Budget Cuts Hit University Outreach (Athens NEWS)
According to this article, Gov. Strickland has spared "core education funding" in his fourth round of state budget reductions, although some OU programs that provide outreach to southeast Ohio will sustain further cuts. To address budget reductions, the Budget Planning Council is examining major expenditures and revenue sources to develop financial recommendations.
In addition, administrative workgroups are searching for new ways to generate revenue and reduce costs. The administrative workgroups are exploring a variety of options, including "savings that could be realized through...changes to employee and dependent benefits."
It's not as if we didn't see this coming. Back in November, Ken Brown (Professor of Chemistry) suggested that the university may be preparing to shift additional health care costs to its employees "Budget Scare May Be Pretext to Get Your Health Benefits (Athens NEWS)". According to Brown, "It’s a tactic we've seen used or attempted more than once during this long period of fiscal trouble. So we know what to expect just around the corner: higher monthly contributions, higher out-of-pocket maximum costs, and, for the first time ever at OU, a health-care deductible."
And without the right to negotiate benefits with the administration, he claims there's not much we can do about it, except form a collective-bargaining unit. "As long as we lack the right to negotiate benefits with the administration, we can expect to be the scapegoats when budget deficits loom and when administrators are prowling for ways to pare the budget."
According to Brown, the message is clear..."Protect your health-care benefits. Vote for collective bargaining. And join the AAUP today!"
** Consider sharing your comments! This blog allows readers to respond ANONYMOUSLY. No login is required. Please share your insight as well as your questions, comments, and concerns. Post an ANONYMOUS comment today!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
OU Breaks Records Law
OU Admits to Breaking Open Records Law (The Post)
Ohio University is an honorable institution, but from time to time, honorable institutions get themselves into hot water. According to The Post, Ohio University has admitted to three violations of Ohio's public records law. In August 2006, two IT administrators were fired following security breeches and a report that recommended their dismissals. Although OU maintains that the report was not the basis for their termination, the fired administrators filed suit to gain access to notes and documents of the report.
Following a court hearing, both sides of the suit agreed that OU’s inability to produce the records violated Ohio’s public records law. The fine for violating Ohio’s public records law is $1,000 per record.
What can we learn from this case (and others like it)? One lesson is that the administration controls a group of lawyers who are willing to play hardball. That's their job. But faculty need to understand that these lawyers are not their lawyers--they are attorneys for the administration. So if some unfortunate incident were to arise (ask around, I've heard about several situations), you'd quickly learn that you'll be needing a lawyer yourself. Ohio University is an honorable institution, but its lawyers will fight vigorously, even against current and former employees, faculty included.
According to AAUP-OU, most of the money paid in union dues goes to legal fees for protecting individuals and negotiating contracts. The administration has protected themselves. Faculty should protect themselves too. It's the smart thing to do.
Ohio University is an honorable institution, but from time to time, honorable institutions get themselves into hot water. According to The Post, Ohio University has admitted to three violations of Ohio's public records law. In August 2006, two IT administrators were fired following security breeches and a report that recommended their dismissals. Although OU maintains that the report was not the basis for their termination, the fired administrators filed suit to gain access to notes and documents of the report.
Following a court hearing, both sides of the suit agreed that OU’s inability to produce the records violated Ohio’s public records law. The fine for violating Ohio’s public records law is $1,000 per record.
What can we learn from this case (and others like it)? One lesson is that the administration controls a group of lawyers who are willing to play hardball. That's their job. But faculty need to understand that these lawyers are not their lawyers--they are attorneys for the administration. So if some unfortunate incident were to arise (ask around, I've heard about several situations), you'd quickly learn that you'll be needing a lawyer yourself. Ohio University is an honorable institution, but its lawyers will fight vigorously, even against current and former employees, faculty included.
According to AAUP-OU, most of the money paid in union dues goes to legal fees for protecting individuals and negotiating contracts. The administration has protected themselves. Faculty should protect themselves too. It's the smart thing to do.
