Tag: survey

Shared Governance and Academic Freedom at Temple University

e-Bulletin20180921

Dear Colleagues,

Please fill out this survey on the state of academic freedom and shared governance at Temple.  Responses are due by midnight, Sunday, September 30th.   

With the rankings scandal at the Fox School generating negative press that has severely damaged Temple’s reputation, a group of concerned senior Temple faculty representing the Faculty Senate and the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) met recently to discuss why this situation arose and what needs to be done to avert similar incidents.  We believe that a principal cause was the drastic reduction of shared governance and challenges to academic freedom at the University in general and at the Fox School in particular. What happened at the Fox School has clearly revealed the detrimental effects of over-concentration of administrative power and of over-reliance on the judgment of a small group who operated with little or no oversight and accountability.  Their actions have diminished the academic standing of our faculty, and gravely eroded the trust of our students, donors, local community, and the public at large. Fox faculty now find their reputations unfairly devalued even though they had nothing to do with this malfeasance.

We are aware problems with shared governance and academic freedom extend beyond the Fox School, in many schools and colleges. We must address them if Temple is to prevent similar incidents and realize its potential.  

We also want to hear about what is going well with academic freedom and shared governance so that we can get an accurate view and so that we can have models of best practice as we move forward.  

For academic freedom and shared governance to function as they should, we need to work with and be in productive dialogue with administrators.  We must be willing to speak our minds when we think these systems are faltering but also to listen. We assume our administrative colleagues want these processes to work, too, and some administrators we have spoken with are eager to be part of the conversation and to see faculty take on a greater role.

However, for these changes to occur, we need YOUR voice.  

We ask you to share your candid views of the state of shared governance and academic freedom at Temple in the following survey.  Your answers will inform our next steps, including our plan to gather interested faculty and librarians for open-ended discussions in the Fall and perhaps into the Spring. Some of these discussions may include administrators.  These discussions will lead to a Report on the State of Shared Governance and Academic Freedom at Temple and an accompanying list of recommendations to and demands of our administrators.

Any data reported out will be stripped of markers that would identify individuals.  For instance, we might report responses to a particular question based on college OR on rank, but not on college AND rank at once (e. g., assistant professors in a particular college).   Any identifying data in responses to the open-ended questions will also be removed before the responses are shared.   

 

Collegially,


Steve Newman, Ph.D. , CLA/English Professor, TAUP President,

Cornelius Pratt, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Klein College / Advertising & PR, President,  Faculty Senate

   

It’s a TAUP Summer: Negotiation Prep, Surveys, a Membership Drive and Activist Training

It’s summertime and, like everyone else, TAUP is shifting gears. Between terms, we have the opportunity to assess the work we’ve done over the semester and to think ahead in planning for the fall.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE

To build power to negotiate for our pay, benefits, and working conditions, we need strong relationships with colleagues both in and outside of our individual departments and schools. Becoming a dues-paying member of TAUP is an important and meaningful way for you to connect with colleagues, with the university and with communities both on and off campus. By signing a membership card your voice can, and will, be heard.

Our strength in negotiating at the table is directly linked to our membership numbers. If you are not currently a dues-paying member, if you want the Union to be in a good position to fight for a strong new contract and to build on and maintain the gains you enjoy, it’s time to join.

This summer, we’ll be out knocking on doors, both on campus and off. Why do we go to people’s homes? Because it is that important. Let us know if we’ve caught you at a bad time. Our experience with members through home visits has been very positive. We wouldn’t continue to do it if that were not the case. We’ve been able to connect with people at their homes whom we’ve been unable to contact with on campus. Unlike at school, people have time to talk. If you’re not currently a dues-paying member and you’d prefer to meet at school or at a specific time at home, contact our organizer, Abbey Bricker, to make arrangements.

NEGOTIATION PREPARATION

We’ll be back at the table in Spring of 2019, and in preparation, we’re engaged in research and in outreach to members of the bargaining unit. If you’d like to help by taking on a small project, or if you’d be interested in being a liaison between the Union and your department, please contact TAUP President Steve Newman or VP Jennie Shanker .

BARGAINING SURVEYS

This summer, you’ll be hearing from us. Negotiations for the full bargaining unit start in Spring of 2019, and in preparation for them, we’ll be sending out surveys to help us identify the top priorities for each of our constituencies. Be sure to respond to surveys when you receive them. When we hear from you, we can represent you well.

ACTIVIST TRAININGS

Keep an eye out for an announcement for our activist training this summer. For the past two years, we’ve held one-day boot camps for members who are interested in working with colleagues in TAUP to improve our lives and working conditions at Temple. If you are interested in attending this summer’s training, send your contact information to Abbey Bricker.

TAUP Childcare Survey

eBulletin 2/7/2018

Dear Faculty, Librarians, and Academic Professionals,

After many discussions and considerable research into how nearly 20 other peer and aspirant universities approach child care for their employees, the joint TAUP-Faculty Senate Committee on Child Care is ready for the next step—to hear from you about a range of potential options to address this crucial issue.

So please fill out this survey by February 16th.  If there is sufficient support for some sort of childcare benefit, your responses will shape the proposal our Committee will put forth; the current TAUP contract obliges the administration to “review, consider, and respond to any proposals in a timely fashion.”

If you have any questions or concerns or would like to join the Committee, please contact the Chair, Marsha Weinraub (Psychology): marsha.weinraub@temple.edu.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Steve Newman,

President,  TAUP and Faculty Senator for CLA, on behalf of the Child Care Committee