News

27 Jun Know Your Contract – Work Loads

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  • Academic Units must set transparent workload policies through shared governance
  • Policies must address teaching expectations, including course load and class size
  • Job expectations can’t be changed mid-contract without the faculty member’s agreement
  • This entry refers to Articles XII of the 2018-2022 NTT contract and TT contract

 

While each of our contracts have addressed compensation issues, our new contract adds provisions to ensure that the value of your work can’t be eroded via administration unilaterally increasing course loads. In this update, we will explain how the new contract protects faculty from unexpected and uncompensated changes in job expectations. This entry is not intended to cover these topics exhaustively, and future articles will cover reduced or modified duties for life-changing events. if you have further questions or concerns about workloads, you are encouraged to contact us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

How Are Workloads/Course Loads Defined?
Per Article XII.B of the faculty contract, expectations have to “be created through transparent shared governance processes in each academic unit and made easily accessible to all faculty.” That means each academic unit has the flexibility to define workload expectations appropriate to their unique situation, but that faculty must be included in such decisions, and that expectations can’t be left vague and undefined. These expectations, once defined, should be revisited at least every three years.

This new contract provision is intended to protect faculty from changes in work expectations that could degrade the value of their labor. UICUF, therefore, strongly recommends that members familiarize themselves with existing policies where applicable, and initiate shared governance processes to define them where no policies currently exist. If you are unsure how to proceed, or have concerns about how to clearly define workload expectations, contact UICUF at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com ASAP.

What Has To Be Included In Workload Expectations?
Workload expectations are defined unit by unit, but they must include a few key points. Per the contract, “These expectations shall include a teaching statement that sets clear expectations for the teaching assignments, including course load and class size.” So faculty can specifically count on a locally defined standards for teaching loads, but expectations should be made clear for research and service duties if applicable as well. Again, all of these expectations should be defined through transparent shared governance processes, and be easily accessible to all faculty.

Can Administrators Change Work Expectations, or make Exceptions?
The contract language is designed to prevent changes in work expectations from being imposed on faculty members, so typically expectations for individuals should conform to the shared governance defined expectations of the academic unit. HOWEVER, these expectations can be changed by mutual agreement between a faculty member and their academic unit if needed. UICUF urges members to consider seeking or accepting such exceptions only with careful consideration and/or consultation with a union representative if desired.

Exceptions can also be made for faculty experiencing life-changing events such as the death of a family member or birth of a child. We will address modified duties for life-changing events in a later article.

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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20 Jun Know Your Contract – Evaluations

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  • Faculty are entitled to a formal yearly evaluation with a defined, transparent process
  • Evaluations must be considered in major decisions including raises and promotion
  • Student feedback (SIT Scores) cannot be used in isolation as a basis for evaluation
  • Faculty have a right to review and add to their permanent file where evaluations are kept
  • This entry refers to Articles IX, XVII of the NTT contract and TT contract and Faculty Affairs Policies, Procedures and Guidelines Section 701 and Section 702

 

At UIC, evaluations play an important role in faculty members’ lives, and for that reason, ensuring that they are conducted appropriately and used in the ways they were intended is equally important to UICUF. As a faculty member, you have a right to timely and appropriate evaluations, and to having these evaluations considered in critical decisions about your employment conditions at the university.

In this update, we will explain the policies and guidelines governing evaluations, and try to answer some of the most common questions. This entry is not intended to cover these topics exhaustively, and if you have further questions or concerns about evaluations, you are encouraged to contact us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

How Often Are Evaluations Required?
Per our contract and university policy, faculty with at least 50% appointments must be evaluated annually. Since evaluations may be relevant to decisions concerning merit raises, promotion, retention and tenure, UICUF considers a failure to perform timely evaluations to be potentially harmful to faculty members’ standing and long-term career prospects at the university. We therefore highly encourage members to actively participate in their yearly evaluations, and to contact us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com if you have any concern about the timeliness of your evaluation.

How Are Evaluations Performed?
As in many cases regarding procedure across diverse academic units, each department’s full evaluation process will be unique to that unit. However, per university policy FPPG Section 701 all units must allow faculty to include a self-assessment, must include an assessment by the unit’s executive officer, and must submit the final evaluation to the faculty member in writing. Further each unit must describe in writing their procedure for evaluations, which itself must be reviewed every 5-7 years with input from faculty.

This procedure should be transparent and available to faculty members, so UICUF encourages faculty to request information on these procedures from their own academic unit. If you have any trouble obtaining information on how your annual review is to be performed, or are concerned that the written process is not being followed, contact UICUF for assistance.