CIF Mocked by Former Student
CIF Does Rhetorical Backflips in Arguing Against Union (Athens NEWS)
In this Reader's Forum, Dominic Barbato, past president of the OU Graduate Student Senate, essentially mocked the Committee for an Independent Faculty for suggesting that unionization may reduce faculty clout.
(FYI...I blogged about this issue on December 11th. See below.)
According to Barbato,
In this Reader's Forum, Dominic Barbato, past president of the OU Graduate Student Senate, essentially mocked the Committee for an Independent Faculty for suggesting that unionization may reduce faculty clout.
(FYI...I blogged about this issue on December 11th. See below.)
According to Barbato,
[The CIF does] not seem to know (or even care to learn) the nuances of labor law. After a successful union election, the law generally requires that terms of employment are frozen. This prevents management from retaliating against employees for unionizing by stripping benefits from them before negotiations start. The only way faculty would "give up" anything is if they would vote to do so when they ratified a contract, something I see as very unlikely.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
OU Discusses Administrative Layoffs
OU Discusses Cutting Administrative Positions, Suspends Dean Searches (The Post)
In general, the more people we have working on behalf of the students (that includes faculty, staff, and administrators), the better. That said, lean times force universities to trim the fat, so OU is considering combining or eliminating administrative and other non-academic jobs as well as combining colleges. The university would combine colleges by integrating one college into others, thereby eliminating "unnecessary" jobs. According to Ann Fidler, interim Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives, "Everything needs to be on the table at this point in time." According to Fidler, "[Gov. Strickland] may not be able to continue to protect us. We need to protect ourselves."
Well said! And as administrators in Cutler Hall are considering "all options," we faculty need to protect ourselves as well. To date, I have not heard any serious discussion about laying off faculty, but it's reasonable to assume that layoffs are one possible option, particularly as the university considers restructuring the colleges. Consequently, it makes sense to protect ourselves, just to be safe. Every collective bargaining agreement that I have read includes a section on "retrenchment." For example, Article 28 of the University of Cincinnati contract discusses "RETRENCHMENT UNDER CONDITIONS OF FINANCIAL EXIGENCY." In that section, specific guidelines and procedures are established for dealing with financial emergencies and potential faculty layoffs. I encourage you to spend a few minutes reading that section, and then ask yourself if you'd like to be protected by a similar policy.
In general, the more people we have working on behalf of the students (that includes faculty, staff, and administrators), the better. That said, lean times force universities to trim the fat, so OU is considering combining or eliminating administrative and other non-academic jobs as well as combining colleges. The university would combine colleges by integrating one college into others, thereby eliminating "unnecessary" jobs. According to Ann Fidler, interim Associate Provost for Strategic Initiatives, "Everything needs to be on the table at this point in time." According to Fidler, "[Gov. Strickland] may not be able to continue to protect us. We need to protect ourselves."
Well said! And as administrators in Cutler Hall are considering "all options," we faculty need to protect ourselves as well. To date, I have not heard any serious discussion about laying off faculty, but it's reasonable to assume that layoffs are one possible option, particularly as the university considers restructuring the colleges. Consequently, it makes sense to protect ourselves, just to be safe. Every collective bargaining agreement that I have read includes a section on "retrenchment." For example, Article 28 of the University of Cincinnati contract discusses "RETRENCHMENT UNDER CONDITIONS OF FINANCIAL EXIGENCY." In that section, specific guidelines and procedures are established for dealing with financial emergencies and potential faculty layoffs. I encourage you to spend a few minutes reading that section, and then ask yourself if you'd like to be protected by a similar policy.
Friday, December 12, 2008
CIF and AAUP-OU Bicker Via Email
Today I (and others) received email messages from the Committee for an Independent Faculty (CIF) and from AAUP-OU.
