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Union FAQ,
Links, and By-laws
Frequently
Asked Questions
How can I help?
We would love to have you
get involved in the Union! Those of us who
are already involved know that your time is limited—we’re adjunct professors,
too, and we know that the life of an adjunct is the life of a juggler. We
always need help with membership drives, publicity, and communications.
Contact
our Union President David Kociemba at David_Kociemba@emerson.edu or
david dot kociemba at gmail.com. The successes of the AFEC-AAUP to date have
come from the efforts of a small group of volunteers, and any help is great
help.
Getting involved in the Union is a wonderful way to tap into your Emerson
community by meeting your professional colleagues and making a home at the
school.
Do I have to join the Union
and pay dues, or is it optional?
As an
adjunct faculty member at Emerson, you are automatically part of the Union’s bargaining unit. That means that the Union represents you whether or not you actually pay
dues and become a member. At this time, the Union operates on the honor
system: although you get all the benefits of the Union,
you are not forced to join. When membership reaches 58 percent of part-time
faculty, dues will be automatically deducted from your paycheck. With
sufficient funds, we can fulfill our responsibilities to protect and expand
the rights of part-time faculty.
Dues are
$70 a year. If you want to vote on Union leadership and other Union issues,
you have to be a paid member of the Union.
We count on your voluntary dues paying to support our activities on your
behalf.
Whether
you join the Union or not, you are required
to operate under the rules of the Union contract.
How does the College decide how much to
pay me?
There is
a chart in the contract at Article 4 that determines the minimum salary you
will receive for teaching a course at Emerson. First figure out how many credits you have
taught at the school (if you don’t know, ask your department chair). Most
people have taught fewer than 60 credits, which puts them in Step 1. Then see
where your course falls within the per-credit salary chart. If you’re teaching a 4-credit class,
multiply the number in the chart by four. This is the minimum salary you will
be paid.
The
College can always pay more than the minimum. This is explicitly written
into the contract language.
What’s the Emerson Union’s
relationship with the AAUP national office?
The
official name of our Union is the Affiliated
Faculty of Emerson College, American Association of University Professors
(AFEC-AAUP). We are an independent,
stand-alone union with an affiliation with the AAUP. This is different from being a chapter
in a national union. When a union is a chapter, it is subject to ongoing
management input by the parent organization. Instead, our Union
makes all its own decisions and is not subject to any oversight by the AAUP.
We do,
though, get to draw on the resources and expertise of the AAUP in helping to
establish equitable working conditions for part-time faculty at our school.
Our Union is deeply indebted to the AAUP for
its help in getting established and getting a contract. The AAUP also helped
when we had to file a grievance against the College in August 2006 to get
faculty paid properly.
The AAUP
was founded in 1915 and is devoted to “developing the standards and
procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this
country's colleges and universities,” according to the organization’s Web
site. You can read more about the association at www.aaup.org.
I think the College is treating me
unfairly. What’s the Grievance procedure?
The Union
contract brings to the adjunct teachers of Emerson a formal process for
grieving unfair practices. The Union’s hope
is that this will be a last step solution for making sure people are treated
fairly.
If you
feel you are being treated unfairly, the first step the Union
recommends is for you to try to resolve the matter by working with your
department chair or other relevant school officers. You must try to rectify
the situation yourself before you turn to the Union.
Many issues can be solved more quickly and efficiently if the Union never gets involved.
If you
have tried to solve the problem yourself and feel like you are still being
treated unfairly, do these three things:
- Consult the Union contract.
Is there a specific provision of the contract that the school is in
violation of? The Union can not bring a
grievance on your behalf unless there is a contract violation.
- Make several sets of photocopies
of all relevant information—contracts, Emails, letters, evaluations,
etc.—and write out a clear, detailed description of the history of the
problem, the part of the contract you believe the College is in
violation of, and what solution you are seeking.
- Contact Union Grievance
Officer Brian McNeil at brian_mcneil@emerson.edu
or 617.824.7600 x 2143. Please
include your telephone number. Brian will take your request to the Union
officers, and as a team they will make a decision about the validity of
your claim and whether the Union will
put its resources toward filing a grievance on your behalf.
The
Grievance Procedure is Article 6 of the contact. It details how the process
unfolds after a grievance is filed.
