Uncommon Sense

The Newsletter of the United Faculty of Florida, USF Chapter

(an FTP/NEA Affiliate)

Volume 8, Number 2 Fall, 1999

The Voice of the University Professional

After thirty-one years as a professor at the university level I have some grave concerns for the next generation of faculty entering our profession. The most pressing concern that I have is the erosion of the central role that faculty has traditionally held in the decision-making concerning the daily academic functioning of the university. Over the years the faculty have been the stewards responsible for maintaining the standards and integrity of the academic enterprise. This role derives from the fact that faculty comprise the one group that has continuity, over time, and is specifically educated in the subject matter comprising the academic heart of the institution. This claim can not be made for any of the other constituencies comprising the university community. Administrators come and go with the average tenure of a university president being approximately five years. Students remain just long enough to earn their degrees and be on their way. Career service and support staff do not have the required educational backgrounds to set academic standards or policy even though they may have lengthy tenure in the university.

Unfortunately, there are a number of indicators that faculty are no longer to be considered the central group responsible for academic standards and policy in the university. In an article titled The War Against the Faculty published in the April 16, 1999 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education, Cary Nelson points out that both the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges have made recent statements holding that faculty's teachings and research interests are not the basis for decision making about the institution.” Nelson notes another “chilling” emphasis in both reports related to a new definition of the faculty's place in higher education. Faculty members are now characterized (along with parents, alumni, and legislators) as but one of several groups of ``stakeholders.''

Evidence of this view of faculty as but one constituency to be considered in policy decisions can be found in a number of recent developments here at USF. First, the composition of the presidential search committee is a strong statement of how much regard those responsible for higher education in the State of Florida have for the faculty's expertise and opinions on the most important personnel decision being made for the university. Of the 52 individuals selected only five are faculty members. All others listed under administrators and faculty, while holding faculty rank, are employed primarily as administrators. When UFF/USF requested additional faculty representation in an e-mail to the Chancellor, no response was forthcoming.

Further indication of the deterioration of the central role of faculty in university decision making can be found in the move to do away with tenured professors in favor of part time and contract employees. Without a permanent cohort of tenured professors on university campuses there is a loss of those individuals who really have a genuine vested interest in the quality and standards of academics in their institutions. Part time teachers and those with limited contracts do not have the same motivation to build a permanent academic community, because their primary concern is personal survival. The practice of having transient instructors in over fifty percent of the course offerings in some departments is the academic equivalent ``out-jobbing'' in industry.

Perhaps the most extreme practice in marginalizing the faculty is the current emphasis on distance learning. In its most extreme form, entire majors could be taught by individuals hired to generate videos and computerized courses, which could then be marketed throughout the country. While this may be very appealing to those students who are merely interested in having a degree in hand, it can be argued that without the personal contact between professor and student in the classroom much of the process of transmitting knowledge would be lost. Even though new technology can make all of us more effective teachers and scholars we must be careful that we do not let enterprising managers dictate what is good pedagogical practice.

Last I am concerned for the graduate students that we are educating at the present time. If we are not careful, many of them will be entering an educational marketplace where the primary interest is in how many students can be graduated in a given amount of time. Florida is already funding higher education using a set of criteria that pay little attention to the quality of what is being taught in favor of how many in a given category are being graduated. This fosters a mentality on the part of administrators to hire faculty on an as needed basis to meet the constantly changing demands for certain classes. In order to accomplish this approach a cadre of transient faculty members made up of new Ph.D.s and those with some graduate training has emerged during the last decade. Many of the doctorates in this group would prefer to be on tenure earning lines and originally had this status as a goal. However, upon graduation they have found themselves in a marketplace that no longer values them as professionals but treats them as service employees to be hired on an as needed basis.

Therefore, as UFF members if we are to protect the integrity of our profession for the next generation of faculty members we must act now to limit the erosion of our rightful place at the center of university affairs. We can accomplish this goal by continuing to fight for a stronger and stronger collective bargaining agreement that guarantees are participation in the vital decisions that affect our academic lives. We must speak out when ever and where ever there is a forum for ideas on academic policy and matters. We must hold administrators accountable when their decisions undermine our academic values and threaten future generations of colleagues. One of the best ways to achieve these tasks is through the collective action of your union. Join now and be heard.

Robert O'Hara, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics and former UFF/USF Chapter President, died Oct. 13. He served with distinction and dedication here at USF for over 30 years. We are especially indebted to him for his work in the union, where he had served as our Chapter President and also as state Director of Arbitration. Just as important was his continual support and assistance in advising faculty, representing faculty in grievances, and negotiating settlements. We have lost a valuable member and he shall be sorely missed.

There will be a memorial service Oct. 29 at the Marshall Center Ballroom at 2 pm. Donations to the Robert O'Hara scholarship can be made (to the USF Foundation) in lieu of flowers.

Because you are covered by a union contract, you have the legal right to have a union representative present in a meeting with management if you believe that some form of discipline may result from such a meeting. However, you must clearly state your concern and clearly request union representation.

A: No, only those that conceivably will lead to discipline: anything from reprimands to non-renewal or dismissal.

Q: What if I am meeting on a curriculum matter and then the subject changes to one that might lead to discipline?

A: No, the law entitles you to union representation. You're not entitled to other representation or simply to witnesses.

A: Generally the faculty member's steward or grievance representative will be called. The idea is to provide you with union representation, not just the moral support of a fellow union colleague.

A: The representative is there to assist the faculty member, and to protect contract rights. The union representative has the right to speak on his or her behalf and to meet with the faculty member privately before the interview with management.

A: There are two ways to give up those rights: By contract language or by inaction. Of course, your collective bargaining contract does not waive your rights to union representation. However, once on the spot, you might get bullied into waiving your right or not asserting your right. In such a case you will have little recourse later.

Q: What should I do if I suspect discipline arising out of a meeting with management?

A: Keep the following statement in front of you and politely but clearly state it:

At the October 8, 1999 biweekly Chapter Meeting, the Chapter unanimously approved the following statement:

As educators concerned about equal opportunity in education, we the members of UFF at USF oppose the anti-affirmative action amendment proposed by Ward Connerly to dismantle affirmative action in Florida.

On October 24, the UFF Senate moved to create a task force to investigate the costs and administration of health an other benefits. It appears that Florida faculty may be paying more for less in comparison to faculty in other states, and the Union would like to know what the situation is, and what to do about it.

We are looking for volunteers to serve on the task force. If you have an interest and/or expertise in health or other benefits, please contact UFF/USF President Mitch Silverman at mitch@chuma1.cas.usf.edu.

The Chapter meets every Friday payday during lunch time at CIS 2084. Sandwiches & soda are provided for $ 1. Come and join the movement.