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Press Release: Governor's higher ed conference excludes higher ed constituents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 9, 2012

Days after the University of Tennessee system’s Board of Trustees and the Tennessee Board of Regents raised tuition and fees for their respective campuses, and following Governor Bill Haslam’s announcement of a conference on the future of higher education to be held this Tuesday, United Campus Workers-Communications Workers of America local 3865 has issued a call to Haslam to include staff, faculty, and students from the campuses in the dialogue. While invitees include politicians and even representatives of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, the Governor’s office left out invitations to those people who are at the heart of the state’s higher education system: its faculty, staff, and students.

“We’re confused and disheartened by the Governor’s choice to privilege business interests over the interests of the people who are most directly involved in the higher education system,” said Tom Anderson, President of UCW-CWA and staff at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. “We want to be at the table because we think we’re in the best position to see what’s working—and maybe more importantly what isn’t working. Any solution is going toinvolve all of us, so why aren’t all of us being asked to participate in this conversation?”

UCW-CWA represents some 1,300 staff, faculty, instructional staff, student and part-time workers statewide on nearly a dozen campuses.

“This doesn’t just need to be a closed-door conversation of the 1% and politicians about what they want the higher education system to be. All stakeholders need to be at the table, especially the people who work, teach, and study at the schools,” said Anderson.

Viewing higher education as a crucial part of Tennessee’s economy and its democracy, UCW-CWA has issued a letter to the Governor’s office urging Haslam to include workers’ and students’ voices in any discussion about the future of the state’s higher education systems.

“If you want to know what’s going on, you need to ask the people who are there everyday, living and breathing it. We need representation at these meetings. These are public institutions, paid for with public dollars and tuition money, and their future is part of our future as a state. We all need to be at the table, not just the Big Wigs,” said University of Memphis custodian and UCW member Thelma-Jean Rimmer.

“What we as faculty fear is a centralized governance that standardizes curriculum across the state, thus eliminating a faculty's most vital role: designing curriculum to meet the needs of the students in front of them,” said Keith Norris, Associate Professor and 25-year faculty member at Pellissippi State Community College. “This type of closed-door meeting sends the wrong message and raises fears of the potential further corporatization of higher education.”

UCW’s letter was sent on Friday, July 6, 2012, and offers to provide representatives of staff, faculty, and student interests at the meeting planned for Tuesday.

“We hope the Governor listens and makes a fair and democratic choice,” said Anderson.

Press Release: Governor's higher ed conference excludes higher ed constituents

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Save the date for UCW-CWA’s 2012 Convention: Saturday, September 8, Nashville

Make your plans to attend our union’s annual convention in Nashville on Saturday, September 8, 2012. Spread the word and carpool with others on your campus.

The statewide convention is a great experience, with educational sessions ranging on topics from your rights at work to how the state legislature works. Is there a burning topic that would speak to you and others on your campus and potentially around the state? Send it to us today at [email protected].

Read about last year's convention and see some photos here.

Save the date for UCW-CWA’s 2012 Convention: Saturday, September 8, Nashville

News

Union Members Meet with Tennessee’s Deputy Governor

Local President Tom Anderson, along with union leaders from Pellissippi State and MTSU and UCW staff met with the Governor’s staff on Thursday, May 17 in Nashville.

The meeting was positively received, as members discussed issues central to our program including higher education funding, the need for flat-dollar pay raises instead of narrow percentage-based raises, recognition, and the impacts of the Complete College Tennessee Act.

We shared copies of the Campus Workers Bill of Rights, and left the meeting with our intention to continue building this relationship.

Additionally, campus workers at Pellissippi State and ETSU have met with their institution heads, while UT Knoxville and Tennessee Tech members are gearing up their plans to do the same, again as an opportunity to discuss our core issues and build a relationship. If you would like to take part in these meetings, contact your Chapter/Caucus VP/Chair, your Organizer, and/or attend the next campus meeting. Check out your Chapter/Caucus's page on our website for meeting information.

Union Members Meet with Tennessee’s Deputy Governor

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Survey of TN Adjunct & Contingent Working Conditions

Temporary and adjunct contracts are forcing many of our best teaching professionals to work in increasingly exploitative conditions. In the face of these conditions, UCW’s Contingent & Adjunct Caucus has been busy organizing a campaign to win justice on campuses across the state. The caucus has just launched a survey to collect data about Tennessee adjunct and contingent working conditions. If you are an adjunct or contingent faculty member, please fill out the survey! If not, please pass it along to colleagues who are.

Access the survey here, complete it and pass it along to colleagues if you haven't already. Post a flyer about it in your building! Let's collect as much data as we can! And be sure to check out our blog on these issues, Higher-Ed Hand Tennessee.

Survey of TN Adjunct & Contingent Working Conditions

News

Pay raise update!

After months of lobbying legislators, making phone calls, sending emails, and organizing public events from the Capitol Steps to campuses across the state, we now know that the new state budget includes a 2.5% raise for all higher education workers. We know that UT workers will again receive a minimum of at least $1,000. These are positive steps forward that have only happened through our work to win fair pay for all campus workers. But pushes for flat dollar raises, living wages and equal pay for equal work in higher education are ramping up.

We need your involvement in these efforts. Visit the union’s webpage and contact us today at [email protected] to find out how you can help! And spread the word on social media here!

Pay raise update!