Can Student Evaluations Be Considered In My Evaluation?
Yes, but within limits. University policy (FPPG Section 702) states at length the concerns surrounding the reliability of such measurements. As such, student evaluations may not be used in isolation as an instrument for evaluation. Our contract further stipulates that these metrics can’t be used in isolation to make decisions regarding raises, promotions or the awarding of tenure.

What Can Evaluations Be Used For?
It is important to note that evaluations not only can be considered in decision-making, they must be considered for certain decisions. Per Article IX.D.1 of our contract:

“The purpose of the annual evaluation is to recognize and record the accomplishments of each member and to make judgments regarding the significance of these accomplishments, which judgments shall form part of the basis for assigning salary increases, recommending promotion, and the awarding of tenure.”

Faculty can and should expect their evaluations to be used for decisions regarding raises, promotion and tenure, which is why it is important that evaluations be performed in a timely and appropriate manner. Faculty who do not receive evaluations risk losing recognition for their work and accomplishments when these key employment decisions come up.

Can I See My Evaluations?
Yes, faculty are entitled to access, and to add comments to, their personnel files, which should contain the record of their annual evaluations. Faculty members can request access to these files from the campus Human Resources office.

Can I Contest Or Grieve A Bad Evaluation?
No, you can’t contest or grieve bad evaluations, though you may be able to contest or grieve an evaluation that is performed inappropriately, or a decision made without consideration of an evaluation. Essentially, you can contest process, but not outcome. If you feel your evaluation was not performed appropriately, contact UICUF at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com ASAP for assistance.

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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13 Jun Know Your Contract – Discipline and Dismissal

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  • UICUF’s new contract strengthens due process for NTT faculty
  • Discipline must be for cause, and must follow the steps outlined in the contract
  • By law, you have the right to union representation. Don’t forget your Weingarten Rights!
  • This entry refers to Article XV of the NTT contract. TT disciplinary rules can be found in the TT contract and UI Statutes

 

In recent contract negotiations, UICUF was able to negotiate stronger and clearer protections for due process in disciplinary proceedings.  For the purposes of this article, we will be focusing on the NTT faculty rights defined in our contract, as well as the universally applicable Weingarten Right to union representation. TT faculty’s rights regarding discipline and dismissal follow the guidelines described in TT contract, and the university statutes.

While the vast majority of faculty will never have to worry about discipline and dismissal processes, UICUF strongly encourages our members to know their rights, starting with the right to representation. Below, we explain language used  in the contract, and answer some of the most common questions, however, this article is not meant to exhaustively address rights, procedures, or outcomes in disciplinary proceedings. If you are facing disciplinary action, we highly recommend you contact us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com for assistance.  

What Should I Do If I Think I’m Being Disciplined?
The most important thing to do if you are, or think you are, being disciplined is to assert your Weingarten Rights. These rights, upheld by national labor law, assert that you are entitled to union representation in “investigatory meetings,” meaning meetings that may lead to disciplinary action. You can download a printable “Weingarten Card” with an appropriate statement to assert these rights, and keep it in your workspace if desired.

Beyond this, we recommend members keep detailed notes of any disciplinary circumstance, and contact UICUF ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

What Can and Can’t I Be Disciplined For?
Owing to the exceptional diversity in how departments are run and the nature of work conducted within each department, our contract does not explicitly address what conduct might constitute an infraction. Department bylaws, UI Statutes, state policies, etc., may inform proper and improper conduct, but whether discipline is being applied appropriately can only truly be determined on a case-by-case basis.

What Does “Positive Progressive Discipline” Mean?
Positive Progressive Discipline is now clearly defined in our contract to mean:

“discipline intended to correct deficiencies when possible… a reasonable process under the circumstances is required to impose discipline for just cause. Progressive discipline is based on the idea that as offenses occur appropriate discipline will be administered in a progressive manner.”

So discipline should be “positive” meaning corrective rather than solely punitive, and it should be progressive, meaning it follows appropriate steps (see below for steps). Only in extreme cases may discipline be applied in a manner that is not positive and progressive.

What Disciplinary Steps Are My Administrators Required To Follow?
Per the new contract, your administrators must follow clearly defined steps in a disciplinary process, barring extreme circumstances. These steps are designed to protect faculty’s right to due process, and to ensure that faculty understand when discipline is being applied and why.

The steps are (1) verbal counseling, (2) letter of warning, (3) suspension, and (4) dismissal. You may assert your right to union representation at any and all of these steps by stating your Weingarten Rights and contacting the union at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

What Is “Verbal Counseling” In Disciplinary Procedure?
The first stage of progressive discipline should be verbal counseling. This counseling must include a clear statement that this conversation is disciplinary in nature, and must include a clear reason for the discipline being contemplated. You may, upon being notified that an investigatory or disciplinary meeting is taking place, assert your Weingarten Rights and contact the union for representation at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.

