A summary of the tentative agreement: 

Full-time Compensation:

*Additional merit distributed at the discretion of the Dean

**This means that at least 1.25% will be distributed in merit the first two years and 1% the second two years. 

Changes to Health Care Costs for Full-Time Members:

• In the 3rd year of the contract (21-22), members’ share of the premium will increase by 1%–so individuals and families earning under $76,000 will pay 21%; those earning $76,000 or over will pay 24%
• In the 4th year of the contract (22-23), members’ share of the premium will increase by another 2%–so individuals and families under $76,000 will pay 23%;those earning $76,000 or over will pay 26%. 
• In the 4th year of the contract (22-23), members earning $76,000 or over will pay a yearly in-network deductible of $100 (individuals) or $150 (families) 

All Members: 

• Grieving Discrimination:  Discrimination remains grievable under the contract, though TAUP will now inform potential grievants of the university’s internal processes and encourage them to avail themselves of them.
• Fact-finding for grievances: A new fact-finding step has been added to grievances with the aim of clarifying the dispute and seeking resolution. 

Full-Time Members: 

• Tuition Benefits at other schools: Starting in the second year of the contract, Temple will join the Tuition Exchange,  a “reciprocal scholarship opportunity” where dependents can apply for scholarships that will cover all or most of the tuition at nearly 700 schools.  For more on the Tuition Exchange, see here.  
• Hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts: Within 6 months of ratification, the University will install a process whereby members can withdraw from their retirement accounts in the case of hardship, as per IRS regulations
• Merit guidelines:  Merit guidelines may include discipline-specific ranges for specific accomplishments, though these are suggestions and cannot be used as grounds for a grievance.
• Merit for exceptional effort from the Provost: The Provost has more opportunity to provide ½ units of merit to recognize members for exceptional effort 

All Faculty:

• The role of SFFs in personnel decisions: Student Feedback Forms (SFFs) shall not be used as the primary or sole criterion to evaluate faculty on hiring, appointment, termination, or any other personnel issue, although SFFs can be used as the sole or primary criterion to launch the disciplinary process in the TAUP contract. 

Full-time Faculty:

• Prestigious Fellowships and Awards: Rather than a brief list of examples that merit salary top-ups, collegial and school assemblies will make recommendations to the Dean as to which fellowships and awards should count as prestigious in their respective disciplines. 

Tenure-Track Faculty:

• Discipline: Tenure-track faculty will retain the protections of  the current tenure and tenure-track disciplinary process in cases where the university is seeking an unpaid suspension of 45 days or greater or dismissal. 

Full-time Non-tenure Track (NTT) Faculty:  

• Increased job security:  NTTs who have served 6 years or more will normally receive contracts of 3 years or longer; if a contract shorter than this is issued, the Dean must document why. 
• Pensions:  In the second and fourth year of the contract, the pension match will increase by 0.5%, bringing NTTs to an 8% match by 2023.
• Representation on committees:  On promotion, merit, and sabbatical committees making decisions on NTTs, at least one NTT will serve, if available. 
• Merit for NTTs on the research track:  NTTs on the research track will have merit added to their base pay. If current grant funding is insufficient to compensate for the merit increase, the difference shall be paid by the school or college 
• Job Postings: Temple will maintain a job posting site where an individual can post their own information and receive notification of all full-time job openings

Librarians:

• Promotion to the highest level: A librarian-engaged process will be established for creating requirements for reaching L4
• Maternity leave: A “sick leave bank” that expecting mothers can draw from if they don’t have enough leave saved for 8 weeks of paid maternal leave and new flexibility in scheduled time off. 

Academic Professionals

• Probationary Period: A reduction in the probationary period from a year to 90 days 
• Sick leave: The ability to accrue sick leave after 90 days
• Job responsibilities and career paths: A meeting for clarification of requirements for AP hiring level
• Membership in TAUP: APs will remain in TAUP, though the administration has reserved the right to challenge their placement in the bargaining unit through a unit clarification in Harrisburg

Adjuncts:

• Guidelines for rank: Schools will establish guidelines for initial hiring at each adjunct rank based on the credentials in the university’s policy used for full time faculty
• Guidelines for pay: Each rank will be associated with a minimum pay rate that is commensurate with the expected experience/qualifications
• Guidelines for evaluations: Schools will establish adjunct evaluation guidelines that go beyond student feedback forms
• Multi-semester appointments: Access to multi-semester appointments, including appointments within one school between multiple departments 
• Requesting evaluations: Adjuncts may request an evaluation once per year for the purposes of a promotion and/or a raise and/or a multi-semester contract
• Faculty mentors: Assignment of a full time faculty contact person for each adjunct who can field questions, help in navigating the university’s resources, policies, etc., look over course material, do a classroom observation, offer or direct and individual to support available at the university
• Continuity of rank and pay: Once a base rank and pay are set within a college or school, an adjunct cannot be rehired at a lower rate or rank
• Unemployment compensation: Language that will make it much easier for adjuncts to collect unemployment between semesters if an agreement letter hasn’t been issued by the end of the term.
• Student Feedback Forms: Limitations to the use of student feedback forms in making personnel decisions
• Job postings: Temple will maintain a job posting site where an individual can post their own information and receive notification of full time job openings
• Grievance timetable: An increase in the time frame for filing an initial grievance from 10 to 20 days
• Raises and bonuses:

Increase to the minimum:

2020: raise from $1500 to $1550 per credit hour

2022: raise from $1550 to $1600 per credit hour

In addition, many adjuncts will be receiving increases through the new evaluation processes and solidified rank/pay structures within each school.

Are you struggling to make monthly payments? Are you confused about repayment and student loan forgiveness eligibility?  The Union can help!

TAUP is partnering with the Faculty & Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia (AFT Local 2026), and United Academics of Philadelphia (AFT Local 9608) to offer a workshop to help you navigate the student debt landscape. In this 90 minute session, we will provide information on how to lower monthly payments by enrolling in income-driven student loan repayment programs, and in some cases even have debt forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

This workshop is free and open to members and non-members alike. There will be food and refreshments.

REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Registration is mandatory, so please RSVP here: http://go.aft.org/StudentDebtClinicRSVP.
Please then click on the “Higher Ed” tab and “Register for Student Debt Clinic.” Enter your name. Click on the drop down box “Student Debt Clinic” and navigate to “PENNSYLVANIA: United Academics of Philadelphia 12/05/2019.” Fill in the rest of the fields.