Among other things, the CIF restated some of their recent fear appeals and they "applauded" AAUP-OU for their pledge to hold an election only after 60% of faculty have signed unionization cards. The AAUP-OU email recognized the CIF's message and called for them to provide "concrete suggestions" regarding specific issues, such as faculty participation in administrative hiring, faculty benefit guarantees, etc. (As I mentioned yesterday, it's common for critics to disparage unionization without providing clear alternatives.)
For your reading enjoyment, I pasted each email message into a comment.
Among other things, the CIF restated some of their recent fear appeals and they "applauded" AAUP-OU for their pledge to hold an election only after 60% of faculty have signed unionization cards. The AAUP-OU email recognized the CIF's message and called for them to provide "concrete suggestions" regarding specific issues, such as faculty participation in administrative hiring, faculty benefit guarantees, etc. (As I mentioned yesterday, it's common for critics to disparage unionization without providing clear alternatives.)
For your reading enjoyment, I pasted each email message into a comment.
Possibility of Faculty Trustee?
Governance Committee Discusses Possible Faculty Trustee (The Post)
According to The Post, the Ohio University Board of Trustees is examining how other universities handle communication between faculty and "top governing bodies" in academic settings that include and exclude faculty representation on those Boards. During the Board's October meeting, a team of faculty and administrators presented evidence suggesting that faculty representation fosters communication and broadens the Board's awareness of various university-related issues. During that meeting, faculty members recommended that the Board add a faculty representative, an idea backed by Faculty Senate Chairman Sergio Lopez-Permouth, and an idea backed by evidence that communication is "lacking" or "minimal" in academic settings that exclude faculty representation.
Union or not, the threat of collective bargaining has helped the administration understand that things must change and that shared governance must be taken more seriously.
According to The Post, the Ohio University Board of Trustees is examining how other universities handle communication between faculty and "top governing bodies" in academic settings that include and exclude faculty representation on those Boards. During the Board's October meeting, a team of faculty and administrators presented evidence suggesting that faculty representation fosters communication and broadens the Board's awareness of various university-related issues. During that meeting, faculty members recommended that the Board add a faculty representative, an idea backed by Faculty Senate Chairman Sergio Lopez-Permouth, and an idea backed by evidence that communication is "lacking" or "minimal" in academic settings that exclude faculty representation.
Union or not, the threat of collective bargaining has helped the administration understand that things must change and that shared governance must be taken more seriously.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
CIF Warns Faculty, Again
According to a group calling themselves the Committee for an Independent Faculty (CIF), a collective bargaining agreement could result in the faculty losing some rights they now enjoy (Faculty Faction Warns Unionizing May Reduce Profs’ Clout--Athens NEWS). According to the CIF, "If you have a collective bargaining agreement, you have to negotiate contracts. And in those negotiations, you're going to have to give up things. I am certainly not interested in going down that road."
I'm not sure that I follow the CIF's logic. It is true that collective bargaining involves negotiating a contract. But that's a good thing, because the administration will be forced to listen to the faculty and to arrive at a mutually acceptable agreement that will be backed by state law. As a thought experiment, let's explore the CIF's primary fear that contract negotiations could go so far south that the final agreement would provide even less than we "enjoy" now. If that were the case, who among us would vote to ratify the contract? C'mon people...let's be reasonable!
According to the CIF, existing university policies and procedures can provide faculty with "more weight in shared governance." Exactly what policies and procedures is the CIF talking about? Do they honestly think Faculty Senate is unaware of how to navigate the existing structure of governance? Unfortunately, it's common for critics to disparage unionization without providing clear alternatives.
You might recall that the CIF has used scare tactics in the past. For example, as this blog stated on November 25th, the CIF made unrealistic and disingenuous claims to scare people away from signing cards. The CIF should be ashamed of their behavior, and they should stop trying to mislead faculty.
