APSCUF Fall 2008 Meeting Dates
All meetings start at 3:30 PM

August 26
Meet and Discuss Team (Montemuro House)

September 9
Executive Council (Montemuro House)

September 16
Meet and Discuss (Philips)

September 18-20
State Assembly (Holiday Inn, West Chester)

September 23
Local Delegate Assembly (FHG Library room 613)

October 7
Meet and Discuss Team (Montemuro House)

October 21
Executive Council (Montemuro House)

October 28
Meet and Discuss (Montemuro House)

November 6
Meet and Discuss Team (Montemuro House)

November 11
Executive Council (Montemuro House)

November 18
Local Delegate Assembly (FHG Library room 613)

November 25
Meet and Discuss (Philips)

December 2
Meet and Discuss Team (Montemuro House)

December 9
Meet and Discuss (Montemuro House)

APSCUF Executive Council
Tim Brown, Blaise Frost, Bob Gallop, Cliff Johnston, Seth Kahn, Deirdre Kane, Ali Naggar, Joan Polka, Joel Ressner, Mark Rimple, Andrea Varricchio, Russ Vreeland, Cheryl Wanko, Ray Zetts

APSCUF Meet and Discuss Team
Blaise Frost, Bob Gallop, Mark Rimple, Joel Ressner, Ali Naggar

APSCUF Local Delegates
department representatives elected by department APSCUF members

APSCUF State Delegates and Alternates
Lisa Millhous, Charles Hardy, Rick Voss, Frank Hoffman, Seth Kahn, Charles Bauerlein, Jen Bacon, Judith Ray, Tony Zumpetta, Joel Ressner, Chris Stangl, Ray Zetts, Yoko Hashimoto-Sinclair

Following, in reverse chronological order, are Releases and News prior to March 2008

Scholarship Opportunity

November 7: APSCUF/APSCURF family members and APSCUF staff Members are eligible to apply for a $3,000 scholarship. Applications must be postmarked by March 7, 2008. See details and download application.

APSCUF Memebers Ratify Agreements with State System

October 9: Faculty members and coaches at Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities have voted to accept new four-year contract agreements with the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

A total of 3,871 faculty members or 77.3% of those eligible, took part in the election.  The final tally shows 2,699 (69.7%) voted for ratification, while 1,172 (30.3%) opposed the pact.  The last contract ratification vote in 2004 yielded similar results when 72% voted to ratify; 28% voted No. Over seventy-five percent (75.3%) of eligible coaches participated in the ratification vote, and the pact was ratified by a 200-7 margin.  Campus voting was conducted on the campuses from Oct. 1-4.

“The faculty vote indicates acceptance of the terms of this agreement,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman. “Faculty weighed the pros and the cons of this agreement and decided the pros outweighed the cons.”

“The monetary package is an improvement over the last contract,” Heilman added. “That surely was a factor faculty considered before casting their ballots.”

Heilman also commented on the coaches’ contract.

“The coaches’ contract, their third, is a solid one, providing sound raises and some monetary acknowledgement of some coaches’ longevity with their universities.  The language on compensatory time, a new addition to this contract, assures coaches will be remunerated for all of the extra hours they put in assisting our student-athletes.”

The PASSHE Board of Governors will consider the tentative agreement on Thursday.  If ratified by the Board, the contract will be retroactive to July 1, 2007 and extend to June 30, 2011.

News Release

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

For further information
Contact: Pat Heilman
717-576-4247

ALONG WITH WASTING TIME, THE PASSHE HAS WASTED CONSIDERABLE MONEY NEGOTIATING WITH APSCUF

HARRISBURG - The nearly 6,000 faculty members and coaches at the 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities must feel like they have been trapped in one of the state's highway construction zones for months, as the road to new collective bargaining agreements with the PASSHE has been riddled with delays.

Despite many scheduled sessions, precious little progress has been made thus far. That needs to change this week, as both contracts expire on June 30, and APSCUF's executive council has the green light to call the first strike in the history of the organization if talks fail to secure new pacts.

"This has been a long, frustrating process for our negotiating team members, our leadership, and our members at large," State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said. "We tried to advance an agenda that would have featured intensive bargaining last summer and a new agreement nearly a year in advance of the expiration of these contracts. The PASSHE was not interested in that agenda."

Instead, Heilman noted, the last year has been an exercise in futility for the most part.