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Links
Emerson
College
http://www.emerson.edu
Emerson
College
e-Campus
This is
the place to find the school’s academic calendar, its undergraduate and
graduate catalogue, campus news, and links to the library and Ecmail
http://www.emerson.edu/ecampus/
Emerson
College
course listings
Check
here for the enrollment status of your classes
http://www.emerson.edu/courses/index.cfm
American Association of University Professors
http://www.aaup.org
Academe magazine
The
journal of the AAUP
http://www.aaup.org/publications/Academe/index.htm
The Chronicle of Higher Education
This
publication covered our contact talks
http://chronicle.com/
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By-laws
BY-LAWS OF THE
AFFILIATED FACULTY OF EMERSON COLLEGE / AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
PREAMBLE
The
Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College/AAUP is a chapter of the American
Association of University Professors.
As the
negotiating representative for part-time faculty, the Affiliated Faculty of
Emerson College, seeks to promote and preserve the professional and economic
well being of the unit members for whom it bears legal responsibilities. As a
professional association and in addition to its responsibilities as
negotiating representative, the Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College seeks
to enhance the academic environment of the college.
These
By-Laws regulate the Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College.
ARTICLE
I: MEMBERSHIP
The
Affiliated Faculty of Emerson College shall consist of all part-time/adjunct
faculty who teach at least one course during the academic year at Emerson College, who are dues paying members
of the AFEC/AAUP, and who are not graduate students at the college.
Membership
in the AFEC/AAUP confers membership in National AAUP.
ARTICLE
II: MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
The
Chapter Executive Board may call membership meetings of the Chapter at any
time. There shall be at least one membership meeting per year. Twenty-five
percent of members in good standing shall constitute a quorum. The agenda of
each meeting shall be outlined in the call for the meeting. Changes to
the agenda may be made by a two-thirds vote of the members attending
the meeting.
Members
of the AFEC/AAUP in good standing shall be entitled to vote on all matters
considered at these meetings; all other bargaining unit members (those who
are qualified for membership but decline it) may attend, but may not
vote.
ARTICLE
III: DUES AND FINANCES
Dues
shall be determined by the Chapter Executive Board, and ratified by the
membership. Non-payment of dues shall be cause for removal from
membership. Only members in good standing with respect to dues payment shall
be eligible for office; for membership on any committee; or for voting rights
in elections, contract ratification, or any other matter submitted for
membership approval.
ARTICLE
IV: OFFICERS OF THE AFEC / AAUP
A. The
officers of the Chapter shall be the President; the Vice President, and the
Secretary / Treasurer. Officers are eligible to seek re-election.
B.
Election of Officers
1)
Chapter officers shall be elected by the membership through a secret mail
ballot.
2) The President
shall be elected once every two years and shall serve for a period of
two years beginning on September 1 of the year in which s/he has been
elected.
3) The Vice
President shall be elected once every two years in alternate years from
the President and Secretary/Treasurer, and shall serve for a period of two
years beginning September 1 of the year in which s/he has been elected.
The first vice-president elected will serve only one year to begin the
staggering of terms.
4) The Secretary
/ Treasurer shall be elected once every two years and shall serve for a
period of two years beginning on September 1 of the year in which he/she has
been elected.
5) The Committee
on Nominations and Elections of the Chapter Executive Board shall prepare
a slate for election of officers by soliciting nominations from the
membership and shall announce it to the membership.
6) Ballots shall be
mailed to all members of the AFEC/AAUP. Elections shall be conducted under
the supervision of the Committee on Nominations and Elections.
7) The
election process shall be completed by August 15 of each election year.
C. Each
officer is subject to recall by the members of the AFEC/AAUP.
1) A
recall election must be initiated by recall by a petition stating the reasons
for the proposed action and signed by twenty-five percent of union
members.
2) A
petition demanding a recall election shall be presented to the Chapter
Executive Board through the Secretary, who shall certify the authenticity and
the member status of each signer.
3) No
recall petition shall be received after March 1 of the year in which the
election is demanded; and each recall election shall be completed no later
than 30 days after the petition has been certified.
4) A
recall election shall be conducted by a special committee appointed by the
Executive Board for that purpose.
5) An
officer shall be removed when two-thirds of those casting ballots so vote,
provided only that the total voting for recall shall be no less than a
majority of total votes cast in the elections of that
officer.
6) When a
vacancy occurs because of recall elections, the position shall be filled
according to the procedures listed below under “Succession of
Officers.”
D.