Does Prior Discipline Affect The Process/Steps For Future Infractions?
Yes, but only within a limited timeframe. Written warnings are considered effective for up to two consecutive semesters for the purpose of continuity of the disciplinary process, so an infraction in your first year of employment cannot be used to justify immediate suspension or dismissal in your fourth year. Prior discipline can, however, be recalled to establish patterns of behavior when contemplating disciplinary action.

Can I Be Suspended/Placed On Leave During A Disciplinary Investigation?
Yes, within certain limits. It is understood that depending on the seriousness of the offense, a faculty member may be removed from their duties while an investigation takes place. Such a removal must be in the form of paid leave. You should contact the union at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com immediately if you are placed on leave pending an investigation.

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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30 May Know Your Contract – Professional Development Funds

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  • All faculty are contractually entitled to PD funds: $600 for NTT | $900 for TT
  • All faculty may also be eligible for an additional $600 for conference travel w/pre-approval
  • Funds are in addition to, not in place of, funds provided by your college or department
  • This entry refers to Articles VI.A.1.c and VI.A.1.d of the NTT and TT faculty contracts

 

UIC United Faculty members overwhelmingly favored negotiating for greater professional development funding in our latest contract. Now that the new contract has been signed, we can happily report that we’ve delivered on this expectation. We are also aware, however, that the new provisions have raised new questions among members and administrators.

In an effort to give faculty greater clarity, we’ve sought to answer some of the most common questions and misunderstandings. If you have further questions, or specific concerns about the implementation of these contractual rights, contact us ASAP at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com.  

Who Gets Professional Development Funds?
Every full-time faculty member in our bargaining unit, regardless of whether you are tenured, tenure-track, or non tenure-track, is contractually guaranteed professional development funds. You cannot be denied these funds on the basis of tenure status.

How Much Funding Am I Entitled To?
NTT faculty are entitled to $600 per year, and TT faculty are entitled to $900 per year. This has not changed from the last contract. However, all faculty may be entitled to an additional $600 per year specifically for travel to professional conferences and meetings.

What Can I Use My Funding For?
The base funds ($600 for NTT/$900 for TT) can be used for expenses related to research and/or teaching-related professional development, which should be outlined by your own department or college bylaws and policies. Typically, this money should be made available for conference registration and related travel expenses, professional associations and memberships, and subscriptions to relevant academic journals. Other uses may be approved by your department, so it’s safest to check your department guidelines or confirm with your department’s Executive Officer for pre-approval if you are uncertain that an expense will be covered.

The additional $600 won in the new contract is available to all faculty, but its use is restricted to paying for travel related to professional conferences and meetings, and requires pre-approval by your department’s Executive Officer (usually a Head/Chair) for use. Acceptance of an academic paper into a conference is not required for use of these funds.

When Can I Use These Funds/Can Funds Be Applied Retroactively?
Typically, funds can be used any time, and are renewed at the beginning of the contract year, August 16th. It is, however, advisable to apply for reimbursement/pre-approval of funds prior to the end of the university’s fiscal year, June 30th.

Since our new contract is retroactive back to August 16th, 2018, faculty are entitled to apply PD funds to past expenses in some cases. You should be able to apply your base funds ($600 NTT/$900 TT) to eligible expenses retroactively to that date. The additional $600 for conference travel, however, are unlikely to be applicable retroactively, as they would have had to be pre-approved before the money was spent. You may still take advantage of all funds in their full amounts for new expenses moving forward this year.

Can I Seek Additional Funding From My Department/Division/College?
Yes, all funding pursuant to your contractual rights are provided in addition to any funds provided by your department/college, and should not be used as a replacement for said funds. Therefore,  you may seek other funding as offered by your department to supplement these funds to which you are contractually entitled.

Are Funds Accrued Over Time Or Prorated Based On When They Are Used?
No, the amount you are entitled to is not accrued over time, nor can it be prorated by your department. You are entitled to use the full amount of funding for the year, at any time during that contract year, for eligible expenses. This includes funds applied retroactively for the 2018-2019 academic year. As explained above, however, the additional $600 for professional conference/meeting travel is unlikely to be made available retroactively, as it requires pre-approval, but you may use it in its full amount moving forward.

Can I Carry Over Funds From One Year To The Next
No, professional development funds are use-them-or-lose-them. You must spend them before the end of the contract year, August 16th.  