"Some sessions produced meaningful dialogue, but there were a lot of trips to Harrisburg that featured a lot of sitting around without any bargaining activity at all. That's extremely disappointing."

Heilman believes if the PASSHE was not ready to advance new proposals on the major issues, then everyone would have been better off staying away from the bargaining table and formulating proposals.

"Looking back, less sessions and more productive meetings could have placed us at a better position right now," Heilman observed. "There is a lot of ground to cover here in the last week. Our team is ready to negotiate. I hope their side is as well. We owe it to our
members and to our students and their families to do everything we can to secure a fair settlement that maintains quality and helps us to secure and maintain the best professors."

Especially troubling about the amount of ineffective bargaining sessions is the drain on PASSHE funds that each session produces.

"When you take into account the daily salary rate for the PASSHE negotiators, hotel costs, and approximate food charges, over $12,000 per day is the tab. That's a lot of money for not a lot of results," Heilman said.

"Between the faculty and coaches we have conducted at least 20 days of sessions. Right there is $240,000 in expenses for the PASSHE. APSCUF's daily expenses are approximately $9,000."

Heilman stressed the biggest difference between the two sides is that APSCUF's "daily tab" comes out of union funds, while the PASSHE's expenses are out of the PASSHE's operating funds (taxpayer dollars).

The coaches will talk with the PASSHE beginning Wednesday afternoon, while the faculty negotiators have sessions scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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News Release

Monday, June 25, 2007

For further information
Contact: Pat Heilman
717-576-4247

APSCUF FILES UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE CHARGE AGAINST PASSHE

HARRISBURG - A letter to all faculty members authored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's (PASSHE) Acting Vice Chancellor of Human Resources and Labor Relations has led to the filing of an unfair labor practice charge by APSCUF.

APSCUF filed the unfair labor practice charge Monday after faculty members received a letter written by the PASSHE's Tom Krapsho.

With less than a week remaining in the current APSCUF/PASSHE collective bargaining agreements for faculty members and coaches, tensions are mounting and the first ever strike in the PASSHE is possible. Negotiating sessions for both the faculty and coaches are scheduled for this week in Harrisburg.

APSCUF believes the letter was written and distributed for one key reason - to scare faculty members who could be on strike as early as next week.

"The scare tactics contained in the letter are transparent, outrageous and illegal," State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said. "The letter features quite a few misrepresentations and outright threats which, APSCUF believes, constitute unfair labor practices. Thus, our legal counsel has filed the appropriate paperwork detailing our charge."

Since the letter was distributed, Heilman noted that its effects may be different than what the PASSHE intended.

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News Release:

Sunday, June 24, 2007

For further information
Contact: Pat Heilman
717-576-4247

PASSHE’S LATEST OFFER TO FACULTY
FALLS WOEFULLY SHORT;
FINAL TALKS SET FOR THIS WEEK

HARRISBURG – Though the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSH) finally submitted a salary contract proposal above 0% to its faculty, a lot of ground needs to be covered this week if the two sides are to achieve a new collective bargaining agreement.

APSCUF’s current pact with the PASSHE expires on June 30, and recent discussions have yielded only slight progress in non-economic areas. The two sides have three days of bargaining remaining – June 28, 29 and 30.

If the PASSHE does not significantly improve its offer, the first strike in the history of APSCUF and the PASSHE appears likely.

“The PASSHE has made an offer which contains no across-the-board increase in the first year and minor increases in the other three years. The percentage offered doesn’t even meet the inflation rate,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said, “and most faculty fell below the inflation rate in the current contract.”

Faculty members currently contribute 10% of the cost of their health benefits, and the PASSHE proposal increases that amount progressively (to 30% in the fourth year). “Factoring in the premium costs with the System’s meager offer means faculty will LOSE money in each year of the next contract,” Heilman said. “Is that their plan to stem the tide of PASSHE faculty leaving the System?”

“Everyone needs to keep in mind that faculty members are paying a percentage of the premium, and those premiums keep going up every year. Accepting this contract proposal would lead to an increased exodus of faculty from our universities,” Heilman added.

Over 1,000 faculty members have departed the PASSHE in the last five years and, to date, more than 200 more have signed papers to leave at the end of this month, Heilman expects that number to swell further, considering the status of the contract talks.