Succession of officers
1) In the
event the President cannot complete his/her term, the term shall be completed
by the Vice President until a special election fills the vacancy. After
serving temporarily as President, the Vice President shall resume his/her
duties for whatever remains of the term of office.
2) In the
event that the Vice President cannot complete his/her term, the term shall
be completed by the Secretary until a special election fills the
vacancy.
3) In the
event that the Secretary cannot complete his/her term, the Chapter Executive
Board, by a majority of those voting, shall elect a replacement to complete
the term.
ARTICLE
V: DUTIES OF CHAPTER OFFICERS
A.
President
1) Be spokesperson
and official representative for the Affiliated Faculty of
Emerson College.
2)
Appoint the chair and members of standing committees, with the advice and
consent of the Chapter Executive Board.
3)
Appoint with the advice and consent of the Chapter Executive Board the
members of the administrative committees of the Chapter Executive Board;
such members shall be drawn from the Chapter Executive Board
membership.
4)
Appoint the chair and members of special committees with the advice and
consent of the Chapter Executive Board.
5) Preside
over meetings of the Chapter Executive Board.
6)
Initiate legal actions on behalf of the Chapter when authorized by the
Executive Board
7)
Provide direction to other officers and oversee their activities.
B. Vice
President
1) Be
spokesperson and official representative for the Affiliated Faculty of
Emerson College in the absence of the President.
2) Assist
the President as needed.
3)
Preside over meetings of the Chapter Executive Board in the absence of the
President.
C.
Secretary / Treasurer
1)
Oversee the maintenance of the records of the Chapter.
2) Keep
minutes at all meetings of the Chapter Executive Board; prepare these minutes
for reproduction and distribution to all union members.
3) Review
monthly the AFEC/AAUP’s expenditures.
4)
Prepare and present a financial report for the Chapter Executive Board and
the general membership at least once per year, no later than June 1; prepare
and present other financial reports as required by the President and/or the
Executive Board.
5) Recommend
appropriate management of Chapter funds.
6)
Preside over meetings of the Executive Board in the absence of the President
and the Vice President.
ARTICLE
VI: EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE AFFILIATED FACULTY OF EMERSON COLLEGE
/ AAUP
A. The
internal affairs, collective negotiations and grievance handling policies and
activities of the Chapter shall be coordinated by a Chapter Executive Board
consisting of the President, Vice President, Secretary / Treasurer, and two
elected at-large members, each of whom may also chair a standing committee.
The term of Chapter Executive Board representatives shall be two years.
B. The
at-large members of the Chapter Executive Board shall be elected once every
two years in alternate years from the President and Secretary/Treasurer [the
same years as the elections for vice-president], and shall serve for a period
of two years beginning September 1 of the year in which s/he has been
elected. The first at-large Executive Board members elected will serve only
one year to begin the staggering of terms.
C. If an
at-large Executive Board member is unable to complete his/her term, a
replacement shall be appointed by the Chapter Executive Board. If a
representative misses three (3) consecutive meetings, s/he shall be
considered withdrawn unless the Executive Board determines special
circumstances.
D. The
Chapter Executive Board shall hold a minimum of four meetings throughout the
year.
E. The
duties of the Chapter Executive Board are to:
1)
Determine membership dues in accordance with Article III.
2) Assume
responsibility for general fiscal affairs and approve the annual
budget.
3)
Establish standing committees and conduct the affairs of the organization
through those committees and special committees as provided by the
By-laws.
4)
Establish and abolish special committees, as it deems necessary.
5)
Authorize legal action on behalf of the AFEC / AAUP.
6) Authorize,
after mail vote by the membership, job actions in support of the Chapter’s
collective bargaining goals.
ARTICLE
VII: NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE
A. The
Negotiating Committee shall be appointed by the President with the approval
of the Chapter Executive Board.
B. The Negotiating
Committee shall be composed of the chairperson and at least three (3)
additional members of the AFEC / AAUP.
C. The
Negotiating Committee shall function under negotiating policies determined by
the Chapter’s Executive Board.
D. The
contract negotiated shall be ratified by mail ballot of a majority of the
membership.
ARTICLE
VIII: AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS
These
bylaws may be amended by two-thirds of those members voting at a regularly
scheduled meeting, or a meeting especially called for such amendment,
providing that members have received written notice and text of proposed
amendments at least fourteen days before such a regular or special meeting is
held.
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