Where Can I Find This Information In My Contract
Contractual rights to professional development funds are described in both non-tenure track and tenure track contracts, which can be viewed on our website. Specific references to these rights are found in articles VI.A.1.c and VI.A.1.d.ii of both contracts. For your convenience, we’ve reproduced them below:

c. Professional Expense Reimbursements
Funds will be allocated each year of this Agreement so that each bargaining unit member shall receive up to $600 (NTT) or $900 (TT) for expenses related only to research and/or teaching-related professional development, to be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. In the event that a bargaining unit member has an opportunity to travel for professional meetings/conferences, specific to their employment duties, then they may be eligible for an additional $600. Pre-approval for the additional funding must be obtained from the Unit Executive Officer prior to the event and, if approved, will be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. These funds supplement departmental professional development budgets, if any, rather than replace them.

d. Retroactivity
(ii) The increase to professional development expense reimbursement funds, as referenced above, shall apply retroactively only to expenses already incurred during the 2018-19 academic year up to the date this Agreement is executed.

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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23 May Members Won This Contract – Join the Union Today

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  • Our new contract will benefit just about every faculty member via Raises, PD Funds, Job Security, Workload Protections, and much more.
  • Active union membership won this contract and protects these gains.
  • Joining the union makes your voice heard. Our union works because faculty step up!

 

Our New Union Contract: Everyone Wins
Our new union contract, won through vigorous and sustained engagement by UICUF members, has something in it for everyone. Whether you are being brought up to the new minimum salaries for your rank, benefitting from merit raises, or receiving compression/equity adjustments, nearly every faculty member will get a meaningful salary increase. Everyone will also enjoy access to new PD funds, and real protections against workload increases without pay increases. Many NTT faculty will enjoy greater job security in the form of longer contracts and augmented due process protections. In short, there are benefits in this contract that will touch every faculty member in our bargaining unit. You can review more of these in summary, or in full at your leisure.

Our Union Works (Because Faculty Step Up)!
Faculty will enjoy the benefits of a robust contract over the next several years because so many chose to join the union as members and work for a better outcome. Administration’s opening offer, which they clung to for nearly half-a-year, was to give faculty nothing. No guaranteed raises, no improved job security, no workload protections, nothing. Our members fought to change that paradigm – and won!

Our members also allow us to effectively enforce the contract we’ve won. Union members are the alarm when administrators violate or try to work around contract provisions, and members’ dues provide the resources for union staff and legal counsel to fight back. Even after the contract is won, a strong membership ensures that administration actually abides by the agreements they’ve made.

There is No Better Time to Join the Union
For faculty who are not union members, there is no better time to join. Salary increases  from just the first year of the contract (retroactive to the ‘18-’19 academic year), will easily cover the 1% union dues in perpetuity, while your salary will continue to grow. Even though contract negotiation is over, it takes a robust network of members to participate in productive and effective contract implementation. And of course we will be back at the bargaining table in just three years!

Please consider joining the union as a member today, so that we can continue building on the strength that won us our latest contract. Our website has information about membership, and a downloadable application which you can print/sign/scan and send back to us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. You can also contact faculty representatives from each college if you have questions.

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and here on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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13 May Faculty Contracts Signed!

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As of today, May 13, 2019, UIC United Faculty’s new contracts for Tenure and Non-Tenure track faculty have been signed! Both contracts, which outline pay and working conditions for faculty from August 16, 2018 (retroactive) to August 15, 2022, are now in full effect.

You can download the two contracts here:
Non-Tenure Track System Faculty (2018-2022)
Tenure Systen Faculty (2018-2022)

We also previously published guidance on execution of the shared governance aspects of the contract, especially those related to pay raises. You can find that guidance here:

Post: everything-you-need-to-know-about-raises/

We’re very excited for the improvements over previous contracts, especially in reinforcing shared governance principles at UIC, strengthening protections for NTT faculty, and of course, guaranteeing significant raise pools (2% Merit, 2% Compression/Equity) for our members over the next 4 years!

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We issue regular updates via email, FacebookTwitterYouTube, and here on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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09 May Everything You Need To Know About Raises

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  • Our new contract will take effect once signed by Admin
  • Faculty have an important role to play in distribution of raises via shared governance
  • UICUF has prepared guidance on shared gov processes involved in raise distributions
  • Questions/concerns about the implementation of these processes should be directed to UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com
  • A printable PDF version of the following advisory is available here

The following is meant as friendly guidance to UICUF members and executive officers for implementing our new contract through shared governance. Wherever possible, we provide reference to Statutes, bylaws, and policy. We recognize that the University Administration will also be developing guidance for executive officers, which once published, we will review and reconcile any differences.