“Look at where inflation is going, and they want us to accept an increase in health premium co-share and substandard increases. Our faculty have suffered enough and are reaching the boiling point. It’s doubly insulting when you add in that Management gave themselves a 6% salary increase this year retroactive to last July.”

APSCUF’s salary proposals (4% in 2007-08, 5.5% in 2008-09 and 2009-10, and 5% in 2010-11) would enable faculty to realize a modest salary increase above inflation, which is running, at this time, at 4.6%.

Heilman noted that the universities are having problems filling some positions now, and acceptance of the current PASSHE proposal would only worsen the problem.

“Tenure-line faculty are shouldering more and more of the university’s committee work while advising larger and larger numbers of students and teaching a heavier workload than some two-year colleges,” Heilman said.

“Do you expect that highly-sought-after university faculty will stay in a system where the salary and benefits are non-competitive, the workload is atrocious, and there is enormous pressure for research and publication with little or no commitment of professional development funds?”

Reports that PASSHE faculty pay ranks in the 90th percentile are not current and a deliberate attempt to deflect attention away from the poor offers being made. “It’s been a long time since our salaries were that competitive,” Heilman said. “We are below the 50th percentile in salary in our region comparing our categories of institutions with similar institutions.”

“This week it’s make-or-break time,” Heilman remarked. “Contracts for both our faculty and coaches are unresolved at this point, and we are down to a precious few days remaining.”

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News Release:

UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS’ FATE UNCERTAIN

June 11, 2007

HARRISBURG – Contract talks aimed at achieving a new collective bargaining agreement for approximately 350 coaches in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) are set to resume on June 18. The current pact for the coaches, who are represented by APSCUF, expires on June 30. Athletic directors and athletic trainers fall under the APSCUF Faculty Agreement which also is set to expire on June 30.

Failure to arrive at a new deal on time could result in a strike and the cancellation of many popular and lucrative summer camps. Lucrative because many of the summer camps generate the necessary income to sustain various athletic programs for the subsequent school year, including student-athlete scholarship money, a primary recruitment tool. APSCUF questions whether a ‘snowball affect’ would occur if summer athletic camps are affected by a strike: Recruitment of top student-athletes and even gender equity issues could arise later on if athletic department income is affected.

APSCUF also questions the safety and the liability issues that could arise if the Universities host summer camps without the professional direction of the athletic directors, athletic trainers, and coaches.

“As is the case with the faculty bargaining, APSCUF is doing everything possible to try and achieve a settlement,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said. “Our coaches value their student-athletes and the young athletes who visit our campuses every summer. They want only the best for the kids, but they also must look out for the interests of their own families as well.”

“To use a sports analogy, the coaches’ contract talks are coming to the two-minute warning,” Heilman said. “It’s time to get serious and negotiate a settlement.”

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News Release:

PASSHE LOSING GROUND IN COMPETITION

FOR NEW FACULTY MEMBERS;

TOTAL PACKAGE NOT AS DESIRABLE

HARRISBURG – In an era of increasing workloads, poor salary increases from contracts, and payments for health care premiums, academic departments at Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities are struggling to complete successful searches for new candidates.

Once a prime destination, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) has lost some of its appeal in the eyes of faculty recruits. Since 1995, the number of students in the PASSHE has increased 15.59% -- from 96,275 to 109,088. The faculty complement has not kept pace with that surge, with only a 4.45% hike over that span. Management has tallied the biggest increase, as the management roster is total up 16.77%.

“We are having terrible problems recruiting and retaining quality faculty,” State APSCUF President Pat Heilman said. “The number and frequency of failed searches continues to escalate, along with the number of resignations and ‘early’ retirements.”

In order to achieve a fair comparison model for faculty and management salary increases in the PASSHE, APSCUF researched salary hikes since Fall, 2002 for both classes. APSCUF discovered 3,383 faculty members and 819 managers who were PASSHE employees both in Fall, 2002 and Spring, 2007.

Taking into account national inflation for the same time period, faculty members improved their financial positions by just 2.8%. Managers, on the other hand, beat inflation by more than 10%.

“We are not insinuating that the raises provided to managers were not justified or earned,” Heilman noted. “What we are saying is that our faculty members have been forced to endure subpar contracts at a time when the competition for new faculty hires is most critical. And, students choose a university based on the academic reputations of its faculty, not its managers.”

