richardslaugesen

Good News and Bad News from the Federal Data

The Campus Faculty Association has gained access to the federal Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System data set (2013-2014) for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, thanks to a Freedom of Information Act request. The data reveals good news and bad news. The University’s finances have strengthened dramatically, while the ranks of management continue to swell. And, there are some interesting demographic breakdowns… The goodContinue reading “Good News and Bad News from the Federal Data”

“Requirement that faculty disclose their affiliations is not authorized by the law” – Matthew Finkin

Professor Matthew Finkin writes that “to require faculty to disclose any position held with the entities set out in the Executive Order [by Governor Rauner] would infringe on the constitutional right of association: a deaconship in one’s church, an elected position in a veterans’ organization, of an environmental organization, a labor organization, an advocacy group forContinue reading ““Requirement that faculty disclose their affiliations is not authorized by the law” – Matthew Finkin”

Dear Alma: can any scrap of paper be a union card?

Dear Alma, The Admin’s FAQ on unions tries to suggest the Campus Faculty Association will somehow trick faculty into unionizing. It just about claims that CFA could pick up one of my credit card receipts off the floor, slap the CFA logo on it, and use it to get a union! Why do you thinkContinue reading “Dear Alma: can any scrap of paper be a union card?”

Chancellor decrees faculty at Illinois are subject to civility test; Trustees back her to the hilt

Chancellor Wise broke her long silence on the Salaita case by launching a frontal assault on academic freedom and shared governance. Her campus massmail of August 22 seems perfectly reasonable at first reading – this campus is generally a friendly and cordial place, and who would want to change that? – but what she actually asserts is alarming: “What weContinue reading “Chancellor decrees faculty at Illinois are subject to civility test; Trustees back her to the hilt”

No Objection to Administration giving Raises to Non-Tenure-Track Faculty!

Dear Colleagues, This is an exciting time for non-tenure-track faculty on our campus, now that we have gained the right to bargain collectively and democratically for improvements in our working lives. We have asked the University administration to commit to formal bargaining sessions towards a contract. Once the administration has declared its readiness to startContinue reading “No Objection to Administration giving Raises to Non-Tenure-Track Faculty!”

CFA Statement on Steven Salaita and U of Illinois

The Campus Faculty Association of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign calls upon Chancellor Phyllis Wise to reverse her decision to revoke the offer of appointment made to Professor Steven Salaita last October by Dean Brian Ross. Chancellor Wise is reported (in The Chronicle of Higher Education of August 7, 2014) to have told ProfessorContinue reading “CFA Statement on Steven Salaita and U of Illinois”

Raises for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty

This week, many non-tenure track (NTT) faculty received an email from the Provost’s office outlining the administration’s efforts to undo the formation of our non-tenure-track faculty union, Campus Faculty Association Local 6546, and to maintain what they call the “status quo” for salaries. The administration sent a message that has many NTT faculty concerned that theContinue reading “Raises for Non-Tenure-Track Faculty”

Secrecy Update – UI administration decides to release data after all…

We wrote in June about the culture of secrecy in the UI administration. The presidential search, for example, will be held behind firmly closed doors. Search committee members must promise not to inquire on their own about any of the candidates. In contrast, our next-door neighbors in Wisconsin chose their system-wide president through an open public search. Each finalist participated in “aContinue reading “Secrecy Update – UI administration decides to release data after all…”

Secrecy – the UI administration can’t kick their habit (and won’t even try)

CFA commented recently on excessive secrecy surrounding the ongoing Presidential search – the kind of secrecy that brought us Michael Hogan the last time around. Secrecy comes naturally to the administration at this university. Here’s a telling example. Earlier this month, the Campus Faculty Association asked the UI administration for copies of the 2012-2013 data on Enrollment, Graduation Rates, Student FinancialContinue reading “Secrecy – the UI administration can’t kick their habit (and won’t even try)”

Union cards submitted for Non-Tenure-Track faculty!

Today, non-tenure-track (NTT) faculty at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, formally petitioned the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board for union representation. The union authorization cards, submitted from a majority of NTT faculty across campus (excluding Law and Veterinary Medicine as required by State law), point to a future that includes longer-term contracts, clear guidelines forContinue reading “Union cards submitted for Non-Tenure-Track faculty!”

Featured publication of the week: Faculty Union Basics

How would a faculty union form at the University of Illinois? Our publication Faculty Union Basics explains the key points. Tenured/tenure-track faculty and non-tenure track faculty must form separate bargaining units (Section 3) – and of course a majority is required in each bargaining unit in order for that unit to gain legal recognition. Section 2 discussesContinue reading “Featured publication of the week: Faculty Union Basics”

What a Union Can Offer Engineering Faculty

Dr. Oscar Crisalle combines two very different roles in his professional life: he is a Professor in Engineering, at the University of Florida, and Vice President of the faculty union (United Faculty of Florida – UF chapter). From this dual perspective he spoke recently on The Mechanics of Higher Education Unionism —What a Union Can Offer EngineeringContinue reading “What a Union Can Offer Engineering Faculty”