This document covers implementation of Article VI. Compensation, Leaves and Group Health, 1. Compensation, A. Salary Pool Increases, Salary Minimums and Professional Expense Reimbursement.

GENERAL GUIDANCE ON SHARED GOVERNANCE
The University Statutes lay out the governance structure of units within colleges including departments and schools. A common feature is the use of an elected committee made up of faculty to advise the executive officer (EO). These committees are critical to shared governance because they are expected to help shape how decisions are made that affect individual faculty and the whole. This includes policies and procedures used to determine merit raises and distribution of funds to address compression and equity concerns.

As a reminder, schools and departments with chairs have executive committees, while departments with heads have advisory committees. For more details, we recommend you read Article III and IV of the statutes. https://www.bot.uillinois.edu/governance/statutes/

SALARY POOL INCREASES
Both the Non-Tenure Track (NTT) and Tenure Track (TT) contracts include increases for 1) Merit and 2) Compression and Equity. The funds available are based on a percentage of the aggregated faculty salaries (i.e., the pool) of each bargaining unit (NTT and TT). There is no straight across-the-board increase. Instead the unit must decide how to distribute each pool through shared governance (i.e., the advisory/executive committee working with the executive officer). Below are descriptions of what each of these pools includes and  suggestions for how to determine distribution of each pool.

Effective retroactively to August 16, 2018, the following will be available for each year of the contract:

  • Merit: Pool based on 2% of total faculty salary of each bargaining unit (NTT and TT) in the department or the campus salary program, whichever is larger.
  • Compression/Equity: Pool based on 2% of total faculty salary of each bargaining unit in the department.

 

Merit: Based on a UIC memo dated January 18, 2017, “Merit pay is a salary adjustment awarded to employees as recognition of their contribution towards meeting the goals and objectives of the department, college and university during the previous year.”

  • This suggests that each department should have clearly stated goals and objectives (preferably published on their website), and some form of annual evaluation process that can be used to assess merit for each faculty member.
  • Some, but not all departments, have Merit Review policies that lay out what is “counted” and how it is counted toward merit. We strongly recommend, to meet the expectations of shared governance, that all units adopt such policies.

 

Based on consultation with a few departments, some additional considerations include:

  • Some advisory/executive committees assess merit in terms of how well each faculty member is meeting expectations, generally denoted as either “does not meet,” “meets,” or “exceeds” expectations.
  • Some advisory/executive committees may also recommend the actual amount of merit increase as either a percent or dollar amount.
  • Some recommend using a dollar amount instead of a percentage if the unit “values” merit equally. So, for example, if a unit provides a 2% increase for all who meet expectations regardless of salary, it would not be valued the same since 2% of $100,000 is $2,000, but 2% of $65,000 is $1,300. The alternative could be that each gets a fixed amount, say $1,600.
  • Some recommend looking at merit over multiple years, recognizing that books and journal articles can take over a year to get published.

Also, although not tied to merit raises in a direct way, UIC policy on teaching evaluation encourages us – and our contract now requires us – to not solely rely on teaching evaluation scores when determining merit raises. https://uofi.app.box.com/s/llo4ucj48ubmhv40l44fhfz0yfu4y00v

Compression: There is no written university guidance on compression. A 2017 article by Jonathan Rees, professor of history at Colorado State University at Pueblo, describes compression as a shrinking pay gap between new hires and senior professors, “usually because institutions have to offer higher salaries to new people in order to remain competitive with the other offers those people might get.” A related problem is “salary inversion,” which is “when new hires actually make more than senior faculty. It happens after compression lasts a long time at an institution, without any adjustment to the salaries of senior professors, and it has become increasingly common in academia after many years of near-universal budget austerity.” https://chroniclevitae.com/news/1661-we-need-to-talk-about-our-salaries

Without clear guidance or the benefit of a formal compression study (which can take considerable time and is best done when a whole unit believes that it is compressed), it is best to discuss with your colleagues as to how you can assess your unit for compression and how to address it over the course of the contract. Here are some suggestions for what to take into consideration:

  • How wide is the salary variance within each title category?
  • How far apart is each title category average or median (i.e., what is the gap?)?
  • Who was last promoted before 2012 (date of our first contract, which requires 10% minimum increase for promotion), and what was the salary increase at that promotion?

 

This AAUP article is a good reference for what the gap looks like in other Research 1 universities: https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2018/04/11/aaups-annual-report-faculty-compensation-takes-salary-compression-and-more

The union can provide salary data for your unit, which is also publicly available through the Board of Trustees https://www.bot.uillinois.edu/resources/gray_book.

