October 18, 2024
“Of our eighteen proposals that we initially gave you, that is all that needs to be in the contract. You gave us thirty-eight proposals, which is not necessary.” Mark Bennett, Administration Spokesperson
After walking past an incredible line up of faculty holding signs into the bargaining room, Wednesday morning’s bargaining session (#27) began with Dr. Ashley Farmer, UFISU Co-Lead, asking if MB brought us any economic proposals as birthday gifts. MB responded “no, I am responding to your non-economic proposals. So are you since you have not responded to our management rights proposal.” Ashley responded “Just because we haven’t given it to you does not mean we are not working on it.”
Mark Bennett began today’s session with counter-proposals on Faculty Reappointment, Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure, and Post-Tenure Review; Program Reorganization, Consolidation, or Disestablishment; Layoff; and Union’s Lobby Day. Major changes in the Faculty Reappointment proposal include that a faculty advocate may attend in formal tenure and promotion processes, and may be a union representative. They can provide advice to the employee, but not address the committee. They may answer questions directed to them.
After a month of holding on Program Reorganization, the employer’s counter proposal includes language that defines academic programs as IBHE-recognized degree programs and not just routine changes to an academic program. It details how notification to faculty about the plan will be done, which will include data on the last 5 year’s program’s enrollment, majors, course offerings, and employees. There will be a period of 30 days in which the faculty and union may provide feedback. If layoffs will occur, they will follow the steps in the Layoff article. If a faculty is transferred to another department, the educational requirement may not apply (such as if an MFA degree is switched to a department that requires all PhD’s, it will not require the faculty to get a PhD), and upon written request will have another year prior to tenure to work on materials within the new department. However it also states that all other tenure requirements of the new department will apply, which we feel could be challenging for a pre-tenure faculty member.
We are much closer on language in Layoffs, and the major differences are that we had proposed that a laid-off faculty will be notified if opportunities for employment become available for 3 years after the layoff. Administration has reduced that number to 2 years, however they note this is from the efficient date of the layoff, which is a year after the notice is given. If a laid-off faculty is reinstated in their position, administration agrees to reinstate them at the same rank with nondiscretionary salary adjustments, but states there is no way to give back any previous benefits. We had also stated that no course (or librarianship duties) taught by a laid-off faculty or librarian may be taught by anyone other than another existing employee until 3 years have passed. Administration is continuing to reject this.
We then went to caucus, where we had a short sidebar with administration to discuss potential movement in upcoming proposals.
When we returned from caucus, Ashley presented our counter-proposal on Faculty Appointment, Evaluation, Promotion, Tenure, and Post-Tenure Review. We maintain that language about international faculty is incredibly important to our members. We note that while the employer shall continue its current practice of covering costs for H1B expedited processing and permanent residency sponsorship and renewal as necessary, we are holding on language that the employer shall pay or reimburse expenses incurred as a result of an employer mistake related to the immigration process. Because we have many accounts of missed deadlines and additional expenses being incurred by the employer that our members need to manage, our language is meant to protect our members and hold ISU accountable in the procedures that make it possible for our international faculty to be working here.
We also agreed to language we negotiated with the employer about having a faculty advocate who may be a union representative in promotion and tenure meetings, who can advise the faculty and answer questions directed to them but may not address the committee directly.
Next session, Ashley will once again remind Bennett that we are still waiting for economic proposals, and we hope that will be the day he finally brings us some. The more members we have at bargaining, the more pressure the administration will feel to respond, and the more likely that they will do so, so please come out, even if only for an hour (the first and last hours are the most impactful). We look forward to seeing you next week!