APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 1

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter

APSCUF: Your Union representing SU faculty and coaches……

…..in solidarity!

APSCUF/SU FACULTY & COACHES President –Brendan Finucane, Vice President- Niel Brasher, Past President – Deborah Jacobs, Secretary- Cheryl Slattery,

Treasurer & Technology Chair – Azim Danesh, Grievance Chair - Robert Hale, Legislative Chair- Robert Shaffer, Meet & Discuss – Angela Bartoli,

Meet & Discuss – Cynthia Botteron, Meet & Discuss – Pablo Delis, Meet & Discuss – Diane McNichols, Assembly Delegate - Curtis Berry, Assembly Delegate – Debra Cornelius, Assembly Delegate – Sara Grove, Assembly Delegate- Steve Haase, Assembly Delegate – Jose Ricardo-Osorio,

Assembly Delegate – Ying Yang, CAP Chair – Patricia Patrick, Enrollment Mgmt. – Steve Haase & Ian Langella, Membership Chair – Ashley Seibert,

Gender Issues & Social Justice Chair – Jen Clements, Health & Welfare Specialist – Shari Horner, Public Relations Chair – Kara Laskowski,

Student Affairs Co –Chair – Joseph Zume & Richard Zumkhawala-Cook (NCAA Faculty Representative), State Coaches Comm Rep – David Springer

October 2012 Volume 40, Number 3

President’s Message

Steve Hick’s visit last week provided the opportunity to ask questions and discuss issues related to

negotiations and the possibility of a strike. While it is only natural to be apprehensive about a strike’s various

impacts upon us and our families, as well as the university, we should try to fully appreciate the long-run

consequences for both current and future faculty members of our being perceived as divided and weak. The

chancellor’s vision of our alternative future is summarized in his “wish list”( “Christmas wish list” (link takes you a

PDF of PASSHE's list)) which was sent to all faculty on September 25, 2012. The intent of providing such a

document was to expose the chancellor’s sense of a “better future”. If we are weak, they will continue to press

toward their stated objectives.

Though our anxiety is very real, hopefully it will not prevent us from seeing that our vulnerability will be

heightened if our union can not bargain from a position of strength. It’s only by receiving clear messages of our

resolute unity that the chancellor will engage in meaningful negotiations. Meanwhile, our mobilization committee

here and state-wide has started taking additional preparatory steps, e.g. having a strong presence at the Board of

Governors meeting on October 11th

. You should fully expect to be hearing more about mobilization in the coming

weeks.

Please remember that both collectively and individually we are better positioned to negotiate by a recognition

of our shared future and of the imperative of maintaining a united front. I’m confident that, as in the past, PASSHE

will eventually realize that we are standing together.

Thank you – Brendan

Other matters of importance: 1. November 6

th –VOTE – If you reside in the 89

th House District, Support Susan Spicka because she will be a strong

advocate for appropriate funding in education.

2. Read Robert Shaffer’s exposition in this newsletter of Rep. Rob Kauffman’s (Susan Spicka’s opponent) views about

PASSHE faculty.

3. Read Steve Haase’s piece on temporary faculty and visit the websites as well.

4. October 15th – Chancellor’s deadline to respond to our offers of binding interest arbitration.

5. October 20th – There will be an extra state-wide Legislative Assembly to consider calling for a strike authorization vote

on all campuses.

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 2

Rep. Rob Kauffman to Ship Faculty: No Sabbaticals for You!

Vote him out on November 6! By Robert Shaffer, Legislative Committee Chairperson

Hard as it may be to believe, Rep. Rob Kauffman, who represents Shippensburg and the greater

Chambersburg area in the state legislature, has co-sponsored a 2012 bill (H.B. 2446) to prohibit PASSHE from

offering paid sabbaticals to professors.

Oh, and he wants to take away your health insurance, too, unless you teach five courses (fifteen credit

hours) every semester. That is in H.B. 2447, which states that the chancellor may not negotiate any contract

authorizing a faculty member who teaches less than 15 credit hours to receive any “employer-paid benefit or

other emolument of employment, including, but not limited to, health insurance benefits.”

To those who live in the 89th

general assembly district: If you had no other reasons to vote on November

6 (though I’m sure that you did have other reasons), these would be enough to go to the polls and vote against

Kauffman and for her opponent, Susan Spicka, a forceful activist for public education. (Susan’s husband Mark

is a colleague of mine in the History Department.)

