Kutztown University APSCUF Chapter Homepage 

APSCUF Offices Move to Old Main

Update: The elevator work is now complete. You can access the APSCUF office from inside Old Main. Entering from the main entrance, turn left (toward the Music Dept). We are on the 2nd floor Rms. 201 & 203. Of course, you can still enter from the outside entrance facing the Administration Bldg.

Karen's Office "Looking Busier Than Ever"

Paul's APSCUF Office "No Superman Artwork on the Walls Just Yet"

The "Secret" Entrance The APSCUF Offices are now located on the second floor of Old Main in rooms 201A and 203A. There is separate office space for the APSCUF KU President and the Office Manager. There is also a shared conference area across the hall. The offices are accessible from an outside entrance located at the south east corner of Old Main. This entrance can be found by walking south between the Stratton and Old Main buildings. The entrance is at the back corner of Old Main. Please note that the APSCUF offices are only accessible from this outside staircase entrance. The elevator work is now complete. You can access the APSCUF office from inside Old Main. Entering from the main entrance, turn left (toward the Music Dept). We are on the 2nd floor Rms. 201 & 203. Of course, you can still enter from the outside entrance facing the Administration Bldg.

IDEA SRI Proposal Update

Dear colleagues,

As you may know, Kutztown University is considering adopting the IDEA student evaluation instrument. Please see  the attached Executive Summary that provides a synopsis of the instrument.

I am currently serving as chair of a faculty committee that APSCUF-KU and the administration jointly formed that is charged with examining the possible implementation process. To that end, I thought it would be useful to share the following:

The committee is charged with helping faculty decide whether IDEA is a good fit for KU: As we all know, there is no such thing as a perfect evaluation instrument. In terms of moving to IDEA, the question is whether the benefits significantly outweigh the costs. To facilitate this assessment process I have drafted a “white paper” outlining a brief history of the Student Rating Instrument (SRI) reform at Kutztown University and the pro’s and con’s of both our current SRI and the IDEA instrument. Please see the attached document.

This initiative is faculty driven: If the University switches to the IDEA instrument, it would have to be approved by the faculty (see the contract, CBA Article 12, Sec C). There are already rumors that this is something that is being driven by the administration. This is simply not true. As reviewed in the attached document, the impetus to adopt the IDEA instrument has come from the faculty.

Adoption will be a multi-step process: In May 2008, APSCUF department representatives were asked to review the IDEA instrument with their departments. At the September Representative Council the representatives reported their departments’ reactions. The next step is for the university to decide if it wants to authorize a pilot program to be administered in the Spring 2009 semester. The committee will present the specifics of the program to both the APSCUF-KU Representative Council and the University Senate. If the pilot program is authorized, the results will be analyzed during the Summer 2009 term. Based upon this data, the committee would then make a final recommendation on the IDEA instrument to the university at the start of the Fall 2009 semester. If authorized, KU would transition to the IDEA instrument during the Spring 2010 semester at the earliest.

This will be a worthwhile conversation for our university to have: Some have suggested that our failure over the last twenty-five years to adopt a new student evaluation is an indication that our current campus climate will not support any reform efforts. I disagree. APSCUF, the University Senate, and the administration have vested their leadership and resources to insuring that the faculty members have a fair and open debate over the IDEA instrument. The process—defined by transparency and accountability—will allow us to examine our current SRI and the IDEA alternative in a thoughtful and reasonable manner. It will not be an easy conversation, but it can be a productive one.

Please see the attached white paper that discusses the advantages and disadvantages of our current SRI and the IDEA instrument.

I look forward to working with you, John

John Riley Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Political Science

SRI Background Docs (PDF)

SRI IDEA White Paper (PDF)

IDEA Executive Summary (PDF)

IDEA SRI Proposal

Colleagues,

During the 2007-2008 school year, an APSCUF-KU committee was charged with recommending a new SRI for Kutztown University. In April, the committee unanimously recommended the IDEAS instrument adopted by the university a number of years ago. Management supports a new SRI and has agreed to fund the measure.

In May, at our final APSCUF-KU Representative Council, faculty voted to forward this recommendation to the departments for action in the Fall 2008 semester. A draft of the proposal is attached for your reference.

