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APSCUF KU Chapter Archives
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
On Wednesday afternoon, September 27, Dr. Pat Heilman, State APSCUF president brought a hopeful but determined message to the faculty and coaches at Kutztown University regarding current
contract negotiations.
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
After being at Legislative Assembly the weekend before last, it has become clear that we may have a fight on our hands, when it comes to negotiating our new contract. The state negotiators
have made some overtones already about gaining some control over such issues as past practice, curriculum, and governance. Unlike past years, this year we have a definite plan that if we do not have a contract by
June 30th, we will be striking on July 1st. Our rallying cry could be “No contract, no work”. On Wednesday, September 27th, @ 3:00 in Schaeffer Auditorium, our state president Pat Heilman will visit Kutztown
to talk to us about the current negotiations as well as other issues surrounding the contract. With the possibility of a strike looming in the not so distant future, it becomes all the more important that we band
together and show solidarity as a union. We need to have as many people as possible show up to hear what our state president has to say. She can also answer any questions you may have, and more importantly show
you the absolute importance of organizing our campuses and being prepared for a strike. We ask that you please come to this important information session and listen to what President Heilman has to say. She will
explain to you the rational of striking on June 30th as opposed to the usual method of choosing a strike date after the contract has been expired for a period of time. Please come and show your solidarity with
the members of our union. Remember, “No contract, no work”!
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
At the April 10th Meet and Discuss meeting the
Provost reported that the president has asked for a vote of support or non-support for the
proposed general education revisions. An outside firm has been hired to conduct
the vote, and a letter will be sent out to faculty indicating when the vote is to occur.
The APSCUF Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
Advising is upon us again. Even though it comes but
twice a year, it seems more like ‘accounting’ than academics. Wouldn’t it be ‘loverly’ (as the lyrics go
in My Fair Lady), if we had a simplified General Education model, one that offers depth
and breadth and love of learning for our students: a model that helps us offer the best
education that we can provide to our advisees.
We need a General Education plan that builds on Kutztown University’s
strengths but also functions within its limitations. We need to have confidence in the
planning process before we vote. We need to know how the changes will take place before
we vote.
A change to our current General Education model is a good idea, and,
indeed, necessary for our continued viability as an institution of higher learning. But we
have to do it right. We need a more inclusive process of creation and a more thorough plan.
Wouldn’t that be ‘loverly?’
We encourage you to attend today's forum and ask questions about the
GERT General Education Model and how it will affect you, your students and the
teaching/learning process at Kutztown University. The forum is at 3:00 p.m. in the Alumni
Auditorium (McFarland Student Union Building, Room 183).
The APSCUF Public Relations Committee
It’s your APSCUF too.
Most of us would agree that change is part of our university world, and
big changes are on the horizon at Kutztown University. To meet state system mandates,
the General Education Model must change. Will it be the GERT model, the Alternative
APSCUF model, or a model yet to be determined? The large classroom building to
the west of the library is literally on the horizon and is scheduled to be “on-line” in
spring 2007. Are you ready to teach in a 100-seat classroom? 150 seat classroom? How will you
support your colleagues who are slated to teach in this facility? Heard about the
tough fiscal year ahead? Ready for the contract negotiations that are soon to start? For
sure, changes are coming.
Do you have a voice in the changes you see all around you? Are you
active in APSCUF? You can be. Your opinions about General Education, large classroom
teaching, contract negotiations and the very nature of our teaching profession matter.
Fundamentally, APSCUF is about quality education for our students. None
of us can afford to be too busy to lose focus of that commitment. Do you approve
where your union is headed? Get involved. Want to see more union change? Get
involved.
We need all faculty voices engaged in the serious issues we’ve presented
in our “View Points” series this semester and will continue to broach in the future.
Quality education, academic freedom and faculty rights are APSCUF’s priorities.
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach When asked about resources for the
proposed GERT model at the last Senate meeting, Dr. Cevallos stated that minimal resources would be necessary to
implement the GERT model. Dr. Cevallos said that the first year seminar class will require
many sections of 25 students. He further stated that 73 percent of the classes we currently
teach have 25 or fewer students.
Given fall 2005 freshmen enrollment figures, our analysis indicates that
nineteen full time faculty will be required to teach the “many sections” of the first
year Freshmen Seminar course of the GERT model. Note, this is just one course within
the core requirements outlined in the GERT model.
In fall 2004, we offered 2,264 total classes. If you take a look at how
many of these classes have 25 students or less, you get approximately 73 %. This 73 %
includes 232 classes that did not run because they had zero students enrolled. This
73 % includes 262 courses that were Independent Instructions/Studies and other courses
that do not require a classroom setting. This 73 % also includes 135 courses that are
considered laboratory courses, with a restricted number of 25 or less because of room size
restrictions.
Eliminating the 232 classes that did not run during fall of 2004, means
that 64% of actual classes have 25 or fewer students. Excluding Independent Studies,
Internships, and other non-classroom/lecture based courses, this means that only 52% of our
classroom based courses have 25 students or less enrolled. Lastly, discounting courses
that CANNOT have more than 25 students, such as many of the labs on campus, the
number of lecture based classes on our campus with 25 students or less is only 46%.
Given the gap between APSCUF’s analysis of the data and the information
presented at University Senate, coupled with a bleak financial forecast and other
concerns discussed in the past we are not convinced Kutztown University faculty should
support the GERT model.
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach At the University Senate meeting this past Thursday, a discussion took place regarding General Education that we would like to reiterate for you.
In meetings of the General
Education Restructuring Committee I have repeatedly reiterated this
point. The Meet and Discuss team has taken this position, the APSCUF/KU
Executive Committee has taken this position and the APSCUF/KU
Representative Council has taken this position.
APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach President Cevallos has promised us
that no one will lose his or her job due to changes that may be made to our current general education model. We take him at
his word and we are grateful for his pledge. However, job security is only the tip of
the iceberg. Quality education, integrity of the disciplines, and academic freedom
are issues we need to consider carefully.
For every advantage that the GERT model purports there are an equal
number of unanswered questions concerning labor issues. For instance, will all the
academic departments survive the General Education Model proposed by the
restructuring team? A little over a year ago, a similar question was posed to President
Cevellos at Representative Council and he responded by observing that over time many
departments have been reshaped. Once it was common for all European universities to
maintain departments for courses that are rarely taught today. He went on to
note, that universities must adapt to the needs of the times.
How many “outdated departments” do we have at KU? Faculty may not lose
their jobs, but the CBA allows management to reassign faculty to teach anything
within their competence.
Before we vote on any changes to the General Education Model, the
administration needs to detail the corresponding impact on each department’s integrity.
Could any departments be jeopardized under the GERT model?
APSCUF-KU Public Relations Committee
Academic Viewpoints: A Closer Look...A Different Approach
As a follow-up to our last post regarding the General Education Restructuring Team (GERT) model, and the possible impact on faculty, one member writes: “For fall, 2005 temporary Speech faculty members offered
about 43 sections of SPE010, Fundamentals of Speech. At the same time the tenured and tenure-track Speech faculty members offered
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APSCUF, 319 North Front Street, PO Box 11995, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1995 |
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