To those who do not live in the 89th

district: You cannot vote against Kauffman, but you can help

Spicka’s campaign by contributing time or money. Go to www.spicka4statehouse.com to find out how.

Kauffman’s bills targeting PASSHE faculty have not become law, and they are unlikely to pass this

session. But if Republicans hold their own or increase their control of the state legislature in November, it is

conceivable that they would come up for a vote next session. The two bills described above are part of a packet

of ten bills introduced by Rep. Brad Roae, a Republican from western PA, that aim to strip PASSHE colleges of

most of the norms in higher education, under the disingenuous guise of “keeping tuition affordable.” Kauffman

signed on to four of Roae’s ten bills; two other south central PA legislators, Dan Moul of Gettysburg and Will

Tallman of Hanover, both also Republicans, are also co-sponsors of some of these bills.

Kauffman probably knows that sabbaticals for professors are important to a high-quality college, in

order to be able to pursue scholarly research and provide students with the most up-to-date scholarship in one’s

discipline. After all, Kauffman graduated from the private American University, in Washington, D.C., where

far more faculty take sabbaticals each year than at Shippensburg. (Faculty salaries are also higher at American

– literally 50% higher for full professors than at Ship, according to the 2011-2012 AAUP salary survey.)

And given that Kauffman has “represented” Shippensburg in the legislature for eight years, he should

know that redefining a full-time faculty member as one who teaches five courses every semester would result

not only in a diminished education for our students but real problems in accreditation from Middle States and

other agencies.

But for some reason Kauffman has never made an effort to find out what Shippensburg faculty and

students really do, or what we need from our state government. His unwillingness to debate his Democratic

opponent, Susan Spicka, on campus this fall is symptomatic of his attitude toward the university, even though

we are right in his district.

Do you value your right to apply for a sabbatical, or your right to get health insurance while working a

reasonable course load? Of course you do. Rob Kauffman’s co-sponsorship of legislation aimed right at our

benefits and work load has made this election very personal for Ship faculty. So let’s do something about it.

The ideas expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors, and not necessarily the views of APSCUF

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 3

Rep. Rob Kauffman Calls Shippensburg University Students “Unprofessional”

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Jake Sternberger

(Jake is not a SU faculty member- this was information provided from Jake Sternberger’s blog) at http://www.keystonepolitics.com/2012/09/rep-rob-kauffman-calls-shippensburg-university-students-unprofessional/

As is becoming a trend across the Commonwealth, Republican Representative Rob Kauffman is refusing to

debate his Democratic opponent, Susan Spicka.

This is not surprising. Yet, Kauffman brought debate-dodging to a new low by not just declining to debate

Spicka, but by berating the non-partisan group that made the grave mistake of cordially inviting him.

The most recent debate dodged by the Kauffman campaign was hosted by the Shippensburg University Student

Association, Shippensburg’s student government organization.

Shippensburg Student Association President Ethan Goldbach invited Rep. Kauffman to a debate that would be

sponsored by the student government group and hosted by both the Shippensburg College Republicans and the

Shippensburg College Democrats.

Despite the non-partisan nature of the event, Kauffman refused, and the proceeded to berate Goldbach in an

email, telling Goldbach that his invitation was “not only unfortunate but unprofessional.” Kauffman intimated

to Goldbach that he “immediately call[ed] the intentions of event into question.”

From the looks of it, Kauffman has adopted an innovative new campaign strategy in which he makes every

effort to infuriate and disrespect students in a Presidential election year–you know, the only cycles in which

students actually show up and vote.

The race for the 89th is turning into a case study in campaign melt-downs.

Under almost no circumstance should a Democrat be able to win in the 89th General Assembly district, but

when an incumbent Republican makes a comically long series of missteps and the Democrat is at the top of her

game, it begins to look possible.

Election Day -November 6th

The ideas expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors, and not necessarily the views of APSCUF.

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 4

Issues affecting Temporary (“Part Time”) Faculty By: Steve Haase, Legislative Assembly Delegate Recently, the Campaign for the Future of Higher Education (CHFE) published a report on issues facing temporary faculty.