Equity: The UIC Faculty Handbook provides clear guidance on equity. Specifically, it says:

Faculty members who believe that their salary is not equitable may request a review. Because market factors can vary to a considerable degree from discipline to discipline, equity review petitioners should seek counterparts within their own discipline or, in the case of small departments, in closely related disciplines. To be acceptable for review, the petition must describe a discrepancy between the salary of the petitioner and the average of the appropriate counterparts that exceeds seven percent of the petitioner’s salary. https://facultyhandbook.uic.edu/compensation/

The review is to be initiated by the faculty member. The link above provides more details on the process once the petition is prepared. The union can help with the analysis of salary data.

All money from the Merit and Compression/Equity raise pools must be committed only to bargaining unit members (i.e., TT and full-time NTT faculty.) None of these funds may be used to increase salaries for department personnel outside our bargaining units (e.g. executive officers and staff).

SALARY MINIMUMS
The new contracts have established new salary minimums for both TT and NTT:

  • Minimum salary for TT: Assistant Professor ($65,000); Associate Professor ($71,500); Professor ($78,650).
  • Minimum salary for NTT: Instructor, Lecturer, Clinical Assistant Professor, or Research Assistant Professor ($50,000); Senior Instructor, Senior Lecturer, Clinical Associate Professor, or Research Associate Professor ($55,000); Clinical Professor or Research Professor ($60,500).

 

This dollar amount is based on a 9-month contract paid over a 12-month period. Those faculty with a different appointment will be adjusted.

An important point of process negotiated in the contract is that while the university requires any merit raise be applied first, any compression and equity will be applied after the minimum raise.

Also, for certain awards like the Teaching Recognition Program which offers an increment that is added to base salary, the increment is added after the salary minimum has been raised.

IMPLEMENTATION TIMEFRAME
Retro-pay: The contract begins August 16, 2018. The union bargained for retroactive pay raises that begin with the contract starting date. This includes merit, compression and equity, and minimum salaries. These raises should be determined as soon as possible upon the official signing of the contract. Expect that these retroactive raises will take a couple of months for payroll and HR to process, and based on the last time we had retro pay (2014 for 2 years), you can expect mistakes– especially if you have research grants or are paid from multiple sources.

Pay for 2019-2020: The administration is assuming the merit pool will be 2%; however, we have not yet received information from the UI president about the campus salary program. Based on past practices, this is announced in June.

PROFESSIONAL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
New to this contract is an additional $600 per faculty member for travel-related professional development including but not limited to conferences, professional meetings, and training. Specially, we now have for each year of the contract the following:

NTT: Funds will be allocated each year of this Agreement so that each bargaining unit member shall receive up to $600 for expenses related only to research and/or teaching-related professional development, to be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. In the event that a bargaining unit member has an opportunity to travel for professional meetings/conferences, specific to their employment duties, then they may be eligible for an additional $600. Pre-approval for the additional funding must be obtained from the Unit Executive Officer prior to the event and, if approved, will be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. These funds supplement departmental professional development budgets, if any, rather than replace them.

TT: Funds will be allocated each year of this Agreement so that each bargaining unit member shall receive up to $900 for expenses related only to research and/or teaching-related professional development, to be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. In the event that a bargaining unit member has an opportunity to travel for professional meetings/conferences, specific to their employment duties, then they may be eligible for an additional $600. Pre-approval for the additional funding must be obtained from the Unit Executive Officer prior to the event and, if approved, will be reimbursed in accordance with University policy and guidelines. These funds supplement departmental professional development budgets, if any, rather than replace them.

These funds are eligible to be reimbursed retroactively. The “retroactivity clause” of the contracts provides for the following:

The increase to professional development expense reimbursement funds, as referenced above, shall apply retroactively only to expenses already incurred during the 2018-19 academic year up to the date this Agreement is executed.

Regarding retroactive use of these funds for 2018-19, our advice is the following:

There is going to be some gray area depending on how departments set their internal policies, but we think you should be able to spend this money up until at least the end of the fiscal year, June 30th.

HOWEVER, we strongly encourage you to get any expenditure pre-approved by your department through whatever method is normally used. If you can’t secure pre-approval for something you believe should be covered, like conference travel, let us know so that we can start cataloging rejections and reasons given for those rejections. Since there is much variability in how departments handle professional development fund distribution, we hope over time to start addressing those inconsistencies.