Projections for faculty openings nationwide from 2004 to 2014 will reach incredible levels. The Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2014 the number one most sought after employee will be the university professor. Demand for professors will be up 32%.

“We face fierce competition from private schools, state-related institutions, and colleges in border states,” Heilman said. “We must be successful in recruiting and retaining quality faculty members to ensure that the PASSHE fulfills its mission – providing a high quality public education.”

High student advising loads, directly related to the failed searches and the problems with recruiting and retaining faculty, are big reasons why the current contract being negotiated with the PASSHE is of critical importance.

“We are interested in securing a fair settlement that helps faculty and boosts the PASSHE’s viability as a real ‘player’ when it comes to the brightest minds coming out of the country’s graduate schools,” Heilman said.

The current contracts for professors and coaches expire on June 30. The first strike in the history of the PASSHE could occur anytime thereafter.

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For More Information about Negotiations

APSCUF Website: http://www.apscuf.org

PASSHE Website: http://www.passhe.edu

Contact PASSHE to Let Them Know Your Position

(Please Use Off-Campus E-mail)

PA Governor, Ed Rendel
717-787-2500
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html

Strike Authorization Vote Polling Locations and Times

Thurs. April 12, 2007

APSCUF-WCU is using a modified version of precinct-style voting for the strike authorization vote in order to convenience faculty as much as possible. Voters will not have access to more than one location at a time. Pollers are working from a single master list of union members because the Union must ensure that each faculty member votes only once.

The Quad is the primary polling location. Polling will be done in the vicinity of Main Hall. In case of bad weather, the polling location will be moved to the lobby of Main Hall. In order to accomodate faculty who do not teach on the Quad, additional polling times will be available at South Campus, SOMPAC, and the Graduate Business Center.

All APSCUF members may vote on the Quad except that when polls are open on South Campus, members of the College of Health Sciences may only vote on South Campus, and when polls are open at SOMPAC, members of Applied Music, Music Education, Music History, and Music Theory and Composition may only vote at SOMPAC. See below for South Campus and SOMPAC hours.

Main Hall/Quad Hours

• April 24, Tuesday, 9AM-7PM
• April 25, Wednesday, 9AM-7PM
• April 26, Thursday, 9AM-3PM

South Campus Hours

APSCUF members in the College of Health Sciences may only vote at this location during the following times. At other times they may vote on the Quad when that polling place is open.

April 25, Wednesday, 10AM-5PM

SOMPAC Hours

APSCUF members in the departments of Applied Music, Music Education, Music History, and Music Theory and Composition may only vote at this location during the following times. At other times they may vote on the Quad when that polling place is open.

April 25, Wednesday, 10AM—5PM

Graduate Business Center

APSCUF members who teach at the Graduate Business Center will be able to vote at the Graduate Business Center at a time and location to be announced.

Strike Authorization

What It Is and Why We Need It

by Roger Barth

Wed. April 11, 2007

You will have heard that negotiations for a new contract are underway and have not been going well. Management has not yet made a serious salary offer (we can hardly regard their offer of a four-year salary freeze as a serious offer). The current contract expires at midnight on June 30, 2007. In the past, we have worked for months without a contract. This has led to a situation where PASSHE routinely uses our concern for our students as a cover for delay tactics that work to our disadvantage in bargaining. The results are manifest. The average faculty salary, in constant 2003 dollars, has declined by more than 8% during this contract. Our salary steps, formerly 5% each year, are now much less, and less frequent. Our out-of-pocket health expenses have increased. Summer pay has been frozen at the 1999 level, which means that a faculty teaching in the summer of 2007 will get 18% less in 1999 constant dollars than a faculty of the same rank and step in 1999. It should be clear that we must not allow things to continue to deteriorate.

In response to PASSHE’s delays and unreasonable bargaining positions, we have begun to prepare for a strike which could occur at any time after the expiration of our contract on June 30. No one wants a strike, but the law governing our system makes a strike or the threat of a strike the only legal bargaining chip we have. We can’t compel management to accept binding arbitration, nor can we legally stage a partial strike. The first steps of strike preparation are already in place. Strike committees on every campus are making arrangements for organization, communication, alternate office space, signs, and the other requirements of a strike. The governing body of APSCUF, the state Legislative Assembly has empowered the Executive Board to call a strike authorization vote. When and if that vote is held, we need to respond overwhelmingly in favor of authorization. There is an important difference between a strike authorization and a strike vote. Strike authorization gives union leadership the authority to call a strike, should that prove to be necessary. Although we have never struck, we have given our leadership strike authorization on several occasions. The real issue is not the consequences of authorizing, but of withholding authorization. Without authorization, the bargaining team has no choice but to settle under whatever terms management offers. Here are some features of management’s offer.

