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?”
Tag Archives: Adjunct Faculty
Meet Us at the Alma Mater, Noon, Thursday, September 11
Dear Colleagues, As you know, UIUC faces an unprecedented crisis of academic freedom and shared governance. At the same time, our non-tenure-track colleagues are facing frozen wages and an unwillingness to bargain, while clerical staff on campus are battling the destruction of their collective bargaining agreement. Clearly, the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Wise areContinue reading “Meet Us at the Alma Mater, Noon, Thursday, September 11”
The Little Orange & Blue Book: Quotations from Chairman Kennedy
Greetings, friends, from the Campus Faculty Association! Members of the university community have been urged to value civility as much as scholarship(1). In this spirit, we can learn much from the wisdom of the Board of Trustees on issues of the day. For this reason we are proud to present: The Little Orange & Blue Book:Continue reading “The Little Orange & Blue Book: Quotations from Chairman Kennedy”
Dear Alma: on Secret Codewords
Dear Alma, My friend says “civility” is just a codeword for “don’t upset the donors”. Could she be right? Yours, Politically Sensitive Dear Polly, You can’t spell “euphemism” without “UI”. Well you could, but it would be “ephemsm”. Love Alma
Dear Alma: On the No-Teach List
Dear Alma, I seem to be on the University’s No-Teach List. How can I get off? Perplexed Instructor Dear Perp, People in Swanlund Administration Building were suddenly too busy to talk with me, after I asked about the No-Teach List. Not one of them was willing to speak about the thirteen reasons for inclusion on the List, nor the seven acceptableContinue reading “Dear Alma: On the No-Teach List”
Dear Alma: I am an excellent and agile campus leader…
Dear Alma, I am an excellent and agile campus leader. Recently I had to make a problem “go away” by “just doing it”. But it hasn’t gone away, and Facebook and Twitter don’t believe anything I say. How can I fix this? Les Wisdom Dear Les, I think you already know the right thing toContinue reading “Dear Alma: I am an excellent and agile campus leader…”
What Can We Do about the University of Illinois Administration? Get Organized!
We are at a crisis point for faculty governance and academic freedom. Last Friday, the administration imposed a capricious and arbitrary standard of “civility,” governing what faculty are allowed to say both on and off campus. On Monday, Inside Higher Education revealed that the Chancellor was heavily lobbied by donors and University fund-raisers as she made her decision toContinue reading “What Can We Do about the University of Illinois Administration? Get Organized!”
Dear Alma: on Double Secret Probation?
Dear Alma, I hear that because of faculty complaints about the new civility standard, the Chancellor is putting all of campus onto Double Secret Probation. What have you heard? Classical Cinema Lover Dear Classy, I hear she said: “The time has come for someone to put his foot down. And that foot is me.” So Alma thinksContinue reading “Dear Alma: on Double Secret Probation?”
Dear Alma: Raises? What the Heck!?
Dear Alma, What the heck! I worked very hard over the past year and was looking forward to my annual merit increase from my department. Now I get a letter from academic HR telling me that I won’t get that raise – because of the new NTT union. What’s going on here? Emilia Hoppenmad, PhD.Continue reading “Dear Alma: Raises? What the Heck!?”
Administration Withholds Promotion Raises Promised to “Specialized Faculty” by Provost’s Communication #25
The administration exerted its power this month by refusing to give raises to newly promoted non-tenure-track faculty. In the face of this unilateral action, the need for a union has never been clearer. See the email below for details (sent by Dr. Kristina Riedel to the Provost, the incoming Dean of LAS, and Elabbas Benmamoun (Dept of Linguistics) onContinue reading “Administration Withholds Promotion Raises Promised to “Specialized Faculty” by Provost’s Communication #25″
UIUC is Punishing NTT Faculty for Organizing: Faculty Must Respond
On Tuesday, August 5, Provost Adesida wrote to hundreds of non-tenure-track faculty who have just been certified as a union (CFA Local 6546 AFT/AAUP) that “departments may not implement academic year 2014-15 salary increases for specialized faculty in this bargaining unit until an agreement is bargained with the union regarding pay adjustments.” This action isContinue reading “UIUC is Punishing NTT Faculty for Organizing: Faculty Must Respond”
Dear Alma| A “Friend of Mine” is Worried
Dear Alma, A friend of mine has been a full-time Research Associate Professor for twenty years. This year his appointment was reduced to less than full-time (0.90 appointment level). Now he is afraid that the university might let his contract lapse next year without telling him in writing that he won’t have a job! Can itContinue reading “Dear Alma| A “Friend of Mine” is Worried”