Many of you are aware of the problems facing temporary faculty today: Short notice of employment notification,

uncertainty over future appointment, low or decreased pay, and being treated as a “second class” of faculty. Know that

APSCUF represents you and gives you a voice for these concerns (in addition to providing above-average salary and

benefits for contingent faculty). To read the CHFE report, visit:

http://futureofhighered.org/uploads/ProfStaffFinal.pdf

One issue that should be the focus of temporary faculty is obtaining increments commensurate with years of service at

Shippensburg University. Over the past two years, many instructors have been “frozen” at Step 1, due to budgetary

constraints, according to Management. Given a multi-million dollar surplus at Shippensburg, you as a Temporary Faculty

Member, deserve to be compensated for your experience and dedication as a faculty member, as Instructors have been in

the past, here at Shippensburg University.

For additional reading of possible interest, I point you to Dr. Kevin Mahoney’s blog site:

http://kuxchange.wordpress.com/

Kevin has an excellent perspective on this issue as a former member of the “contingent ranks”. He also points to some

other research and reports on this issue, especially in two of recent posts, the first of which is by Amy Lynch-Biniek, a

colleague of his at Kutztown University:

1. You Can Tell A Lot About A College By The Way It Treats Its Adjuncts

September 26, 2012 by Amy Lynch-Biniek

2. PASSHE brings divide-and-conquer strategy to negotiations

September 17, 2012 by Kevin Mahoney

http://futureofhighered.org/Campaign__Kickoff.html http://futureofhighered.org ******************************************************************************************

Faculty Members Receive Awards at August’s Opening Meeting 2012-13

Bartoli receives Provost’s Award at Shippensburg University Dr. Angela Bartoli is the recipient of this year’s Provost Award for Extraordinary Service at Shippensburg

University. Bartoli, professor of psychology, received the award for her leadership of the Academic Master

Plan (AMP) committee. She initially co-chaired the Planning Support Team charged in part with developing

a process as well as identifying and analyzing exemplar academic master plans from other institutions. In

Fall 2010, she became faculty co-chair of the AMP Task Force, a position she retains today.

TIPS Award Four faculty members were awarded the 2011-2012 Teaching Innovation and Pedagogy Spotlight (TIPS) Award. They are

Dr. Scott Drzyzga, Dr. Ian Langella, Dr. Mary Paxton and Dr. Karen Johnson. Receiving honorable mention for the award

were Dr. Scott Madey and Steve Dolbin.

(All news releases are available on the SU website at http://www.ship.edu/news)

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FACULTY ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 5

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APSCUF Welcomes New Members

Membership is at 374 strong and we would like to welcome the following new members—

Dale Cake - Mgnt/Mkgt Dept Kent Butts – Geography/Earth Science Richard Fox – Geography/Earth Science Kathleen Dondzila – English David Schlow – Economics Laura Armstrong- Music & Theatre Arts

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SHIP CARES COMMITTEE ….exists as a confidential resource, referral, and intervention service in response to

student behavior that concerns members of the Ship family. The primary purpose of

this committee is to protect the Shippensburg University community from harmful

behaviors, but also to intervene in any student behavior that would cause a student to be

unsuccessful, academically or socially. As the name of the committee indicates, the

overall goal of the committee is to identify students who need help in some way and to

intervene appropriately.

The behaviors of concern can be active behaviors such as self-injurious, erratic,

threatening and/or disruptive. They can also be passive behaviors such as excessive

absence from class, disappearing from normal activities (such as eating in the dining

halls or attending social functions).

Any member of the Ship family may confidentially report the name of a student of

concern to the Ship Cares Committee through the Dean of Students Office or the

University Police. The name of the student and the initial information suggesting the

need for concern is then reported to the chair of the committee (Dr. David Lovett). You

may also report the information to your dean’s office and they will then contact the

chair of the committee.

APSCUF/SU College Level Student Awards

Faculty are reminded to please announce to your students that APSCUF/SU is once again giving the

THREE College level awards of $500 each. Encourage your outstanding students to apply for the award

from your college. Previous winners are not eligible to reapply. The information and application is

available on our website at www.aspcuf.org, then click on chapters and SU to download or at the

APSCUF office in 103 Wright Hall. The deadline is January 25, 2013.

These awards are named in honor of three of our past active union members: College of Arts & Sciences-

the Bob Winter Award; College of Business – the Bill Knerr Award; and College of Education & Human

Services – the Sally McGrath Award.

APSCUF/SU Departmental Awards Faculty are also reminded that APSCUF/SU will continue to provide funding for the departmental

student awards so that each department can recognize the achievements of its’ students. Each year all 26

academic departments are given $200 which can be awarded to undergraduate or graduate students

for their talents, academic accomplishments, and service. Each department can decide how to allocate

the money. Also, each department will develop its own application, nomination, and selection

procedures. All money must be expended to the students by the departments in the academic year

that it is given to the departments by APSCUF.