• No general salary increase for four years. At the current rate of inflation, this would lead to a 14% decrease in purchasing power.
• Decreases in salary steps. This continues a trend in decreasing step sizes. The net result is to lower the financial incentive to seek promotion. This is a direct blow to quality.
• Unlimited temporaries. As programs like assessment increases the service burden, there will be fewer of us to shoulder that burden. The intended increase in turnover means more time and effort spent trying to get the courses covered. Quality and continuity would suffer.
• Management control of intellectual property created by faculty.
• Distance education no longer voluntary. Taken with management control of intellectual property, they could force us to teach distance education and they take ownership of the courseware we develop to teach it.
• Increased payroll deductions for medical coverage. This increased burden is not justified by any increase in costs. Costs have been well contained because of the Joint Health Care Cost Containment Committee set up in the previous contract.
• Management can give administrators tenure in academic departments. This could be a route to putting political appointees into the faculty.
• Shortens deadlines to file grievances. This would give faculty less time to address and resolve CBA violations before being required to file a grievance.
• No grievance rights for denial of tenure. It’s hard to know what benefit PASSHE sees in this. These cases would now have to be handled by the courts.
• No remedy for faculty promoted in 2003. Changes in the salary structure resulted in these faculty getting less than those promoted in subsequent years.
• No progress on benefits for domestic partners.

If you want to avoid a strike, you need to help our team bring a strong message to PASSHE that we are ready to strike if necessary. Only APSCUF members get to vote, so unless you are sure you are a member, check with your department representative or with the APSCUF office. All faculty, members and non-members, get payroll deductions. To join, you must sign an enrollment card. Members can see a summary of APSCUF’s bargaining position at the members only forum of the APCUF web site www.apscuf.org.

The PASSHE Chancellor’s seems to think we are afraid to strike, and that they want us to think that they are not afraid of a strike. In reality the opposite is true. We will strike if we have to, and if we do, Chancellor Hample and her gang are history. We need a decisive authorization with high participation to show them how wrong they are. When the vote is called, stand up for yourself, for your students, and for public higher education in Pennsylvania.

APSCUF WCU President Speaks at Council of Trustees Meeting

Mon Feb 5 10:30:09 EST 2007 from

On January 24, local APSCUF president Clifford Johnston spoke at the West Chester University Council of Trustees meeting during the Public Comments portion of the meeting. His comments made it clear that APSCUF is not satisfied with the negotiation tactics of the State System and that it is time for them to get serious. He went on to say that APSCUF will stand strong during these negotiations for a fair contract for the faculty that optimizes West Chester's ability to attract and retain quality faculty. He was accompanied by 8 other APSCUF members that stood as he read his remarks.

Comments by APSCUF President Clifford Johnston to the Council of Trustees:

Distinguished Members of the Council of Trustees, President Adler, ladies and gentlemen,

After a 3 month delay, last Friday PASSHE finally decided to put forward a compensation proposal for State System faculty—the 0-0-0-0 plan as one colleague referred to it, though most faculty speak of it in far more colorful terms. And while the proposal is laughable, we are not amused. We are not amused that the State System has once again shown its contempt for the faculty and has insulted every faculty member at this institution by wasting our time on such meaningless posturing. We are not amused that the State System failed to recognize the significant contributions of the faculty to West Chester University—contributions often acknowledged by this distinguished body. We are not amused that the State System failed to recognize the huge financial sacrifice made by the faculty in the last contract to assist the State System and the state through, according to them, hard financial times. Statewide, our sacrifice can be measured in a 15-20% decrease in tenured faculty, a 4-8% loss in salary measured against inflation, and a growing workload in class-size and paperwork generated by State System mandates. We are not amused that the State System chose to pursue negotiations in this manner and demonstrate a complete lack of concern for West Chester University, its students, and its faculty. We are not amused, but we are resolute. As always, APSCUF will remain committed to negotiation, but our turn for sacrifice is over. We will stand strong for this institution, our students, and our members.

