FAC Hosts Open Forum

FAC hosted a Faculty Open Forum on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, via Zoom, to provide faculty with an opportunity to discuss the University’s Royals Safe Together reopening plan. Faculty were able to express their concerns and unanswered questions. FAC compiled and anonymized the information and will bring the faculty’s questions and concerns to university administration.

FAC Signs 1-year Contract Extension

The Faculty Affairs Council and the University of Scranton signed a Memorandum of Understanding executed in June 2020 that extended the original 3-year contract from September 1, 2020, through August 31, 2021.

The contract is available on FAC’s webpages:
https://www.scranton.edu/academics/provost/FAC/fac_contract.shtml.

As part of the MOU, the University of Scranton and the Faculty Affairs Council agree to continue negotiations during the contract period, beginning no later than September 1, 2020, with the goal of developing and agreeing on a new contract that would become effective on September 1, 2021.

Gerald J. Beyer Speaks at The University of Scranton

On Friday, September 16, 2016, Gerald J. Beyer, PhD, delivered a presentation at the University of Scranton titled “Catholic Universities, Unions, and Shared Governance: Working Together for the Common Good.” The Faculty Affairs Council sponsored this talk, the flyer for which can be found below.

Gerry has shared with the FAC Officers two of his articles on the topics of his presentation, to be distributed to the faculty.

The first is called “Battling adjunct unions fails legal and moral tests,” co-authored with Donald C. Carroll and published in the National Catholic Reporter on April 5, 2016. It can be read at this link: https://www.ncronline.org/news/people/battling-adjunct-unions-fails-legal-and-moral-tests

The second is called “Labor Unions, Adjuncts, and the Mission and Identity of Catholic Universities,” published in the scholarly journal Horizons, Volume 42, Issue 1, June 2015, pp. 1-37, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/hor.2015.46. The University of Scranton currently subscribes to this journal, so faculty will be able to access this article at either of the following two links. Please note that if you are off campus, after you click on the link you will be prompted to log in with your My.Scranton.edu credentials, after which you should be taken directly to the article:

If you have problems accessing either article, please reach out to Donna Witek, Associate Professor in the Library, at donna.witek [at] scranton.edu.

beyer-presentation

FAC Officers Write Letter in Solidarity with LIU Brooklyn Faculty

PDF of letter, addressed to Prof. Emily Drabinski, Secretary of the Long Island University Faculty Federation.

Full text of letter:

September 6, 2016

Dear Emily,

I write to you on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Faculty Affairs Council (FAC), the union for full-time faculty at the University of Scranton. We would like you to know that we fully support your efforts to resist the union-busting tactics of LIU administration in the course of your contract negotiations. An attack on any single union is an attack on unionization itself, and we are therefore grateful to you for having the courage to fight against this unprecedented lockout.

One of our approximately 300 faculty members is a proud graduate of LIU, and she is particularly distressed to hear about the ways in which the teachers in the LIU Faculty Federation are being treated. She has been actively encouraging our faculty members by means of social media to send letters through the AFT Activist calling for an end to the lockout. We are certain that many of your alumni across the country are spreading the word about your situation, which will no doubt lead to an outpouring of support for your cause.

Our membership recently endured a very difficult round of contract negotiations, so we are sympathetic to your plight. As you take to the streets today, please understand that, although we cannot be there beside you in body, we are there in spirit. The actions of your administration are not in the best interests of your students, and therefore all responsible academics must oppose them.

Michael D. Friedman, Chair

Faculty Affairs Council

University of Scranton

 

April FAC Meeting

The third FAC meeting for the Spring 2016 semester is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12th in the Rose Room on the 5th floor of Brennan Hall. Lunch will be served beginning at 11:15 a.m. with the business meeting starting at 11:30 a.m. See this month’s FAC Sheet for minutes from our last meeting.

