Your Union Chapter Board met July 27. Here’s what we discussed:
Communications
Dan Carraher has developed a plan he calls “6 Degrees of Separation.” It’s based on the idea that while it is difficult for adjuncts to know who all of their adjunct colleagues are, it is possible that each of us has a smaller circle of coworkers with whom we interact. The goal is to create multiple overlapping circles with key touch points. By becoming more familiar with one another, our union is strengthened, and we feel a deeper connection to the university. Please contact any of us on the Board if you are willing to help with this important project.
Stay tuned for information on the SEIU Committee for Policy Education (COPE). Stephenie Hendricks is the delegate and will be advising you of SEIU initiatives on local, state and federal levels that offer you an opportunity to take part in working for fundamental advancements on a policy level.
Faculty Forum
Have you ever attended Faculty Forum? This is the DU faculty senate that meets monthly throughout the school year. Currently, there are about 30 adjuncts who are voting members of Faculty Forum, many of whom may not even be aware of their status as voting members. Any adjunct can attend Faculty Forum. If you want to know if you hold voting privileges, please contact Dan Carraher.
Union Stewards
Do you have questions about our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)? From time to time we may experience difficult situations at work. If this happens to you, know that you do not need to go through this alone. Our CBA provides Union Stewards who can attend meetings with you and help insure that our contract is correctly implemented. Sister Aaron Winkelman is our Chief Steward; Deana Sorola is serving as a Steward this year, and other adjuncts may join them in this important work.
Major changes to Curriculum and General Education
At the Faculty Retreat on August 15 major changes to both the General Education program and the DU curriculum were announced.
Unspoken in all this discussion, in fact, not mentioned at the Faculty Retreat, was the effect that these changes will have on adjuncts. While the change from 3-unit to 4-unit courses may result in higher compensation for some, we believe that many adjuncts will face significant and negative impacts.
What to Do? - Stay Involved!
Dean Nicola Pitchford announced a Spring 2018 deadline for all class and program redesign with partial implementation for Fall 2018 and full implementation for Fall 2019. That means that each department will be holding numerous planning meetings throughout the year.
Please stay in touch with us as we begin to address these changes. We must make sure that adjuncts have a seat at the table and are not forgotten in this major upheaval.
In unity,
Your Dominican University Chapter Board
Dan Carraher, President, [email protected]
Robin McCloskey, Vice-President, [email protected]
Bobby Bradford, Secretary-Treasurer, [email protected]
Sister Aaron Winkelman, Chief Steward, [email protected]
Stephenie Hendricks, COPE delegate, [email protected]
Communications
Dan Carraher has developed a plan he calls “6 Degrees of Separation.” It’s based on the idea that while it is difficult for adjuncts to know who all of their adjunct colleagues are, it is possible that each of us has a smaller circle of coworkers with whom we interact. The goal is to create multiple overlapping circles with key touch points. By becoming more familiar with one another, our union is strengthened, and we feel a deeper connection to the university. Please contact any of us on the Board if you are willing to help with this important project.
Stay tuned for information on the SEIU Committee for Policy Education (COPE). Stephenie Hendricks is the delegate and will be advising you of SEIU initiatives on local, state and federal levels that offer you an opportunity to take part in working for fundamental advancements on a policy level.
Faculty Forum
Have you ever attended Faculty Forum? This is the DU faculty senate that meets monthly throughout the school year. Currently, there are about 30 adjuncts who are voting members of Faculty Forum, many of whom may not even be aware of their status as voting members. Any adjunct can attend Faculty Forum. If you want to know if you hold voting privileges, please contact Dan Carraher.
Union Stewards
Do you have questions about our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)? From time to time we may experience difficult situations at work. If this happens to you, know that you do not need to go through this alone. Our CBA provides Union Stewards who can attend meetings with you and help insure that our contract is correctly implemented. Sister Aaron Winkelman is our Chief Steward; Deana Sorola is serving as a Steward this year, and other adjuncts may join them in this important work.
Major changes to Curriculum and General Education
At the Faculty Retreat on August 15 major changes to both the General Education program and the DU curriculum were announced.
- Most classes will change from 3 units each to 4 units, meaning a full time student will take 4 classes a semester, not 5
- GE will be redesigned though it is not yet clear how, but with more transfer students the need for GE classes is declining
- Currently our faculty to student ratio is 9:1 - the target ratio is 14:1
- Average class size will go from its current 16 students per class to an average of 20 per class.
- There will be no change in the number of FT faculty and Administrative positions will not be cut.
Unspoken in all this discussion, in fact, not mentioned at the Faculty Retreat, was the effect that these changes will have on adjuncts. While the change from 3-unit to 4-unit courses may result in higher compensation for some, we believe that many adjuncts will face significant and negative impacts.
- The change from 3-4 unit classes will result in 20% fewer classes being taken each semester by a full time student.
- Average class size of 20 students per class means that fewer classes will be offered.
- Small majors will no longer be able to offer their students a breadth of classes and may whither away if they are not simply cut out peremptorily.
What to Do? - Stay Involved!
Dean Nicola Pitchford announced a Spring 2018 deadline for all class and program redesign with partial implementation for Fall 2018 and full implementation for Fall 2019. That means that each department will be holding numerous planning meetings throughout the year.
- Ask to attend planning meetings in your department. You can be compensated for your attendance at meetings to which you are invited but not required to attend through our Faculty Development Fund. If your presence is required at a meeting, you will be compensated through department funds.
- Attend one or more of the General Education (GE) lunchtime presentations. These are scheduled for August 29, September 6, October 4, November 12 and December 6.
- We have a meeting scheduled for September 22 with Administration. We want to hear from our members with questions or concerns so we can bring them to the table.
- Attend one or both of our Fall semester Adjunct Union General Membership Meetings, on Wednesday October 4 or Thursday, October 5. These changes are sure to be a big topic for discussion.
Please stay in touch with us as we begin to address these changes. We must make sure that adjuncts have a seat at the table and are not forgotten in this major upheaval.
In unity,
Your Dominican University Chapter Board
Dan Carraher, President, [email protected]
Robin McCloskey, Vice-President, [email protected]
Bobby Bradford, Secretary-Treasurer, [email protected]
Sister Aaron Winkelman, Chief Steward, [email protected]
Stephenie Hendricks, COPE delegate, [email protected]