Tag: clinic

TAUP Digest 3/11-3/15, Negotiations Update, Contract Campaign Kick-Off, Student Debt Clinic, Trainings, the Struggle at Community College

Negotiations Update 

We hope that you had a restful and productive Spring Break.  TAUP members were hard at work last week preparing for the upcoming negotiations.  We have been responding to administrative concerns about Open Bargaining while continuing to adhere to its fundamental principles of inclusion and transparency in the negotiation process for our members.  As we move toward agreeing on procedure, we are continuing to sift through data and develop bargaining proposals.  You can find out more about the state of negotiations and how you can get involved at the . . .

 

. . .TAUP Contract Campaign Kickoff Event 3/13!

With labor & political allies, food & drink, and TAUP swag 

This will be the first full contract that will cover all of the faculty, alongside our librarians and academic professionals. Join us to build connection,strength and solidarity across campus as we launch our campaign for a strong contract that fully supports the fundamental educational mission of Temple University: teaching, research & learning..

Wednesday March 13th

4-6pm

Pub Webb – 1527 Cecil B Moore Ave

All dues paying TAUP Members are encouraged to attend, alongside any Temple Faculty, Librarians, and TAUP Academics Staff who are considering joining.

Be sure to RSVP here.

Organizing Conversation Trainings

Organizing does not stop during negotiations; it’s essential to our strength at the table.  If you want to learn how to talk with your colleagues about the Union, we’ll be holding Organizing Conversation trainings on Friday March 15th from 12-2pm and Friday March 22nd from 12-2pm at the TAUP office, Ritter Annex 721. Please RSVP here.

The Struggle at Community College of Philadelphia

Our sister union at CCP has been working without a contract for three years. They recently authorized a strike vote, though they hope that a strike will not be necessary.  They are fighting administrative proposals that would increase their workload, gut faculty governance, raise health-care costs, and refuse to pay their classified staff a living wage.

TAUP stands in solidarity with FSFCCP in this fight, and we invite you to join us in supporting them.  Their next event is a hearing at City Councilthis Tuesday from 11:00-2:00 p.m.  They will be advocating for the nearly $16 million in additional funding that CCP should be getting from the City. This is based on the accepted formula that municipalities should fund 1/3rd of a community college’s operating budget.

Know Your Contract:  Grievances

If you believe that your rights under the contract have been violated, contact TAUP.  Our staff will put you in touch with our grievance specialists, who can help determine whether a grievance should be filed.  Remember that grievances have to be filed within 20 working days from the action being grieved for full-time members and 10 working days for adjuncts.  If you have a concern about something you’re experiencing on the job, please don’t delay in contacting your Union!

Student Debt Clinic

TAUP remains committed to helping our members, many of whom are saddled with significant student loans, alongside Temple students and alumni. Student debt–now at $1.5 trillion– has a long-term negative effect on borrowers and on the economy as a whole, discouraging individuals from making substantial purchases and starting businesses.

For our students, it increases their stress while in school, forcing them to make decisions about what classes to take, what major to pursue, what apartment to rent and what food to buy. Too many students are pressured to drop out of school, or never to attend in the first place. It has had a significant influence on universities–including Temple–as a place to study and as a place to work.

We are partnering with our citywide AFT local, the United Academics of Philadelphia, in offering a free Student Debt Clinic. The clinic is open to everyone in our bargaining unit.

 March 21st from 7-9 p.m

United Academics of Philadelphia

601 N 12th St, Philadelphia, PA 19123

 

Please be sure to RSVP here.

TAUP Digest: Negotiations, Happy Hour, Adjunct Dues Deductions, Student Debt Clinics, Dept. Organizers, General Membership Meeting

Negotiations Update

Last Tuesday, we had a productive meeting with the administration on open bargaining and finding a location for negotiations; discussions are ongoing.  Our Research and Data Team and Table Team are hard at work, and our Contract Campaign Team will be getting into gear soon. If you want to join your colleagues in this important work, please contact TAUP.

Adjunct Dues Deduction

We have been informed by the administration that dues deduction for adjuncts for this term will not begin until our March paychecks.  Dues will be deducted for the semester in 2 or 3 equal amounts. Please let us know if you have any questions.


Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty Happy Hour

Each of our constituency councils is holding happy hours this semester! Whether you are a TAUP member or not, if you are part of the tenured or tenure-track faculty, please join your TT Constituency Council for a happy hour (or two) at the Draught Horse on Wednesday, February 13th from 5-8pm. The first drink is on us,  so please RSVP here!

Register for a Student Debt Clinic

On the weekend before classes started, TAUP offered a training for individuals to learn how to run student debt clinics. Eleven people completed the training, and we’re eager to start running clinics.

Many of the faculty, librarians and academic professionals TAUP represents carry student debt. If you’ve got debt and would like to know more about the potential options for loan repayment and loan forgiveness, it may benefit you to attend one of our 90- minute clinics. Please sign up on our contact form here, and let us know your general availability so we can identify the best time to schedule. By being on our contact list, you’ll be in the loop when we run clinics.

 

Department Organizer Structure

Successful organizing and mobilization are never one-person enterprises. In order to keep everyone  TAUP represents informed and engaged, our union needs help from a network of active members who answer questions and provide information for members: the Department Organizers. Department Organizers (DOs) don’t just sign petitions and attend rallies–they enlist and motivate their colleagues to do the same. TAUP represents more than 2,400 faculty, librarians and academic professionals, and it’s the DO’s job to keep a network of 10 colleagues connected to their union. That way, whether it’s bargaining for a contract, showing solidarity with fellow unions, or celebrating victories, TAUP members can respond quickly and effectively.

Being a DO is a volunteer, non-elected position, and an opportunity for any member who is drawn to union work. If you are interested in becoming a DO, we offer monthly trainings  and will support you in this important role in TAUP! If you are interested, please contact the TAUP office.

Department Organizer Trainings:

Monday February 4th 11-12:30pm

Tuesday February 19th 4-6pm

 

General Membership Meeting

We will be meeting on February 15th from 2-4 p.m. in the large meeting space in the basement of Paley Library to give you an update on negotiations and listen to your questions and feedback.   RSVP to the TAUP Office.

 

TAUP Student Debt Clinics: Become a Facilitator or Attendee

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Imagine being faced with the option of living without a college degree, or living for years with high levels of student debt.

Students and alumni struggle constantly with the debt they have acquired as they pursue their educations. This debt has a profound and lasting negative impact on their lives. Student debt–now at $1.5 trillion–also has a long-term negative effect on the economy as a whole, discouraging borrowers from making substantial purchases and starting businesses.

For our students, it increases their stress while in school, forcing them to make decisions about what classes to take, what major to pursue, what apartment to rent and what food to buy.  For many, it suppresses access to a college education and affects retention. Too many students are pressured to drop out of school, or never to attend in the first place. It has had a significant influence on universities–including Temple–as a place to study and as a place to work.

TAUP will be offering student debt clinics this semester for students, faculty, staff, alums, and members of the local community.

Learn How to Run a Student Debt Clinic: January 12th and 13th

January 12th, 10:30am-6pm and the 13th 9am-4pm

Paley Library Lecture Hall

Anyone who is interested in working on this issue and helping people with debt is welcome to attend a two-day training. After completing this training, you will be able to co-facilitate a TAUP student debt workshop. See the link below to register.

Attend a Student Debt Clinic

Saturday from 4:30 – 6pm

Paley Library Lecture Hall

If you don’t have an interest in facilitating future clinics but have debt and would like to learn about the options available to you, a Student Debt Clinic will be incorporated into the facilitators’ training, occurring on See the link below to register.

To Register for the Training or the Clinic

If you are interested in either option, click on this link. In response to the questions, if you are in the TAUP collective bargaining unit, your affiliate is the Temple Association of University Professionals, Local #4531. If you are not affiliated with an AFT union, type in NO AFFILIATE.

To train to become a facilitator, select “Philadelphia Train the Trainer” from the drop down menu.

To attend the student debt clinic on Saturday, select “Philadelphia Student Debt Clinic”.

The clinic is a prelude to a Town Hall on Student Debt on 1/16 from 6-8 p.m. hosted by Sara Goldrick-Rab (Education and CLA) and the Hope Center For College, Community, and Justice.

If you have questions, please contact the TAUP office taupaft@gmail.com