Thank you.

Author David Horowitz to debate BU professor on Academic Freedom

Fri Sep 8 14:56:26 EDT 2006 from Kevin Springman, State APSCUF

BLOOMSBURG- Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania will become a hot seat for the debate on the Academic Bill of Rights on Tuesday, Sept 19, at 7 p.m.

David Horowitz, author and supporter of the Academic Bill of Rights, will debate BU philosophy professor Kurt Smith in Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall. The debate, "The Future of Academic Freedom," will be moderated by BU President Jessica Kozloff and is open to the public free of charge.

Horowitz is a nationally known author and lifelong civil rights activist. In the 1990s, he created the Individual Rights Foundation which led to a battle about speech codes on college campuses. His book "The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America," published this year, identifies individual professors whom Horowitz believes are responsible for indoctrination in institutes of higher learning.

He campaigns against "liberal bias" on college campuses though his organization, Students for Academic Freedom. According to the organization's Web site, Students for Academic Freedom aims to make college campuses more conservative. Horowitz has appeared on "Nightline," "Crossfire," "Good Morning America" and "CBS This Morning" as well as programs on C-Span and FoxNews Channel.

Smith, associate professor of philosophy, appeared in front of the state committee on Academic Freedom to voice his opposition to Pennsylvania House Resolution 177, which he believes was derived from the Academic Bill of Rights promoted by Horowitz. Smith has also spoken at "Freedom Threatened?" a conference at Gettysburg College.

The debate is part of BU's second annual Constitution Day which will begin at 9:45 a.m. on the patio adjacent to the Kehr Union. Members of the student organization Democracy Matters will make presentations on the importance of voting, the value of the Constitution and the United States' two-party system, along with the political philosophy of the Republican, Democrat, Independent and Libertarian parties.

The day's events will also feature an outdoor forum on academic freedom in the classroom from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The forum will feature Michael Hickey, history professor; Jonathan Lincoln, dean of undergraduate education; and others.

Free hotdogs and hamburgers will be available for those attending.

Entertainment will be provided by the Jazz Ensemble.

Bloomsburg University is one of 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The university serves approximately 8,000 students, offering comprehensive programs of study in the colleges of Professional Studies, Business, Liberal Arts and Science and Technology.

More News on HR177 and Higher Ed

Fri Mar 24 10:51:39 EST 2006 from various authors; sent by Kevin Kodish, APSCUF

Kevin Kodish, from the State APSCUF office, has sent an update on the hearings in Millersville in the form of an article from LancasterOnline.com and PA Higher Ed News.

LancasterOnline.com

Is academic freedom alive in Pa. colleges?

Dispute lingers in hearings at MU.

By Chad Umble

Lancaster New Era

Published: Mar 23, 2006 1:47 PM EST

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Both sides in ongoing hearings about intellectual diversity at state universities are championing the cause of academic freedom.Yet after two days of testimony at Millersville University, it is clear that they aren’t talking about the same thing.

For some, the hearings of a task force of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education are an unnecessary effort to stifle the academic freedom of some left-leaning professors.

For others, such as state Rep. Gib Armstrong, who convened the hearings, they have revealed a liberal political bias at state universities that has a chilling effect on academic freedom.

“I’ve learned a couple things,” Armstrong said before today’s testimony. “First is that there is evidence within our state system that some professors are indoctrinating when they ought to be sticking to education,” he said.

The task force is conducting the hearings as part of its investigation of academic freedom and political bias at state universities.

This week’s hearing, which convened at the Bolger Conference Center, is the third in a series of four scheduled around the state. Hearings already have been held at Temple University and the University of Pittsburgh.

In testimony this morning, Mark Bauerlein, an English professor at Emory University, said universities tend to become insular environments, which need to be held accountable.

“If you spend all your time in the academic world among a conformist group, you don’t realize what has happened — that certain opinions have been converted into disciplinary norms,” he said in his prepared testimony.

“Something must be done. We’re in bad shape, and more public scrutiny like these hearings is a regrettable, but necessary, process,” he concluded.

Millersville University student Terry Christopher was also scheduled to testify this morning.

In her prepared remarks, she urged lawmakers not to hinder academic freedom by passing legislation that would further regulate universities.

“I’ve taken courses with professors on both ends of the political spectrum, and I’ve found that their political affiliations are not what have made me learn or not learn,” Christopher said.

