Tag: nomination

TAUP Digest 3/25/19

e-Bulletin 2019.03.25

Negotiations Update 

The discussions we have been having with the administration to set the stage for working together at the table are ongoing. At this point, we are where we were last week: waiting for a response to the most recent proposal we’ve submitted, but we’ve been told to expect one shortly, which is good news.  The negotiation of terms marks the beginning of the negotiating process, and once those terms are agreed upon, dates for working at the table can be set.  As soon as we have details, we will share them, including the dates, place, and topics for negotiation sessions, as well as ways that members can support the Table Team during open negotiation sessions.

Have you become a TAUP Member?

When  people represented by a union stand together and show that they support the work being done by their colleagues, they increase the strength of their own voice at the table. When the administration sees that membership is growing, they know that the work of the union is reinforced.

Dues paying members increase their union’s ability to leverage the gains that members need and want to see.  Over the next two weeks, member activists will be reaching out to colleagues to ask them to join TAUP. If you haven’t signed your membership card yet, now is your chance! Join here. If you have questions about becoming a dues paying member, reach out to our office taupaft@gmail.com.

Members’ Corner: Getting a Contract that Recognizes our Humanity and Dignity

“…we deserve for our employer to recognize that our work is not separate from our humanity nor our students’ humanity—that we are not simply cogs in the Temple machine or the CCP machine, or the Arcadia machine—that thanks to our hard work we should know that will still have a job next semester, next year, the next decade– so that we can allow ourselves to breathe, do our jobs well, AND be human.”  

-Mary Stricker, NTT Sociology

Read Mary Stricker’s remarks from TAUP’s Contract Kickoff Event at Pub Webb two weeks ago.

 

The Presidential Executive Order on “Free and Open Debate” and Federal Funding

As many of you know, President Trump signed an Executive Order last week purporting to protect “free and open debate on college and university campuses,” and threatening institutions that do not follow his directive with the loss of federal funds.  TAUP strongly supports “free and open debate” at Temple and elsewhere, and, as per our contract, will defend the academic freedom of all of our members whatever their political beliefs.  But, along with statements from  our national union, the AFT, and the American Association of University Professionals (AAUP), we oppose the President’s diktat.

 As the AAUP says, it is “a solution in search of a problem–as the order notes, colleges and universities already have policies protecting free expression on campus, and, in the case of public institutions, are bound by the First Amendment.”  It authorizes cabinet agencies and the Office of Management and Budget to determine whether an offense against free inquiry has been committed, but almost all of these entities lack expertise in higher education as well as debates around free speech.  Finally, despite its supposed support for a diversity of views on campus, it is designed, as stated in the AAUP’s post, to be dangerously slanted toward institutions more likely to support the President’s politics.   Please consider signing the AAUP’s petition against this ill-conceived Executive Order.

 

TAUP Solidarity with Community College of Philadelphia: Informational Picket, March 20th

Our sister union at CCP, the Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia (FSFCCP) 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, which is already high in relation to other community colleges nationally, 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.  At an informational picket and march last Wednesday, TAUP’s Vice President, Jennie Shanker spoke in support of their efforts as did the Chair of our Adjunct Constituency Council, Zoe Cohen , representing United Academics of Philadelphia.  You can see photos of the event here, as well as a video from Jason Esters, who recently received his doctorate from Temple’s English Department here. The FSFCCP has always stood by TAUP, knowing that our struggles are theirs as well. We stand by the FSFCCP knowing the same. We will keep you posted on any further opportunities to show solidarity with CCP faculty, staff and students. .

TAUP Elections

If you are interested in being nominated or nominating yourself to run for President, Vice President, or Treasurer of TAUP or to serve on one of our faculty Constituency Councils, please read here.  Note that Self-Nomination Petitions must be received by the Nominating Committee, TAUP Office, 1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Ritter Annex 721 (004-15), Philadelphia, PA 19122-6091, by Friday March 29, 2019.

NTT Constituency Council Special Election Nominations

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The NTT Constituency Council is seeking nominations and self-nominations for a vacant position on the council, which is the representative body for NTTs in our union. This  is a two year replacement term appointment made necessary by a CC member’s change of status and runs through April 2020, at which time this member would be eligible to run for re-election for a subsequent three year term.  Any active NTT TAUP member is welcome to run for this position. However, since our bylaws limit the number of representatives from any one college and since we already have excellent representation on the NTT CC from the College of Liberal Arts, we are seeking candidates from other schools, especially Fox, Klein, and CST. 


As the representative body for NTTs in our union, the NTT CC works to ensure that the issues and concerns of NTTs are appropriately addressed in our union, especially in the upcoming several months leading up to contract negotiations set to begin in the spring of 2019.  This candidate should be available for scheduled meetings on campus across the academic year and be ready to take on a dedicated role in conducting the work of the NTT CC, with expectation of regular attendance at CC meetings and communication over email between meetings. 

 

This new member of the NTT CC will also be strongly encouraged to take part in building our union membership through conversations with colleagues in their classrooms, offices, and at tabling events.  No prior experience or union leadership is necessary, just a willingness to contribute your skills and a desire to work on behalf of our constituency in further strengthening our union.

 

Nominations and Self-Nominations should be sent by Monday, September 24th, to Andrew Mossin, NTT CC Chair, atamossin@gmail.com.

Adjunct Constituency Council Special Election Nominations

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The Adjunct Constituency Council (ACC) is seeking nominations and self-nominations for upcoming vacant position(s) on the council, which is the representative body for Adjuncts in our union.  Any active adjunct TAUP member is welcome to run for this position. (Active in this case means an adjunct who is not in their first semester teaching at Temple and who has not had a break of more than one semester in teaching.)
 
However, since our bylaws limit the number of representatives from any one college and since  we already have excellent representation on the ACC from the College of Liberal Arts, we are seeking candidates from other schools, especially Fox, Klein, and CST.
 
The ACC is the representative body for adjuncts in our union. We work to ensure that adjuncts’ issues and concerns are appropriately addressed in our union and specifically in the next period, in contract negotiations coming up in 2019.
 
Candidates should be available for a monthly meeting on campus, and to take on a dedicated role to be determined, with expectation of regular communication over email and on google docs between meetings.
 
New ACC members will also be strongly encouraged to take part in building our union membership through conversations with colleagues in their classrooms, offices, and at tabling events. 
No prior experience or union leadership is necessary, just a willingness to contribute your skills and a desire to strengthen our union!
 
Nominations and Self-Nominations should be sent by Monday, September 24th, to Zoe Cohen ACC Chair, at zoeart@gmail.com. Please include name, school, department, and a short paragraph explaining why you want to run for the ACC and what you feel you would bring to our union leadership structure.