Our Weekly Reader for Week Beginning December 9, 2012

Posted byCFAPosted inCommentary, News and announcements, Pension reform updates, pensions, Uncategorized, UnionizationTags:
1. The first big news this week is that the GEO ratified their contract with the University. The University wanted to put the tuition waivers into the revenue mix, but those crafty grad students outsmarted them once again. For details go to the GEO homepage  uigeo.org ; fortunately, there is no longer any need for a CFA strike page. Other coverage includeshttp://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2012-12-07/geo-members-ratify-five-year-contract.html

http://www.dailyillini.com/news/campus/article_bd1030d4-40ae-11e2-9c38-001a4bcf6878.html

The News-Gazette page also contains a link to the contract itself.

For a dissenting view, see

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2012/dec2012/uiuc-d04.shtml2. The second big news is that it’s pension reform season in Springfield once again. A large number of links can be found on our page

https://cfaillinois.org/2012/12/06/more-information-on-pensions-bill-hb6258/

and we will update as new information becomes available. An excellent source is http://www.suaa.org/ , which usually has a “mini-briefing” after each day in which there is meaningful and publicly-known change.

3. Other articles:

i. Stanford wants to try to get a 5 year PhD in the humanities:

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/12/04/stanford-moves-ahead-plans-radically-change-humanities-doctoral-education#.UL36UsfmNR0.twitter

ii. Coursera wants to link its better students with companies, who would pay for the lists, and Chancellor Wise is on its advisory board.

http://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2012/12/05/coursera-creates-service-help-its-many-students-find-jobs

iii. The University has had declining returns on its acceptance letters since 2006.

http://www.dailyillini.com/news/campus/article_43e41898-3ea0-11e2-b396-0019bb30f31a.html

iv Google gives me this link to an AP story. “Illinois. Our State. Our team.” Haven’t the people of the state of Illinois suffered enough?

http://www.galesburg.com/newsnow/x1745970478/University-of-Illinois-starts-billboard-campaign

Published by CFA

The Campus Faculty Association (CFA) is an advocacy organization for faculty and other campus workers committed to shared governance, academic freedom, and a strong faculty voice on campus.

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