In testimony Wednesday, Millersville University President Francine G. McNairy’s defended the academic freedom at the university, and dismissed any charge of widespread bias.

Quoting from an Association of American Colleges and Universities statement on academic responsibility, McNairy said students “do not have the right to remain free from encountering uncomfortable or inconvenient questions.”

McNairy also said Millersville has had few student complaints about academic freedom.

“I do not see that we have a problem with academic freedom,” McNairy said. “This has not been an issue raised by students, and, trust me, students are not shy.”

She said the teachers’ collective-bargaining agreement cautioned professors “not to introduce into his/her teaching controversial matter which has no relation to his/her subject.”

But Armstrong said that while universities are quick to defend ethnic and racial diversity, they are often loathe to stand up for right-leaning political speech.

“All we’re asking universities to do is to live up to the polices they have in place,” Armstrong said.

The task force will hold one more hearing in May, and plans to issue a report on its findings by November.

House Resolution 177, which authorized the hearings, recommends “remedial legislation” pending the outcome of the testimony.

However, Armstrong said legislation was a last resort and that common-sense solutions could be reached. Those solutions may include adding questions about political bias to student evaluations of professors, he said.

“I would hope that we can work with the state system and agree upon the nature of the problem and agree upon some common-sense solutions that are not costly,” he said.

Kevin P. Kodish

Director of Communications

APSCUF

319 North Front Street

PO Box 11995

Harrisburg, PA 17108-1995

Phone: 800-932-0587, ext. 6

Fax: 717-236-1883

email: kkodish@apscuf.org

APSCUF MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN CONFERENCE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM

Fri Mar 17 09:41:17 EST 2006 from Kevin P. Kodish, APSCUF

HARRISBURG – How does the academic freedom of faculty members intersect with the rights of students in the classroom? Is “diversity of viewpoint” a worthy goal for colleges and universities?

Those are just two of the questions that will be considered at Gettysburg College on Friday, March 24, as the Central Pennsylvania Consortium (made up of Dickinson, Gettysburg, and Franklin & Marshall Colleges) presents “Freedom Threatened? Teaching in Today’s Politically Charged Environment.” The event will get underway at 8 a.m. and continue until 7 p.m. at Gettysburg’s College Union Building.

Co-sponsors of the event include APSCUF, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Christian A. Johnson Center for Creative Teaching at Gettysburg College.

Presentation topics will include detailed discussion of House Resolution 177; the status of academic freedom legislation in Pennsylvania and across the nation; legal analyses of academic freedom; academic freedom as a global human rights issue; the new PC; how past scientists got into trouble; teaching tolerance; and student perspectives on ideology in the classroom. For administrators, a presentation will be given on the elements of an effective academic freedom policy.

The opening speaker is Stanley Fish, prominent literary theorist, author, and Professor of Law at Florida International University. He was formerly Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago.

The keynote speaker is Claire Katz, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Jewish Studies, Pennsylvania State University. She helped found the Penn State chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein-Graff, co-authors of They Say/I Say: The Basic Moves of Argumentative Writing and members of the Department of English, University of Illinois at Chicago, will offer a workshop on practical advice for protecting both faculty and student academic freedom in the classroom. This session is sponsored by the Gettysburg College Center for Creative Teaching.

Additional speakers include:

- State Representatives Gibson Armstrong of Lancaster County, sponsor of HR177

- State Representative Lawrence Curry of Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, Chairman of Subcommittee on Higher Education

- Jean Marie Kamatali, Scholars At Risk/Scholar Rescue Fund fellow at Kent State University, a law professor from Rwanda specializing in constitutional, international and humanitarian law

- Greg Lukianoff, Interim President of Foundation for Individual Rights in Education

- Representatives from the American Association of University Professors, Association of American Colleges and Universities, and Scholars At Risk Network

INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA VACCINATIONS

Mon Nov 14 10:44:53 EST 2005 from PA Faculty Health and Welfare Fund

Pennsylvania Faculty Health and Welfare Fund

Important Benefit Announcement

INFLUENZA AND PNEUMONIA VACCINATIONS

October 1, 2005

To The Faculty:

The Board of Trustees of the Fund is pleased to announce the following reimbursements for influenza and pneumonia vaccinations rendered on and after October 1, 2005:

The Fund will reimburse Faculty up to a maximum of $30.00 per influenza (the flu) vaccination for the Faculty. This reimbursement is limited to those Faculty whose basic health plan, provided by the System, does not cover influenza vaccine. Faculty who participate in the System’s Highmark PPO and HMO health plans may be covered for influenza vaccine. Faculty participating in the indemnity health plan are not covered for influenza vaccine. All Faculty not covered by their basic health plans for influenza vaccinations are eligible for the Fund’s reimbursement.