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 6

Information from Carrie Michaels-Associate Director of Athletics

The Donate Life Events were a tremendous success. Several

student volunteers assisted at the various events and provided

education, give-a-ways, and registered individuals to become

organ donors. The three events combined produced a total of 30 new organ donors that are now registered--

which was a huge success!

Pictures from the Various Events!!!

Received donated organ 2011-Wes Mallicone, Director of

Sports Medicine at Shippensburg University

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 7

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Allison Pittman – Softball Asst. Coach Krista Mann – Lacrosse Asst. Coach

Corey Haines – Baseball Asst. Coach Miranda Payne – Women’s Basketball Asst. Coach

Bradley Rideout – Men’s Basketball Asst. Coach Megan Brownrigg – Swimming Asst. Coach

Ronald Deshong – Softball Asst. Coach

Kurt Dunkel '98/'04M is a two-time NCAA Division II

runner-up in the javelin in addition to a two-time PSAC place

winner and four-time PSAC qualifier that was an integral

member of two PSAC championship track & field squads at

Shippensburg University.

As a senior in his final competition, Dunkel recorded a personal best throw of 216 feet, 6 inches to finish second at the 1998 NCAA Division II Championships. Also in his stellar senior season, Dunkel placed seventh in the javelin at the Penn Relays. During his junior year, Dunkel also saved his best throw of the season for the national championships, with his second-place effort landing at 203 feet, 11 inches. Dunkel is one of just two athletes in school history to earn multiple Top 3 national finishes in the javelin and the only one to do so with a new-style javelin. Matt Opilo, already a SU hall of famer, won a national title in 1978 and placed third in 1977 using the old-style javelin. A four-time PSAC qualifier, Dunkel twice placed at the PSAC championships. In 1997, SU won a team championship with Dunkel placing fourth after a throw of 202 feet, 6 inches. As a senior in 1998, Dunkel placed second behind a teammate with a throw of 205 feet, 9 inches.

Kurt Dunkel is entering his 14th year as assistant coach at Shippensburg University in Track & Field, and a faculty member in the Academic Services Department.

CONGRATULATIONS KURT!!!!!!!!!

WELCOME NEW APSCUF COACH MEMBERS!!!!! MEMBERSHIP IS 20 STRONG. We would like to WELCOME the following new member……

Ashley Manion - Women’s Lacrosse

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 8

APSCUF Faculty & Coach Members: Wear your APSCUF Support---

Grey T shirts available in the APSCUF office for $5.00 ( only sizes

available are XL-3XL). Front has APSCUF logo and PA state outline

with all the State Universities marked, Back has APSCUF…. Faculty &

Coaches….. We will not Sacrifice Quality! All lettering is in Navy Blue.

SU CAP CHAIR ELECTIONS November 29 & 30, 2012

Wright Hall Room 103

8:00am- 3:30pm

Nominations for CAP Chair will be taken at the NOVEMBER EC meeting

CAP CHAIR RESPONSIBILITIES Chapter CAP chairpersons shall have the following powers and responsibilities, to be carried out in accordance with policies

and procedures specified by the statewide CAP Committee:

1. Conduct CAP fundraising drives,

2. Appoint, or cause to be elected, a chapter CAP steering committee to assist in fundraising whose members shall be

current contributors,

3. Receive all contributions and forward them within five (5) days of receipt to the CAP treasurer, at the principal office,

together with all required information,

4. Supervise fundraising activities within their respective areas in accordance with guidelines provided by the CAP

Committee,

5. Call and chair meetings or electronic caucuses of the chapter CAP Committee as needed to maintain ongoing activity (a

quorum shall consist of those participating, unless otherwise provided in chapter guidelines, provided notice has been

given each committee member),

6. Solicit information from the chapter legislative committee and arrange for meetings or electronic caucuses of the chapter

CAP for the purpose of adopting public office candidate endorsement recommendations to be presented to the APSCUF

chapter policymaking body. The timing and procedures for chapter CAP endorsement recommendations shall be in

accordance with guidelines adopted by the statewide CAP Committee, and

7. Serve as the chapter CAP liaison officer with the APSCUF chapter executive committee.

Elected CAP CHAIR is a 2 year term beginning January 2013

You must be a CAP MEMBER to vote—if you are unsure please call the APSCUF office to ask.

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 9

The ideas expressed in this newsletter are those of the contributors, and not necessarily the views of APSCUF.

