Hello Members!
We had a full agenda for our last executive committee meeting of the semester on Monday December 12.
We are still looking for someone to lead our membership committee. If you would like to get involved, we would welcome one or two volunteers to take up this very important role in our organization.
We are planning our spring events, so look for more information on our website coming soon.
Our ExComm meetings for the spring semester 2018 will be from 12-1 on Monday February 5, March 5, April 2, and April 30. Please join us!
Bargaining continues between GEO and the University.
CFA has issued a statement of support for the GEO:
Campus Faculty Association expresses its support for GEO. The teaching labor of graduate students is essential to the teaching mission of the university. We call on university administration to bargain in good faith to avoid a strike.
The formation of GEO helped to pave the way for NTFC, Local 6546, a union of non-tenure faculty. The possible suspension of tuition waivers is one of the contentious issues in GEO’s negotiations with the university. Even if confined to professional degree programs, such a scenario could have a negative effect on all graduate programs, leading to the end of all graduate programs.
If a strike does occur, we urge all CFA members to refrain from reporting graduate students who participate in the strike. CFA will honor the union’s action and support faculty and students who teach in alternative spaces.
Individual letters of support sent to the administration on GEO’s behalf can have a tremendous impact. Here are the key people to contact. You can find a sample letter to download and send on the CFA website.
Board of Trustees: (UIBOT@uillinois.edu)
President: Timothy L. Killeen (presidentkilleen@uillinois.edu)
Provost (through Jan. 15): John P. Wilkin (provost@illinois.edu)
Chancellor: Robert J. Jones (chancellor@illinois.edu)
If you’d like to do more to support the GEO, please see our blog post by that name. The CFA blog will keep members informed of relevant issues. If there is a topic you’d like to write about, please let us know.
In solidarity,
Dana
Campus Faculty Association 