Two English professors at the University of Illinois-Chicago
explain why faculty are striking for two days this week:
Most of the state research institutions that have unions got them in the 1960s and 1970s, but, in a renewed push to organize campus labor, UIC and the University of Oregon just won certification in the past few years. Oregon got to their contract pretty quickly; we’ve not been as lucky. What we hope now is that, after two years of fighting us followed by a year and a half of stonewalling on our contract negotiations, the Illinois Board of Trustees will finally start serious bargaining on the main issues that divide us. [...]
Historically, the administration of the university was a function of faculty who were chosen to manage the running of departments. The Dean was Dean of Faculty — chosen by and beholden to the people who actually teach students. But with the bureaucratization of the university and the growth of the university as corporation, deans, provosts, and their myriad vice-provosts have become management. This now-bloated segment of the university makes decisions about the welfare of faculty and students. A recent study shows that non-faculty jobs have grown by 27 percent while faculty lines remain flat or decreasing. [...]
One of our issues in this strike is to take back decision-making power over the issues that matter to us — curriculum, teaching conditions, the distribution of monies, and the like. The administration is fighting ferociously to retain that power — since giving it up would in effect be returning it from management to workers.
And more:
- Virginia Democrats kill GOP bill to prevent payment of a living wage.
- Last Saturday I wrote about data walls. Here's more from Valerie Strauss.
- Amateur student-athletes, my ass. Paul Campos summarizes Northwestern University quarterback Kane Colter's accounts of working conditions (yes, working) for players:
-Colter said players were prohibited from scheduling classes before 11 AM because it interfered with practice.
-Colter said players can’t take eight-week classes in the summer. They conflict with a training camp.
-Colter detailed training camp schedule. Said during training camp (aug 1-31) the day is 6:30am-10pm.