tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post7182055614503959469..comments2023-10-10T04:30:38.687-05:00Comments on Deo volente: Official Faculty Association Bargaining ReportDave Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-64029526541653946022011-10-31T15:31:55.223-05:002011-10-31T15:31:55.223-05:00Disgusted, you forget that sports is the priority ...Disgusted, you forget that sports is the priority at SIUC, not books and libraries.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-30608183591553147052011-10-31T10:44:37.115-05:002011-10-31T10:44:37.115-05:00To Chancellor Cheng's credit, she has talked a...To Chancellor Cheng's credit, she has talked about the need to fix our classrooms. I agree that that didn't seem to be on administrators' radar screen previously, but she seems at least to understand the need.<br /><br /><br />Now, it would be nice if our administrators actually showed more interest in getting the books back in the library than in designing a new logo (not that I Disgustednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-7211240230920156582011-10-31T10:15:58.923-05:002011-10-31T10:15:58.923-05:00Given the variation in people's salaries, it m...Given the variation in people's salaries, it makes sense to have a fixed sum for courses taught in the summer as well as distance learning courses. So then the issue need not be whether the amount should be half of one's one month salary or three-fourths of one's one month salary. One thing of course is that this same approach should be taken in relation to salaries for chairs and Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-59019871716237720172011-10-30T21:03:05.576-05:002011-10-30T21:03:05.576-05:006:17: The explicit incorporation of the BOT langua...6:17: The explicit incorporation of the BOT language into the contract is a step in the right direction which the FA team has rejected only in the sense that it believes that transparency and accountability require more than the BOT policy delivers. Among the things the BOT policy fails to deliver are a clear definition of financial exigency as a crisis that threatens the viability of the Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09100006856645294730noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-70468767351189060712011-10-30T20:46:53.780-05:002011-10-30T20:46:53.780-05:00Yes, indeed, it did. But it also seems to those o...Yes, indeed, it did. But it also seems to those of us on the outside that it took a LOOOONGGG time for the FA to give up on joint-declaration. Once both sides conceded, I began to hope for a compromise reached in time to avert a strike. I still hold out hope for that, but we are running out of time.Disgustednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-66985808615630781932011-10-30T19:07:42.536-05:002011-10-30T19:07:42.536-05:00Or, conversely, I should be joining and encouragin...Or, conversely, I should be joining and encouraging others in fighting the unfair labor practice of involuntary overload without even $.02 in compensation. Which, hey, I am.<br /><br />I am not complaining, though. I believe I stated quite clearly that I will not work an overload assignment unless it is worth it. I won't teach a DL class unless it can be part of my regular load or, as an Jonny Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04461895600346750968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-65856105215628160682011-10-30T18:28:00.921-05:002011-10-30T18:28:00.921-05:00The comparison of overload pay to time and one-hal...The comparison of overload pay to time and one-half overtime pay for other employees has one major flaw - faculty are considered "exempt" employees and are therefore not eligible for "overtime". That is why overload courses are strictly voluntary. The many A/P positions on campus, and several civil service positions on campus are also "exempt". We don't get &Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-87064667124689455852011-10-30T18:17:21.920-05:002011-10-30T18:17:21.920-05:00Just a few comments on Randy's bargaining upda...Just a few comments on Randy's bargaining update regarding RIF:<br /><br />RIF - The FA's interest is transparency and accountability... The current board policy has the following requirements concerning the Board declaring a financial exigency: (Policies 2.C. 1.f and following)<br /><br />The requirements in this policy clearly state that the financial issues leading to the exigency Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-42785687597466488852011-10-30T17:57:20.594-05:002011-10-30T17:57:20.594-05:00We were making some headway on salary compression,...We were making some headway on salary compression, but that seems to have slowed since the expiration of the previous contract.<br /><br />I've heard that the big behind-the-scenes drivers on overload are distance learning and the University College. The Administration wants to staff the latter preferably with full time faculty. But they don't want to hire new faculty and they don'tJonny Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04461895600346750968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-802342301481152892011-10-30T17:55:26.820-05:002011-10-30T17:55:26.820-05:00No, it is still a problem and, to its credit, the ...No, it is still a problem and, to its credit, the FA began to address it during the last contract negotiations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-61423698705025387812011-10-30T16:50:35.159-05:002011-10-30T16:50:35.159-05:00Fair enough, Anonymous 4:15. Indeed, it is out of...Fair enough, Anonymous 4:15. Indeed, it is out of recognition that having a union here on campus meant that I got a decent salary offer when I got hired, that I joined the FA immediately upon being hired here four years ago.<br /><br />In a better economic climate, which I hope will the case the next contract round, there still needs to be more done on salary compression. Or, did the remedies Disgustednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-87510777274782583662011-10-30T16:15:03.999-05:002011-10-30T16:15:03.999-05:00Disgusted, your point is well taken, but do not as...Disgusted, your point is well taken, but do not assume your 10th month salary is representative. As a 20 year faculty member at associate level I only make 200 a month more than you during the regular year. The problem of salary compression at the higher rank is one of the things the union has bargained for successfully in the past.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-67522670145753686392011-10-30T16:05:24.557-05:002011-10-30T16:05:24.557-05:00We may not be striking over THIS issue on Thursday...We may not be striking over THIS issue on Thursday. It will be on the tenure, academic freedom, FE definitions and other important issues on which the administration may not budge.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-68120820189424033822011-10-30T15:14:12.357-05:002011-10-30T15:14:12.357-05:00As someone who has taught overload courses elsewhe...As someone who has taught overload courses elsewhere as well as here, the tenth month's salary that I receive is a great perk. The university where I got my Ph.D. from is very strongly unionized, even more so than here. And yet, faculty typically got paid a flat adjunct rate for teaching a summer course: about $3,500 if memory serves me correctly, although that was five years ago so perhapsDisgustednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-17182402890327681042011-10-30T13:25:07.552-05:002011-10-30T13:25:07.552-05:00Your argument makes sense, but then what is the lo...Your argument makes sense, but then what is the logic behind most other institutions not offering a full month's pay? I don't mean this rhetorically, I honestly don't know what rationale they use... If they don't have any logical reason beyond "we've always done it this way" that doesn't mean that we have to blindly follow, of course. However, I do feel that thisDaninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-1026504220703488012011-10-30T13:23:58.517-05:002011-10-30T13:23:58.517-05:00One month's pay for an overload course is alre...One month's pay for an overload course is already less than the pay most receive for teaching a regular course. What is so sacred about one month? Why shouldn't I get two month's of pay for teaching an extra course? Why shouldn't I get a percentage of the tuition paid by the students in the course? Teach more students, earn more money.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-16272163581905553962011-10-30T12:29:13.323-05:002011-10-30T12:29:13.323-05:00Dani,
This is not a compromise, this is begging. C...Dani,<br />This is not a compromise, this is begging. Can you, Cheng, or someone tell the logic behind paying less for the overload course than the regular course? Does the overload course take less effort to teach than the regular course? Or, are you expected to teach that course half heartedly because you are only paid half? Again, this is not about money but about principle. If there is a Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3492014659405332380.post-69873636067214751582011-10-30T11:16:09.745-05:002011-10-30T11:16:09.745-05:00Re: overload pay. What about setting it at 2/3 a n...Re: overload pay. What about setting it at 2/3 a normal course? I realize the FA wants to avoid having a wide range of possible reimbursement (50% - 100% of normal course pay) so we don't have to "race to the bottom." I also realize that admin wants to pay as little as possible for as much as possible. Would this be an ok compromise? I know that in other professions, overtime means Daninoreply@blogger.com