Discussion Items on the Agenda:
- Budget cut plans
- Processes to be followed during the implementation of any cuts. For example,
- what does AAUP propose should happen to faculty if a program is “reorganized” rather than closed.
- if contingent faculty are terminated and then ‘hired back’, what should be hiring criteria, etc.?
- An accurate definition for administration the breadth of ‘curriulum’, in terms of what faculty should be able to control and/or have a voice in.
- Ways to interact with the Senate to act on the faculty’s behalf.
- Collective bargaining – should WSU faculty move toward unionization?
Once again, we invite all members of the WSU community. Participation in WSU-AAUP general meetings is not restricted to members of the organization. We would like to talk with all faculty (tenure-line or contingent (instructors, lecturers, clinicial)), students, and anyone else with an interest in the future of WSU.
While I am sympathetic to the plight of contingent faculty, and unionization might make a great deal of sense for that segment of our work force, is there any real support for unionization among tenured and tenure-track faculty? I was surprised to read that Faculty Senate Chair-Elect Cathy Claussen threatened unionization if the new faculty manual revisions are not accepted. Is she speaking personally or as incoming Senate Chair? If the latter, has there been any faculty senate vote on this matter?
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of legitimate concerns regarding faculty unions, many of which are discussed thoughtfully in the article below.
http://www.mindingthecampus.com/originals/2010/05/why_faculty_unions_could_destr.html
Have you looked at
ReplyDeletePorter, Stephen R. and Stephens, Clinton M., The Causal Effect of Faculty Unions on Institutional Decision-Making (November 8, 2010). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1705713