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02 May UICUF Members Ratify New 4 Year Contract

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  • UICUF members voted almost unanimously (99%) to ratify a new 4-year contract
  • Faculty won significant improvements on pay and working conditions
  • Contract now goes to administration for signing
  • Some issues not addressed by the contract will be brought to the Faculty Senate


Faculty Approve a New Contract
After nearly a year of bargaining, faculty and administration negotiators reached a tentative agreement on contract terms last Monday, averting a potentially disruptive strike near the end of the academic year. The agreement, hailed as a major win for faculty by our bargaining team and leadership, requires approval by all parties involved before taking full effect. This week, UICUF members gave that approval via a ratification election, in which voters signalled near-unanimous (99%) support for the deal.

Contract Highlights
The contract is a 4-year agreement, covering the 2018-19 academic year retroactively, and continuing through August, 2022. Union members will enjoy significant improvements to both pay and working conditions during its implementation. You can listen to UICUF President, Janet Smith, and Bargaining Chair, Aaron Krall, discuss the contract at length in this extended interview by UIC Radio host and faculty member Kate Floros. Here are some highlights from the agreement:

In bread-and-butter financial terms, we’ve won:

  • 4% raise pools (2% merit, 2% compression/equity) for each year of the contract
  • Increased minimum salary from $42K to $50k, and established salary floors for all ranks
  • $600 increases in professional development funds for all faculty

 

In terms of workplace rights, we’ve won:

  • Workload protections rooted in strengthened shared governance processes
  • A faster pathway to longer multi-year contracts, and earlier reappointment notifications for NTT faculty
  • Fair and transparent steps for positive progressive discipline


Next Steps
The contract will now go to the university’s administration to sign. This should be a straightforward process, but the union will monitor to ensure timely action. It is our hope that administration will act quickly to sign the agreement, so that new rules can be implemented, and retroactive raise pools can be distributed.

There are several issues we had hoped to address through the contract, but which appeared to be more appropriately brought up in the UIC Senate. These issues include:

  • The possibility for NTT faculty to apply for sabbaticals
  • Creating Teaching Professor ranks analogous to those used at UIUC
  • A transparent and actionable process for addressing academic freedom violations

 

UICUF will continue to pursue these issues in the coming weeks and months, as we simultaneously work to inform members of new rights, and ensure implementation of contract provisions by administrators. Faculty are encouraged to contact us via UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com if you have any questions about the new contract!

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We issue regular updates via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and here on our website. We encourage everyone to like and follow us on social media. If you want to contribute your story, pictures, video, or other content related to the activities of the union, email us at UICUnitedFaculty@gmail.com. With your support, we are making UIC an even better place to work and learn!

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24 Apr Contract Synopsis and Ratification Information

Tentative Agreement
As was announced Monday afternoon, the UICUF bargaining team signed a tentative agreement with administration, effectively ending negotiations, and locking in terms that will now go to union membership for ratification. The bargaining team has secured a very good contract.

Our members received an earlier synopsis prior to the agreement being finalized. The contract we’ve tentatively agreed to does contain some additional provisions, which are detailed below. We have secured retro-pay for all and an agreement to apply any compression and equity increases for someone eligible to be raised to a minimum after rather than before. The contract period is August 16, 2018 to August 15, 2022.

Ratification Meetings and Voting
UICUF will hold meetings this week where members can see the full contract, hear from the bargaining committee, ask questions, and vote for or against the whole contract. Additional ratification voting will take place next Monday and Tuesday. Union members should plan to attend and vote at one of the following times/locations:

Thursday 4/25:
– East Campus Ratification Meeting 11-12:15 @Behavioral Sciences Bldg, Rm 145
– West Campus Ratification Meeting 3:30-5 @Student Center West, Thompson A

Friday 4/26:
– 2nd East Campus Ratification Meeting 4-5:30 @BSB 145

Monday 4/29 – Tuesday 4/30:
– Voting stations open 10-5 @University Hall, Science Engineering Offices Bldg, Public Health. Copies of the contract will be available to review at these sites.

Unfortunately, we cannot make the contract publicly available in electronic format before it is voted on (ratified). A thorough synopsis compiled by our team is below for those who can’t make the meetings.

If you want to vote by proxy, please email your proxy, CC’ing uicunitedfaculty@gmail.com with the following statement: “I hereby designate __________  as my proxy in the UICUF Contract Ratification Vote of April 25 – 30. This individual will be empowered to cast a ballot on my behalf.” Your proxy should bring a copy of this statement in print or on their phone to the polls when they vote. 

In solidarity,

Janet Smith
President
UIC United Faculty 

 

Contract Synopsis

Economic
4% raise pools in each year of the contract, with 2% in merit pools and 2% in compression and equity pools in each year. Note that if the campus salary program is bigger for merit pools we get that amount but if smaller we still get the 2%.