I'm not sure that I follow the CIF's logic. It is true that collective bargaining involves negotiating a contract. But that's a good thing, because the administration will be forced to listen to the faculty and to arrive at a mutually acceptable agreement that will be backed by state law. As a thought experiment, let's explore the CIF's primary fear that contract negotiations could go so far south that the final agreement would provide even less than we "enjoy" now. If that were the case, who among us would vote to ratify the contract? C'mon people...let's be reasonable!
According to the CIF, existing university policies and procedures can provide faculty with "more weight in shared governance." Exactly what policies and procedures is the CIF talking about? Do they honestly think Faculty Senate is unaware of how to navigate the existing structure of governance? Unfortunately, it's common for critics to disparage unionization without providing clear alternatives.
You might recall that the CIF has used scare tactics in the past. For example, as this blog stated on November 25th, the CIF made unrealistic and disingenuous claims to scare people away from signing cards. The CIF should be ashamed of their behavior, and they should stop trying to mislead faculty.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Why Do YOU Support/Oppose Unionization?
This blog is intended to be informative. One way to inform the faculty about unionization is to share why YOU support or oppose it. Thus, I encourage you to contribute an anonymous blog entry to this site. Please send all contributions to OUunion@yahoo.com
Here is my promise to you...
1) Your contribution will be posted anonymously, regardless of whether you sign it or not. I have not made my identify known, and I am not interested in making your identify known. I am a faculty member, and I hope that designation buys me some of your trust.
2) I will post ALL submissions, regardless of content, as long as they are reasonably well-thought-out, respectful, and focused on why YOU support or oppose unionization.
3) I will NOT save your email address, nor will I share it with anyone, nor will I ever send you spam or any other correspondence.
4) I will delete your email message immediately after I post your contribution to the blog.
So please, share your thoughts on this important issue: Why do you support or oppose unionization?
Here is my promise to you...
1) Your contribution will be posted anonymously, regardless of whether you sign it or not. I have not made my identify known, and I am not interested in making your identify known. I am a faculty member, and I hope that designation buys me some of your trust.
2) I will post ALL submissions, regardless of content, as long as they are reasonably well-thought-out, respectful, and focused on why YOU support or oppose unionization.
3) I will NOT save your email address, nor will I share it with anyone, nor will I ever send you spam or any other correspondence.
4) I will delete your email message immediately after I post your contribution to the blog.
So please, share your thoughts on this important issue: Why do you support or oppose unionization?
Monday, December 8, 2008
Card Drive Going Well
Union Card Drive Going Well (Athens NEWS).
Although AAUP officials aren't releasing specific numbers, they reported that faculty response to the "card drive" has been good, even though cards have not yet been distributed to all faculty.
According to Joe Bernt, Professor of journalism and Secretary of AAUP-OU, "Overall, we're pretty pleased, even surprised by the number of cards that have already been signed without the AAUP chapter putting out much effort. We will have a better sense of how close we are to 60 percent of the faculty once we actually send out a mass mailing with cards following an extensive educational campaign during winter and early spring quarters."
Although AAUP officials aren't releasing specific numbers, they reported that faculty response to the "card drive" has been good, even though cards have not yet been distributed to all faculty.
According to Joe Bernt, Professor of journalism and Secretary of AAUP-OU, "Overall, we're pretty pleased, even surprised by the number of cards that have already been signed without the AAUP chapter putting out much effort. We will have a better sense of how close we are to 60 percent of the faculty once we actually send out a mass mailing with cards following an extensive educational campaign during winter and early spring quarters."
Friday, December 5, 2008
Letter From AAUP-OU
Below is a letter I (and others) received from AAUP-OU.
December 1, 2008
To the Ohio University Faculty:
This fall, the Ohio University Faculty Senate voted to support collective bargaining. Since then, we in the AAUP-OU have tried to share information about collective bargaining and lay the groundwork necessary for a successful card drive and election. Many of you will put a lot of thought into your decision, not because you’re satisfied with the status quo, but because you care deeply about the university and your own professional life. We feel the same.
