Representatives Assembly 9-14-15 UConn AAUP

Today’s Agenda Welcome/Quick Introductions (5 minutes) Negotiations (30 minute)- Chris Vials and Michael Bailey Recap first bargaining session Discussion of Negotiating Priorities and Department Mtg Talking Points Organizing for Faculty Involvement (15 minutes) –Chris Henderson Reps as Organizers Organizing Plan Feedback Increase membership Lecture Series Speaker of the Assembly Discussion and Nominations (5 minutes) – Chris Henderson Common Schedule Update and Discussion (15 minutes) –Chris Henderson Open Floor (up to 20 minutes) Thanks Intro- Eyes and ears during this historic and exciting time – keeping track of issues concerns ideas comments asks Member driven chapter- to ensure AAUP truly represents the best interest of the faculty.

Negotiations 1st bargaining session update, talking points Chris Vials/Michael Bailey

Organizing For Faculty Involvement

Reps As Organizers Role of rep as educators, organizers, problem solvers Fall 2015- role focused on educating membership and the AAUP and organizing colleagues for negotiation efforts Resolutions that can be sent to upper admin. Organizing – increase faculty involvement with the chapter Increasing membership 5 new members per department-unit/per rep Moving members to be active in the chapter Communicating with members about needs, concerns, victories e.g. Time in department meetings, 1 on 1 meetings w/colleagues, referring faculty to the Chief Negotiator’s Blog Mobilizing members to participate in events and actions Ask what Reps have been doing if anything Are most people willing or able to get 5 mins in department meetings to update members Do what you feel comfortable with – academic freedom. Role will expand once negotiations commence as we will all be working to learn and inform members of new contract language and faculty may go to you with questions- more of the problem solver/advocate role.

Research on Organizing Faculty involvement in a campaign = increased likelihood of success (organizing plan) Research supports this idea that member involvement = better union outcomes (Bronfenbrenner and Juravich, 1998) Union used rank and file volunteers = 22% if 10 or more Union used job actions = 24% Union used media = 22%

Lecture Series “Soft action” but can show strength in numbers Risa Lieberwitz, Esq. “Academic Freedom & Civility” National AAUP General Counsel; Professor, Industrial & Labor Relations, Cornell University Wednesday, September 30, 1:00 PM Storrs Student Union Theatre Professor Ellen Schrecker “The Corporatization of Higher Education and the Role of Collective Bargaining” Professor Emeritus, History, Yeshiva University Thursday, October 22, 1:00 PM

Speaker of the Assembly Nominations and Election Process

Speaker of the Assembly Duties Chair all meetings of the Representative Assembly Work with UCONN-AAUP Staff on meeting agenda Hold a seat on the UCONN-AAUP Exec Committee Meetings are bi-weekly on Friday PM The Speaker will serve a term of 1 year (July 1-June 30, 2016). This will be a shorter term for the Speaker. We will elect a new Speaker at the end of the Spring Semester to begin service July 1, 2016. Move to a member driven body- this is the first step in that process.

Nomination and Election Timeline The process will be as follows: We will open up nominations starting today and ending a week before our October meeting. Nomination period 9/2/15-10/14/15 You can self-nominate or nominate a colleague. For those self-nominating or accepting a nomination we encourage you to submit a statement on why you would be the best faculty member for the position. From October 8-October 14 (our meeting date) we will make available all of the candidate’s statements for review. At the October 14 Reps meeting we will hold a secret ballot election for the candidate overseen by a member of the faculty. We need 22 reps in attendance to make quorum. Please do your best to show up to this meeting.

Any nominations today?

Common Schedule Starting Spring ‘16 all campuses will be on a “common schedule”, large impact at regional campuses Difference in the two schedules is that the Storrs schedules requires day time classes to meet either on  MWF to meet (3 times weekly), or on TuTh (2 times weekly).  Many regional campuses allows classes to meet once weekly on any of the five week days.   Announced by Vice Provost Reis through the Campus Directors No faculty input e.g. not vetted through University Senate or the AAUP Billed as a way for students to seamlessly transition from campus to campus, and allow for an increase in web-enhanced courses

Concerns over the Common Schedule Disconnect between online course enhancement and 5 day a week schedule Adjunct recruitment and retention Student Impact Work or school Increase commuting times Recruitment and retention Pedagogy Faculty lack of training

Responses UCONN AAUP Exec. Committee sent a letter to the Provost yesterday asking: Delay in implementation Meeting with Officers of AAUP and Regional Campus Reps Item be placed on University Senate Agenda for Discussion Regional Campus Petitions General resistance being communicated to campus directors Ideas, Thoughts?

Open Floor

Thank You! Next Meeting: 10/14/15 Agenda: Negotiations Update Speaker of the Assembly Election Possible Guest Speaker from National AAUP Any other thoughts, ideas?

Calendar of Events 9-30-15: Risa Lieberwitz Lecture 1pm 10-14-15: Representatives Assembly Meeting 1:30pm 10-22-15: Ellen Schrecker Lecture 1pm 10-29-15: Membership Meeting 12noon November: Howard Bunsis Presentation