Category: Academic labor

Annual faculty merit evaluations: rewarding productivity, or forcing mediocrity?

December 10, 2014

As with many university administrations, ours is deeply concerned with faculty productivity.  There’s a prevailing attitude among upper administrators and, apparently, our Board of Trustees, that surely there are many faculty somewhere on campus not doing their jobs, especially in terms of research.  Accordingly, the administration insisted on several principles in our contracts: continuing to have… More Annual faculty merit evaluations: rewarding productivity, or forcing mediocrity?

GW faculty start a non-union union, GW admin. says: talk to the hand

April 28, 2014

As reported in the GW Hatchet, George Washington University’s student newspaper, faculty at GW have initiated a Faculty Association to look out for their interests beyond what the current Faculty Senate there is able or willing to do.  Not surprisingly, GW’s response: talk to the hand. By law, GW as a private institution has no… More GW faculty start a non-union union, GW admin. says: talk to the hand

NCAA, university, coaches’ reaction to athletes’ vote: Screw the players. I want my game/power/money

April 24, 2014

CNN has published a round-up of reactions ahead of tomorrow’s vote of Northwestern football players.  What’s telling is how little negative reaction is about the players, and how much it is about retaining power and revenue. Almost everyone agrees that athletes could be better served.  And yet, in opponents arguments against unionization, they suggest that there must be… More NCAA, university, coaches’ reaction to athletes’ vote: Screw the players. I want my game/power/money

Lies, lies, and more lies: Northwestern U. works to crush athlete unionization vote

April 24, 2014

Some fairly strong reporting out of the New York Times on Northwestern University’s campaign against their football players trying to unionize.  Apparently, Northwestern is leaving no stone unturned, and administrators and others have used age-old threats, most or all of them specious.  The reason seems clear: this isn’t about what little the athletes will gain.… More Lies, lies, and more lies: Northwestern U. works to crush athlete unionization vote

For higher ed employees who do the real (hourly) work, (unionized) junior college is the way to go

April 22, 2014

#168263941 / gettyimages.com Recently the Chronicle of Higher Ed posted a chart of the salaries of “non-exempt staff in higher education,” data courtesy of the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources. Why?  My answer to many of the questions concerning employees in higher ed, whether athletes or faculty: there’s power in a union.