Even the quickest glance at the financial and administrative challenges facing Ohio University shows that the faculty needs the capacity to develop, express, and act meaningfully upon our shared interests and commitments. That is why we are working for a collective bargaining agreement.
Our campus has a unique character marked by a commitment to tolerance, autonomy, democracy, and civility. That’s why we think that a locally controlled and democratic AAUP chapter is preferable to more centrally controlled labor organizations. In the coming months, we'll be sharing more information about all of these concerns.
Now we want to share some good news, update you on developments, and ask for your support.
First, good news that can save you money. Through December, you can join the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at a substantial discount (these introductory dues are only $60 for those earning less than $60,000, and $120 for those earning more). Your membership supports the nation’s leading organization for our profession, gets a subscription to the bimonthly magazine, Academe, and empowers you to participate fully in the OU chapter, which includes choosing or running for offices. Please join us!
Go to http://www.aaup.org/forms/membership/duesoffer.htm
On the organizational front, the OU chapter and the national AAUP have defined the Ohio University Collective Bargaining Unit (CBU) to be as inclusive as possible. All OU faculty members who work the real-life equivalent of full time are covered: this includes roughly 1150 people in Groups I, II, and IV, the regional campus faculty, and the non-clinical faculty at the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Before we call for a full vote, we would like to have 60% of the faculty in the CBU sign cards supporting the election and expressing their desire for collective bargaining, represented by the AAUP. Some of your colleagues may have requested and signed cards already. If you haven't, don't worry, we'll eventually send cards out to everyone at their home address.
Why not just send the cards now? We are engaged in a process that involves much more than just getting the cards signed. We’re working to build a campus-wide, democratically governed organization of OU faculty. With a broad membership, AAUP-OU will have the strength to effectively partner with the Faculty Senate on issues like governance, health care, compensation, family leave, and giving legal authority to the many important provisions of the faculty handbook.
Please visit our website (http://www.aaup-ou.org/) and direct any questions you have to aaupou@gmail.com or any AAUP member. If you would like to get involved, even better. What kind of help are we looking for?
Here are some possibilities:
Serve as a liaison--that is, someone who acts as a communication link between AAUP-OU and our colleagues around the university (this is the most important and rewarding role, and we can never have enough!)
Participate in a phone bank when there’s a good reason to try reaching faculty members directly.
Serve on one of our fun committees, such as membership, communications, or events planning.
Build contacts between campuses or with other Ohio AAUP chapters.
Volunteer your web design expertise so our information stays fresh and clear.
But the most helpful thing of all is to join the AAUP and let us know that your support collective bargaining.
Happy Holidays,
Kevin Uhalde
President, OU-AAUP
kevin.uhalde@gmail.com
December 1, 2008
To the Ohio University Faculty:
This fall, the Ohio University Faculty Senate voted to support collective bargaining. Since then, we in the AAUP-OU have tried to share information about collective bargaining and lay the groundwork necessary for a successful card drive and election. Many of you will put a lot of thought into your decision, not because you’re satisfied with the status quo, but because you care deeply about the university and your own professional life. We feel the same.
Even the quickest glance at the financial and administrative challenges facing Ohio University shows that the faculty needs the capacity to develop, express, and act meaningfully upon our shared interests and commitments. That is why we are working for a collective bargaining agreement.
Our campus has a unique character marked by a commitment to tolerance, autonomy, democracy, and civility. That’s why we think that a locally controlled and democratic AAUP chapter is preferable to more centrally controlled labor organizations. In the coming months, we'll be sharing more information about all of these concerns.
Now we want to share some good news, update you on developments, and ask for your support.
First, good news that can save you money. Through December, you can join the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) at a substantial discount (these introductory dues are only $60 for those earning less than $60,000, and $120 for those earning more). Your membership supports the nation’s leading organization for our profession, gets a subscription to the bimonthly magazine, Academe, and empowers you to participate fully in the OU chapter, which includes choosing or running for offices. Please join us!