APSCUF/SU Office – Wright Hall 103 Chapter President: Brendan Finucane Office Manager: Diana Worden

APSCUF Hours: M 10-11:30am, Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. M - F

W&F 10-12pm Phone: 717-477-1791

Phone: 717-477-1299 or 477-3229 Email: apscuf@ship.edu or

Email: bpfinu@ship.edu DLWorden@ship.edu

Fax: 717-477-1278

OCTOBER REMINDERS

FALL BREAK--- OCTOBER 12 (4PM) – 16

CLASS RESUMES OCTOBER 17 AT 8AM

EC MEETING---OCTOBER 18, 3:30PM

OTHER REMINDERS

Thanksgiving Break- Nov 21 ( begins at 8am) – Nov 25

Classes resume Nov 26 at 8:00am

With today’s to-do lists and busy work schedules, who has time to deal with personal problems when they come up? Especially the kind of problems that make it difficult to think about anything else? Now you do, with the expert services available through the State Employee Assistance Program (SEAP). Through this program, you and your family can receive no-cost confidential, personal support for a wide range of issues, from everyday concerns to serious problems.

Whenever you need help with any of life’s concerns, call toll-free

SEAP Hotline State Employee Assistance Program

1-800-692-7459 1-800-824-4306 TDD

Available 24 hours a day

Or log on to

www.liveandworkwell.com access code: Pennsylvania Information is also available in the HR office in Old Main and the APSCUF office in 103

Wright Hall. All information will be kept

confidential.

Overload and related payments will be

included in the November 2, 2012 pay, if the schedule is followed.

If a faculty member has not received an overload payment in his or her November 2, 2011 paycheck, there are three likely possibilities: either (1) the faculty member has not yet earned credit overload (see explanation below); or (2) the paperwork to authorize the payment was not sent to your Payroll Office; or (3) your Payroll Office has questions about the paperwork.

In any case, please keep in mind that the affected faculty member will have forty (40) days from November 2, 2011 to file a grievance if he or she has not received an overload payment or disputes the amount paid. This means that such grievances must be filed at Step Two of the Grievance Procedure by no later than December 12, 2012, in order to be timely.

DISTANCE EDUCATION PAYMENTS will be

included in the November 30, 2012 paychecks. Distance Education payment must be submitted locally between now and by no later than November 9, 2012.

If a faculty member as not received a distance education payment in his or her November 30, 2012 paycheck, either the paperwork to authorize the payment was not sent to your Payroll Office or your Payroll Office has questions about the paperwork. In any case, the affected faculty member will have forty (40) days from November 30, 2012 to file a grievance if he or she has not received a distance education payment or disputes the amount paid. This means that such grievances must be filed at Step Two for the Grievance Procedure by no later than January 9, 2013 in order to be considered timely.

It is recommend that you contact the administration on campus who are responsible for entering this information to make sure that the input of both forms of compensation are done in a timely manner.

Considering Retirement?

If you are considering retirement please be sure to see the people in Human Resources to find out your options. The earlier you begin

planning the better. If you are a TIAA-CREF member you may also want to schedule a meeting with a representative to discuss different

distribution plans for your funds.

APSCUF/SU Union Newsletter Page 10

ONE LAST THOUGHT… At this time when negotiations are

happening make sure you have a voice and you are heard……

MAKE SURE YOU’RE A FULL UNION MEMBER

APSCUF Full Faculty and Coach Members pay union dues equal to 1.15% of their salary.

Fair Share Faculty and Coaches are required to pay only 90% of this 1.15% or 1.035%.

However, on paycheck stubs, the fee is simply listed as “UNION DED” for APSCUF and Fair

Share Faculty and Coaches alike.

The bottom line: Just because it says “UNION DED” on your paycheck does not mean that

you are a full member of the union.

To VOTE on the new contract, you must be a MEMBER!!

Contact Ashley Seibert – Membership Chair at ext. 1203 or the APSCUF Office

at 477-1791 or email apscuf@ship.edu or DLWorden@ship.edu or stop by 103

Wright Hall for Membership Information and a Membership Application.

Members Only Forum Do you have a User ID and Password for the Members Forum ( also known as Members only) site at www.apscuf.org ?

If not, please email me at DLWorden@ship.edu with your choice of a user id and password you would prefer. I will provide this

information to the State APSCUF Office. We can have you registered in approximately 24 hrs. This site will give you access to

valuable Member Only information.