EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Your bargaining team and the administration team met on Friday, August 16 from 9-11 and again on Thursday, August 22 from 9-12 in Cascade Hall. During the first of these two sessions, the administration passed the Position Descriptions and Workload article, and verbally declined Letters of Agreement regarding Promotion Criteria for Instructors & FRAs and Promotion Criteria for Professors of Teaching. The administration did bring back the proposed Letter of Agreement on the Joint Committee on Generative Artificial Intelligence. In the second session, we quickly turned around our response to Position Descriptions and Workload and verbally reiterated the presentation of the previous letters of agreement (see links above) regarding promotion criteria for instructors, FRAs, and Professors of Teaching. We are holding back on reintroducing our Grievance and Non-Discrimination articles while we await more information on the impact of EOA policy updates. Though only a few items were exchanged, we had some fruitful conversations and made some conceptual progress; but of course, we are still waiting for the administration to bring back many proposals, including compensation.
With a couple of all-day sessions coming up (see below), we are ready to and intend to make good progress, and we want and expect the administration to join us as well. There is a lot of work remaining to get the contract our members deserve – a contract that fairly compensates and respects our work and ensures equitable treatment, job security, and job stability.
UPCOMING SESSIONS & EVENTS
Use the links below to add these to your calendar.
- Thurs Sept 5 9am – 5pm (Cascade 143)
- Wed Sept 11 9am – 5pm (Cascade 143)
- Sun Sept 22 1 – 4pm – UAOSU Fall Picnic at the Thompson Shelter in Avery Park. All faculty are invited to our annual, family-friendly event. Please RSVP at uaosu.org/picnic.
FULL UPDATE
On Friday, August 16, after a nearly six month wait, we received the Position Descriptions and Workload counter proposal, where the administration accepted some language, but declined most of our proposed changes. We had some meaningful conversation regarding rationale that fueled our counterproposal on August 22. While there is agreement that bargaining unit members should be consulted regarding position descriptions and work assignments, we continue to advocate for additional clarity and specificity regarding position descriptions, especially as it relates to service, which too often can balloon into an overly expansive ‘catch-all’ category.
Our August 22 counterproposal reiterated language for department-level guidelines on teaching workload in instances where work assignments are significantly different from those covered by college-level guidelines. We reproposed workload guideline criteria, which include clarity on weighting of courses, procedures for determining course assignments, summer appointments, and criteria for course reductions (see proposal for the list of inclusions and exclusions). Such guidelines should be updated every three years with faculty input and by a representative committee.
Finally, in this article the administration team already agreed to our proposed section, Acknowledgement of Exceptional Service, in recognition of “faculty who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to service, with particular emphasis on service in support of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” We have re-proposed course releases as meaningful recognition of this work, since we know that what people who do this important service work need is time.
On Friday, August 16, we received a counter to our Letter of Agreement: Joint Committee on Generative Artificial Intelligence. The administration accepted some language from our earlier proposal, including the representation of the committee members, but also struck a good portion of the detail from our initial proposal. It remains to be clarified how this committee would work with committees existing elsewhere.
The administration verbally rejected our proposal to encourage the Faculty Senate to draft guidelines, which will then be bargained by UAOSU and the administration. This seems odd, given that we already have in principle this method for updating guidelines. Thus, we re-proposed the Letters of Agreement regarding Promotion Criteria for Instructors & FRAs and Promotion Criteria for Professors of Teaching.
The next bargaining session is 9am–5pm on Thursday, September 5 in Cascade 143. Even if you can only drop by for half an hour, your attendance matters: show the administration that faculty are watching this process.
You can find a list of the currently scheduled bargaining sessions, as well as read our updates and proposals at uaosu.org/bargaining.
Our power in negotiations comes from all of us working together as a united faculty. Becoming a member is the first step in supporting your bargaining team and securing a strong second contract. You can become a member online by going to uaosu.org/join.
In solidarity,
Lori Cramer and Your Bargaining Team