Raise the minimum salary for NTT faculty to $50,000 (up from $42,000) and establish minimums at three ranks for NTT and TT faculty.

  • $50,000 for Lecturers, Instructors, Clinical and Research Assistant Professors
  • $55,000 for Senior Instructors, Senior Lecturers, Clinical and Research Associate Professors
  • $60,500 for Clinical and Research Professors
  • $65,000 for Tenure-Track Assistant Professors
  • $71,500 for Tenured Associate Professors
  • $78,650 Tenured Full Professors

Increase annual professional development funds by $600, totaling $1,200 for NTT faculty and $1,500 for TT faculty.

Computer program will continue to provide new computers every four years at a cost of up to $1,500 and will now also cover the cost of extended warranties for the life of the computers.

Trigger to reopen the contract if the state unilaterally increases our health insurance premiums by more than 50% during the life of the contract (which would be equivalent to about 1% of a person’s salary).

Equity and Due Process
Transparent process for reappointment of NTT faculty in academic unit bylaws.

Citizenship status and expression of gender identity added as protected categories to non-discrimination article.

Committees to review campus lactation policy and gender-neutral restrooms.

All faculty with appointments of 51% or greater will be immediately in the bargaining unit, removing the requirement for NTT faculty to have a terminal degree or 2-year waiting period.

Shorter timeline for multi-year contracts: 2-year contract after 4 years of employment; 3-year contract after 6 years of employment.

A commitment by the Provost to bring the issue of extending the maximum length of NTT contracts to five years to the Faculty Senate (this may require changes in the statutes).

Earlier final notification of reappointment for NTT faculty, no later than July 16th (maintain June 1 as first notice).

Inclusion of Teaching Professor Ranks if Statutes revised by Faculty Senate.

Close loophole allowing the discontinuation of programs by ending admissions to the program.

Transparent steps for discipline based on just cause for NTT faculty during term of contract.

All settlements of disputes outside of the grievance process must be consistent with the terms of the contract.

Working Conditions
Written job expectations developed through shared governance at the unit level for all faculty members, including teaching load, with changes during term of contract only by mutual agreement of department and faculty member.

Commitment to annual evaluation of all NTT and TT faculty.

Student evaluation cannot be used in isolation to evaluate faculty.

Commitment to increase number of faculty to meet needs of growing student body and commitment to hiring TT faculty to maintain the university’s research mission.

Classroom support, including technology and access to printing, will be available at least 30 minutes before all scheduled classes and extended in the evening.

Intellectual property rights as provided in the UI Statutes will be subject to grievance and arbitration.

A commitment by the Provost to bring the issue of sabbaticals for NTT faculty to the Faculty Senate.

Stronger commitment to providing offices for all TT and NTT faculty members

Regular updates on campus security.

Union Rights
Process for membership cards, dues collection, and bargaining unit reporting post-Janus.

Policies to allow tabling at faculty orientation, course buyouts for union officers, and notification of exclusive representation to bargaining unit members.

Recognition of UICUF’s Committee on Political Education (COPE), and process for payroll deduction for contributions

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23 Apr Faculty to Vote on Contract After Reaching Tentative Agreement

  • UICUF reached a tentative agreement on contracts, narrowly averting a strike
  • Contract must be ratified by membership, signed by the BOT before taking effect
  • Ratification meetings and ratification voting to be held on both campuses

Faculty negotiators have been at the bargaining table with the administration for nearly a year now, trying to forge the fair contract that our members and UIC students deserve. As of Monday afternoon, we believe we have won that contract. Team members signed a tentative agreement with administration, effectively ending negotiations, and locking in terms that will now go to union membership and the UI Board of Trustees for ratification.

UICUF will hold meetings this week where members can see the full contract, hear from the bargaining committee, ask questions, and vote on ratification. Additional ratification voting will take place next Monday and Tuesday. Faculty should plan to attend and vote at one of the following times/location:

Thursday 4/25:
East Campus Ratification Meeting 11-12:15 @BSB 145
West Campus Ratification Meeting 3:30-5 @SCW Thompson A

Friday 4/26:
2nd East Campus Ratification Meeting 4-5:30 @BSB 145

Monday 4/29 – Tuesday 4/30:
Voting stations open 10-5 @UH, SEO, Public Health.

We believe we have secured the best possible contract for our members in this round of negotiations, but it has become clear that more work lies ahead. As long as the underlying funding formula for the UI system remains as it is today, UIC students and the educators who serve them will continue to be shortchanged. As we’ve seen so many times since forming this union of UIC faculty, it’s never too early to start looking at the next challenge ahead.

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