Go to http://www.aaup.org/forms/membership/duesoffer.htm
On the organizational front, the OU chapter and the national AAUP have defined the Ohio University Collective Bargaining Unit (CBU) to be as inclusive as possible. All OU faculty members who work the real-life equivalent of full time are covered: this includes roughly 1150 people in Groups I, II, and IV, the regional campus faculty, and the non-clinical faculty at the College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Before we call for a full vote, we would like to have 60% of the faculty in the CBU sign cards supporting the election and expressing their desire for collective bargaining, represented by the AAUP. Some of your colleagues may have requested and signed cards already. If you haven't, don't worry, we'll eventually send cards out to everyone at their home address.
Why not just send the cards now? We are engaged in a process that involves much more than just getting the cards signed. We’re working to build a campus-wide, democratically governed organization of OU faculty. With a broad membership, AAUP-OU will have the strength to effectively partner with the Faculty Senate on issues like governance, health care, compensation, family leave, and giving legal authority to the many important provisions of the faculty handbook.
Please visit our website (http://www.aaup-ou.org/) and direct any questions you have to aaupou@gmail.com or any AAUP member. If you would like to get involved, even better. What kind of help are we looking for?
Here are some possibilities:
Serve as a liaison--that is, someone who acts as a communication link between AAUP-OU and our colleagues around the university (this is the most important and rewarding role, and we can never have enough!)
Participate in a phone bank when there’s a good reason to try reaching faculty members directly.
Serve on one of our fun committees, such as membership, communications, or events planning.
Build contacts between campuses or with other Ohio AAUP chapters.
Volunteer your web design expertise so our information stays fresh and clear.
But the most helpful thing of all is to join the AAUP and let us know that your support collective bargaining.
Happy Holidays,
Kevin Uhalde
President, OU-AAUP
kevin.uhalde@gmail.com
Krendl Leaving OU
As I've mentioned a few times over the past few weeks, administrators come and go, and today OU announced that Provost Krendl will step down as Ohio University's Executive Vice President and Provost June 30, 2009 to assume the presidency of Otterbein College (Otterbein College Names Krendl President).
Until July 1, Krendl will continue to be chief academic officer, the primary administrator of VisionOhio, and she will continue to lead the transition from quarters to semesters (and to our inclusion in the University System of Ohio).
Do the faculty have a solid back-up plan? Or is our future now left to some to-be-named administrator that we'll have little or no say in hiring?
We can't leave our future and the future of this great institution to the whims of transient administrators who are preoccupied with their next promotions. During this period of intense change, the faculty needs to ensure that its collective voice is heard. As I've mentioned before, a collective bargaining agreement would help ensure that the changes we embrace are measured, in the best interest of all stakeholders, and that they are implemented via due process that includes appropriate faculty input.
As today's news proves, university administrators will come and go, but a collective bargaining agreement will remain in place regardless of the administration, and it will be backed by law.
Until July 1, Krendl will continue to be chief academic officer, the primary administrator of VisionOhio, and she will continue to lead the transition from quarters to semesters (and to our inclusion in the University System of Ohio).
Do the faculty have a solid back-up plan? Or is our future now left to some to-be-named administrator that we'll have little or no say in hiring?
We can't leave our future and the future of this great institution to the whims of transient administrators who are preoccupied with their next promotions. During this period of intense change, the faculty needs to ensure that its collective voice is heard. As I've mentioned before, a collective bargaining agreement would help ensure that the changes we embrace are measured, in the best interest of all stakeholders, and that they are implemented via due process that includes appropriate faculty input.
As today's news proves, university administrators will come and go, but a collective bargaining agreement will remain in place regardless of the administration, and it will be backed by law.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Unionization Boosts Power!
Unions are all about strength and power.
