16 Oct NTT Professional Leave–Teamwork Makes a Difference
- Register for the informational session for UIC’s FIRST cohort of NTT Leaves
- UICUF Broadsheet coming soon–check your UIC mailbox.
Dear members,
One tenet underpinning UICUF’s platform for all contract bargaining is increased parity between TT and NTT faculty. During the 2018-2022 bargaining cycle an important proposal pertained to professional leave for non-tenure track faculty members. The management team at that time suggested the issue should first be considered by the UIC Faculty Senate, which passed a recommendation for the creation of NTT leave shortly after.
Because the previous administration failed to implement the Senate’s recommendation, our initial proposal this round argued for creating access to paid leave for NTT faculty who have served the university for six or more years in order to give them time to pursue study, research, or other professional pursuits. The administration outright rejected this proposal as unfeasible; however, they did eventually sign a side letter promising to continue working on the idea in collaboration with the UIC Senate.
With some additional prodding by Senate leadership, the current administration created this long-promised opportunity for NTT faculty and is finally beginning to implement it.
You may have seen the administration’s recent announcement of a pilot program for an NTT faculty professional improvement leave program, an important step towards all faculty being able to pursue their professional goals and interests. While the bargaining team and union leadership still have questions about the pilot program, it is an important, if delayed, win. The program’s creation illustrates the power of shared governance and how much persistence and teamwork can accomplish. Pressure from both UICUF and the UIC Senate resulted in a program that admin originally said could never be accomplished. This initiative is a win for all UIC faculty.
As announced by the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, the first informational session is on Tuesday, October 17 at 9:30 AM, and we’d love to pack the virtual room! Register for the session here (or the second session Monday, October 30@11:30am), bring your questions, and most importantly, if you’re NTT faculty and eligible, start prepping to apply. A large pool of applicants will demonstrate faculty’s dedication to this initiative so that the pilot program can expand in the coming years.
On a similar note, keep an eye on your department mailbox: our newest UICUF Broadsheet has arrived! You should see it in your campus mailbox by Monday, October 23.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