AGENDA

1. Chair’s Report – M. Friedman

A. Rosenberg Award

B. Letter from Mount St. Mary’s

C. Merit Adjustments Advisory Committee

D. PA-AAUP Meeting

2. Report from the Faculty Senate – D. Boyle

3. Contract Administrator’s Report – P. Wright

4. Treasurer’s Report – D. West

5. Grievance Officer’s Report – L. Champney

6. Old Business

A. Teaching in Rank and Tenure

7. New Business

A. Role and Rights of Faculty on Leave

MENU

  • Egg drop soup (vegetarian)
  • Crispy snacks with duck sauce
  • Asian slaw
  • Szechuan Green Beans (vegan)
  • Egg Rolls with Dipping Sauce
  • Vegetable Fried Rice (vegan)
  • Cashew Chicken with Broccoli
  • Tofu and Broccoli (vegan)
  • Fortune Cookies
  • Coffee, Tea, Soda, and Water

March FAC Meeting

The second FAC meeting for the Spring 2016 semester took place on Tuesday, March 8th in the McIlhenny Ballroom on the 4th floor of the DeNaples Center. Lunch was served beginning at 11:15 a.m. with the business meeting starting at 11:30 a.m. See this month’s FAC Sheet for minutes from our February meeting.

AGENDA for March 8th Meeting

        1. Chair’s Report – Michael Friedman
             A. Associate Provost Search
             B. Merit Adjustments Advisory Committee
             C. Rosenberg Award
             D. Window Retirement Program
             E. AAUP Governance Conference
        2. Report from the Faculty Senate – Doug Boyle
        3. Contract Administrator’s Report – Patricia Wright
        4. Treasurer’s Report – Dan West
        5. Grievance Officer’s Report – Len Champney
        6. Old Business
             A. Teaching in Rank and Tenure
             B. President’s Right to Use Sexual Harassment History in Rank and Tenure
        7. New Business

(See the March FAC Sheet for an archive of the lunch served.)

February FAC Meeting

The first FAC meeting for the Spring 2016 semester is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9th in the McIlhenny Ballroom on the 4th floor of the DeNaples Center. Lunch will be served beginning at 11:15 a.m. with the business meeting starting at 11:30 a.m. See this month’s FAC Sheet for minutes from our last meeting.

AGENDA

1. Chair’s Report – Michael Friedman

A. Associate Provost Searches

B. Collective Bargaining Agreement

C. FAC Forum on Merit Adjustments

D. Advisory Committee Elections

E. PA AAUP Alliance Conference

F. Faculty Senate Ad-Hoc Committee Report

2. Contract Administrator’s Report – Patricia Wright

3. Treasurer’s Report – Dan West

4. Grievance Officer’s Report – Len Champney

5. Old Business

A. Handbook Committee Proposals

6. New Business

A. Faculty Specialists and Chairperson Elections

B. Criteria for Librarians – Appendix II.B

MENU

  • Salad with two dressings
  • Chili and Baked Potato Bar
  • Vegan and Meat Chili
  • Toppings – Sour Cream, Cheddar Cheese, Scallions, Salsa & Broccoli
  • Chicken Strips in wine & garlic
  • Fresh hot vegetable (vegan)
  • Rolls & butter
  • Cobbler
  • Coffee, Tea, Soda, and Water

December FAC Meeting

A reminder that the fourth FAC meeting for the 2015-2016 academic year is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th in the McIlhenny Ballroom on the 4th floor of the DeNaples Center. Lunch will be served beginning at 11:15 a.m. with the business meeting starting at 11:30 a.m. See this month’s FAC Sheet for minutes from our last meeting.

AGENDA

  1. Chair’s Report – Michael Friedman
    1. Associate Provost Searches
    2. Window Retirement Program
    3. Collective Bargaining Agreement
    4. Elections
    5. FAC Forum in February 2016
  2. Faculty Senate Report – Doug Boyle
  3. Contract Administrator’s Report – Patricia Wright
  4. Treasurer’s Report – Dan West
  5. Grievance Officer’s Report – Len Champney
  6. Old Business
    1. Dean’s Recommendation Letters
    2. Teaching in Rank and Tenure Process
  7. New Business
    1. Harassment Culpability in Rank and Tenure Process

MENU

  • Cheddar Ale Soup
  • Mixed Green Salad with 2 Dressings
  • Chicken Schnitzel with Lemon Caper Cream Sauce
  • Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
  • Fresh Winter Vegetables
  • Apple Strudel
  • Rolls and Butter
  • Coffee, Tea, Soda, and Water