But I'm not talking about that kind of strength and power.
We need to shake the idea that the desire for power is somehow uncouth, or even sinister. Power is a critical factor in any relationship, whether it be personal or professional. That said, healthy relationships feature an equitable distribution of power. In terms of relative strength and power, how healthy is the relationship between the faculty and the administration?
Consider two recent events, and ask yourself if the faculty enjoy even a small piece of the power structure.
1) According to data published Monday in the Athens NEWS, the average 2007-08 total compensation package for a pubic university President was valued at $427,400. At that time, President McDavis was earning only $378,732 (Survey Suggests McDavis Was Being Underpaid). But don't feel sorry for McDavis, because university administrators and Board Members enjoy considerable power, and they have the freedom to award raises as they see fit. They also have the freedom to ignore two consecutive no-confidence votes from the faculty, and the luxury of conducting a "comprehensive review" of the President after deciding to award him a 5-year contract extension and an $85,336 raise. While administrators are getting rich, faculty enjoy the pleasure of fighting over table scraps, leaving most of us lucky if we keep pace with inflation--many of us don't.
2) Earlier today, a colleague sent me an email from Ben Ogles, who is the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. After consulting with other administrators, Dean Ogles decided to suspend all faculty searches immediately, expressing disappointment and citing budgetary issues as the culprit. Given the discouraging state of our global economy and the budgetary challenges that Ohio University faces, it's not surprising that the administration is suspending faculty searches. But as I mentioned previously, university administrators enjoy considerable power, so when they believe a new administrative position is necessary, it's unlikely that budgetary problems will stand in their way. For example, it was just three weeks ago that Ohio University announced its first Vice Provost for Diversity, Access and Equity. This new administrator will earn $137,000 annually (an amount easily twice as much as two new assistant professors would have likely earned).
These are just two examples, based on news within the past two days. If you pay even just a little attention, you'll discover that these are not isolated instances, but that they represent a troubling trend that reflects Ohio University's status quo.
Through unionization, faculty will speak with one voice. And when faculty speak collectively, they become powerful, because the administration will have no choice but to listen. Isn't it obvious folks? They certainly aren't listening to us now.
** Consider sharing your comments! This blog allows readers to respond ANONYMOUSLY. No login is required. Please share your insight as well as your questions, comments, and concerns. Post an ANONYMOUS comment today!
Monday, December 1, 2008
Union Debate Welcome
Union Debate Welcome; Misrepresentation, Scare Tactics Not (Athens NEWS)
In this Reader's Forum, Bernhard Debatin, Associate Professor of Journalism, notes that the Committee for an Independent Faculty is not living up to the standards of a truthful and honest debate.
He also raises some great questions...
During lean economic times, will we be able to maintain our workload? Will we be able to protect faculty from layoffs? Will we be able to maintain our health benefits? Will we be able to preserve academic quality? Will faculty have the strength, unity, and perseverance to ensure their voices are heard?
According to Debatin, a unionized faculty will no longer be ignored, because unionization will balance the distribution of power and make shared governance possible.
In this Reader's Forum, Bernhard Debatin, Associate Professor of Journalism, notes that the Committee for an Independent Faculty is not living up to the standards of a truthful and honest debate.
In times of severe economic crisis, I would like to see an honest debate that focuses on how to maintain shared governance, academic quality and faculty independence at OU. So far, the debate about unionization has mostly revolved around salary increases--a red herring in my opinion (statistics are inconclusive and hard to compare) and also a nearly moot point in a recession.
He also raises some great questions...
During lean economic times, will we be able to maintain our workload? Will we be able to protect faculty from layoffs? Will we be able to maintain our health benefits? Will we be able to preserve academic quality? Will faculty have the strength, unity, and perseverance to ensure their voices are heard?
According to Debatin, a unionized faculty will no longer be ignored, because unionization will balance the distribution of power and make shared governance possible.
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