If Representative Council approves the proposal, we will begin training and a pilot program in the upcoming academic year.

Dr. Michael D. Gambone
Professor of History
APSCUF-KU
Added 06-09-2008

PowerPoint Presentations

Facts About Your Faculty (Added 01-29-2007)

The Pennsylvania state system of colleges serves more students than Penn State or any of the private universities combined. State university alumni dominate the landscape at over 400,000 strong.

However, state support for this institution has not kept pace. The funding formula used to award state grant amounts considers the cost of the institution. Unknown to the general public, this means that a student choosing to attend a lower-cost, public higher education institution is awarded less money than one who chooses a more expensive private institution.

What Faculty Contribute (Added 01-29-2007)

APSCUF faculty are drawn from some of the best institutions in the nation and around the world. They have devoted themselves to the pursuit of academic excellence in their research, writing, and classroom methods. Simply put, a student entering the Pennsylvania state university system can get an Ivy League education.

Real world experience tempers academic excellence. Whether taken from the private sector or public service, our faculty understand the need for common-sense, practical skills.

APSCUF faculty dedicates thousands of hours each year -–in and outside of class-- to ensure the success of their students. What many people outside of our campuses often miss is the amount of time faculty spend advising students, mentoring student clubs and projects, and working to make these institutions better at what they do.

Proud of our Past… Looking Toward Our Future

What began in 1937 as a professional organization for faculty at Pennsylvania’s Teacher Colleges has evolved into an organization touching the lives of over 104,000 students and their families each year.

Today, APSCUF represents 6,000 faculty members and coaches at Pennsylvania’s14 publicly owned universities – the State System of Higher Education. APSCUF members honor the privilege of instructing the state’s future leaders in business, education, service and technology sectors as well as numerous other endeavors.

Since 1972, APSCUF has negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the Commonwealth. These agreements have provided substantial protection and benefits for the faculty in many crucial areas:

 

Bargaining unit members...

• are placed on a competitive wage scale;
• enjoy full medical and prescription drug coverage which is 90% employer-paid;
• are provided, free of cost, life insurance equivalent to a full year’s salary up to a maximum of $50,000;
• receive dental and vision care coverage, as well as wellness exam coverage, through the PA Faculty Health & Welfare Fund;
• have unlimited liability coverage protecting them against such claims;
• possess due process guarantees that were a first nationally, and are still among the most comprehensive in the nation, for permanent faculty members.

When one takes into account the competitive pay scale, the excellent medical benefits, and the total package which comprises the APSCUF/PASSHE collective bargaining agreement, APSCUF’s contract is considered among the nation’s best!

Our Role

APSCUF is the national leader in protecting and advancing faculty rights. The APSCUF/State System of Higher Education collective bargaining agreement guarantees bargaining unit participation in the hiring, tenure, and promotion processes, in sabbatical leave determination, and in curricula decisions.

Is APSCUF service of any value? You bet it is – APSCUF service is a big contribution to our colleagues and students, and it is valued highly in promotion and tenure applications. Join our organization and get involved! There are many local and state opportunities for you to become active in our organization. If you are not a member and wish to join, contact the APSCUF office at Extension 34277.

The APSCUF Grievance Procedure guarantees enforcement of faculty rights enunciated in the APSCUF/State System of Higher Education collective bargaining agreement APSCUF has a nationally acclaimed record for its successes in grievance and arbitration actions that protect faculty rights.

Have a contractual question or a potential grievance? APSCUF’s local chapter president and grievance chair are happy to answer your questions.

Our Record

APSCUF has one of the most impressive records of any higher education faculty union in the nation in defending faculty rights, protecting academic freedom, successful negotiations and contract implementation, saving faculty jobs and securing the rehiring of faculty, and preserving quality education.

Last Updated 01/29/2010
Email the webmaster (Will Jefferson): wjeffers@kutztown.edu

APSCUF, 319 North Front Street, PO Box 11995, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1995
Phone (toll-free): 800.932.0587 • Phone (local): 717.236.7486
General FAX: 717.236.1883 • Contract Department FAX: 717.236.1459