The Fund will reimburse Faculty up to a maximum of $45.00 per PPV (pneumonia) vaccination for the Faculty. This reimbursement is limited to those Faculty whose basic health plan, provided by the System, does not cover pneumonia vaccine. Faculty who participate in the System’s Highmark PPO and HMO health plans may be covered for PPV vaccine. Faculty participating in the System’s indemnity health plan are not covered for the PPV vaccine. All Faculty not covered by their basic health plans for pneumonia vaccinations are eligible for the Fund’s reimbursement.

The APSCUF Office is sending a few copies of the announcement and claim form to your department.

Update on HR177: PCN Call-in Program Nov. 15

Wed Oct 26 14:38:45 EDT 2005 from Laura Statler, state APSCUF

On November 15, 2005, both Rep Lawrence Curry and Representative Gib Armstrong will be on PCN’s Call-in program to discuss academic freedom. This will occur between 7 and 8 pm. I am asking that faculty members support Rep. Curry at this time by calling in to the program to support his efforts on behalf of the faculty. Rep. Curry is aware that Rep. Armstrong will most likely have his own calls coming in by the "Students for Academic Freedom" campaign.

PCN’s Call-in program will air on Tuesday evening and is designed as an hour-long interactive call-in program that allows PCN viewers to speak directly with government officials. You would call toll-free, 1-877-726-5001.

The following link will provide you with the station of PCN in your local area:

http://www.pcntv.com/affils.htm

If you have had any conversations with students on your campus on this issue, make them aware of the program so they may choose to call in and support faculty. I’m sure many of the students, if aware of what is going on, would support PA SSHE faculty on this.

Also, a reminder…

The House Select Committee on Student Academic Freedom (pursuant to House Resolution 177) will hold public hearings on Wednesday, November 9 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and then also on Thursday, November 10, from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon in the Ballroom of the University of Pittsburgh’s William Pitt Union, 3959 Fifth Avenue (corner of Fifth and Bigelow), Pittsburgh…

The Select Committee has set aside a time on the agenda for Vice President of APSCUF, Burrell Brown. Burrell personally met with the Chairman of the Select Committee on Lobby Day and will be providing testimony regarding current university policy and procedures. President Pat Heilman and I will also be attending the meetings.

We encourage any of you, especially in the Western part of PA that are able to be present at the hearing, to do so. For anyone wishing to speak, there will be an opportunity for you during public commentary time.

APSCUF MEMBERS RATIFY AGREEMENT WITH STATE SYSTEM

NEWS RELEASE HARRISBURG (Wednesday, April 7, 2004)

Faculty members at Pennsylvania's 14 state-owned universities have voted to accept a new four-year contract agreement with the State System of Higher Education.

A total of 3,324 APSCUF members, or 69% of those eligible, took part in the election. The final tally shows 2,395 (72%) voted for ratification, while 929 (28%) opposed the pact. Campus voting was conducted at various hours on the campuses from March 31-April 5.

"This vote was a difficult one for faculty," State APSCUF President William E. Fulmer said. "Those voting against ratification named as the primary reasons the loss of an incremental step for junior faculty this year and management's cavalier disregard for equity for 128 newly promoted junior faculty members."

Fulmer cited the faculty's role in quality and academic issues as a key reason for the positive vote.

"The majority supported ratification because the proposed contract does preserve our influence on quality issues and insures that the academic interests of faculty members and students are protected," Fulmer related. "Our faculty members recognize that other avenues, e.g. the Governor's Committee on Class Sizes, may be pursued to achieve justice within our universities. I believe that this was the best bargain we could achieve at this time, and we are grateful to Governor Rendell for helping to bring it about."

The State System of Higher Education Board of Governors will consider the tentative agreement on Thursday. If ratified by the Board, the contract will be retroactive to July 1, 2003 and extend to June 30, 2007.