments if they are to be done well.  Wherever these discussions may lead, we believe greater job security is essential for adjuncts (and NTTs!), about half of whom have been teaching at Temple for over five years. They need and deserve a more substantial commitment than one semester at a time. Temple’s current policies do, in fact, allow for adjuncts to receive one-year appointments, though to the best of our knowledge it is rarely done. This committee work has given the administration and TAUP a better understanding of what is possible and what we need to work towards together.

Grievances and Faculty Safety: To protect the rights of our members and to defend the contract, TAUP has filed grievances on behalf of tenured, full-time non-tenure track and adjunct faculty over the course of the year and has filed for arbitration in a couple of cases.  We have also been working with the administration to try and solve disputes informally. Having been informed of many cases where faculty have been assaulted or mistreated by students and have not felt sufficiently supported by the administration, we have asked you to tell us of your experiences.   One important element in the contract that members need to keep in mind:  If you believe your rights under the contract have been violated, you need to file a grievance 20 working days after the action you are grieving if you are full-time, 10 days if you are part-time.

Child Care and Tuition Benefits at Other Schools: We have contacted the administration about the proposals we submitted jointly with the Faculty Senate on these two issues and hope to be hearing back this Fall.  We are also planning a Child Care Symposium on October 24th; details to be announced soon!

Data Committee:  We have been looking into the shift over the past few decades from tenure-track to full-time non-tenure track and adjunct work as well as the role of race and gender in hiring, retention, and promotion.   Once we feel confident in our data and analysis, we will be communicating with you about it.

Organizing Committee: Much of the work of this committee was reported on in yesterday’s eBulletin

Bargaining Committee and Negotiating Team Planning:  In Spring 2019 we’ll be back at the table negotiating with the University. The Executive Council has agreed to a process for selecting members of the Negotiating Team (the faculty, librarian and academic professional representatives who are at the negotiation table). Constituency Councils will take the lead in finding and selecting constituent representatives for this role. The Bargaining Committee engages in research and support work related to what is occurring at the table. If you are interested in supporting this work, please let us know.

Academic Freedom and Faculty Governance:  Concerned by many reports of the erosion of faculty governance–exemplified by the scandal at Fox– and academic freedom, we have convened a working group to address these issues and hope to work closely with the Faculty Senate.  We will be sending out a survey shortly as a first step toward gathering faculty, librarians, and academic professionals for discussions and to writing a report on the state of these issues, with recommendations and demands.

Look for our eBulletin tomorrow on the Fast Fund and Art Hochner Travel Fund.