CMU Prez Meets Adjunct Union Activists
Philip Patterson drove more than two hours to support the Union of Teaching Faculty of Central Michigan University.
Patterson, an Ypsilanti senior from Eastern Michigan University, is heavily involved with Students for an Ethical and Participatory Education and the Adjunct Lecturers Organizing Committee. The two organizations are experiencing similar bargaining issues at EMU.
“It’s important to stand with solidarity with all the struggles in the state,” Patterson said. “The more people who are represented, the more democratic our educational institution is going to be.”
Patterson and members of UTF, the Graduate Student Union, the Faculty Association and several on-campus organizations rallied outside University President George Ross’ office in Warriner Hall in late-April. About 50 showed up to protest.
Carol Riddle, adjunct faculty with the English language and literature department at CMU, said UTF was rallying for a meeting with Ross because other attempts had been unsuccessful.
“What we’re hoping to do is get all non-tenure track faculty included in our union,” Riddle said.
Natalie Wetzel, left, and Daniel Kukuk put up a sign next to the CMU president’s office. Union of Teachers Faculty hoped to negotiate with President Ross for better job security. (Joseph Tobianski / Staff Photographer)
Ross agreed to meet with four members of the UTF if those in the hallway agreed to move to Plachta Auditorium.
The meeting was kept confidential and will not be publicized.
“We don’t want to talk about bargaining (to the public),” said Dan Kukuk, an organizer from the American Federation of Teachers of Michigan. “We respect the fact that it (was) a confidential meeting.”
Sue Murphy, adjunct faculty with the English language and literature department, has worked there for ten years as a full-time adjunct faculty member until she requested to have one course dropped from her workload. She taught four courses and about 90 students total in one semester and will now be teaching three courses instead.
“That’s just too much for one person to do to be able to give one-on-one with students,” Murphy said.
CMU administrators have requested only adjunct faculty who work an undetermined amount of credit hours become eligible for UTF.
Murphy said having dropped one course may hinder her from being a part of the union since CMU’s administration is trying to put a credit threshold on membership.
“I’m taking a stand,” she said. “I think we all have a right to have a voice, (and) we’ve been voiceless for too long.”
Full-time adjunct faculty teach 12 credit hours per semester while tenure track faculty teach 15 credit hours per semester, Riddle said.
“The non-tenure track faculty aren’t expected to do research or write articles,” she said. “That is supposed to be the difference between their course load and our course load. Our focus is entirely on teaching.”
