It's that time of the year again... The time when faculty begin returning to campus to prepare for call classes and the start of another academic year. For the first time in over 30 years, we are told, the majority of FAMU faculty have not received their employment contrats. Contracts are usually issued to tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure faculty prior to the end of the spring semester. Universities, typically, do this to tie-up faculty, especially those in critical areas to keep them from accepting positions at other colleges over the summer. What is different about this year is that there is the widespread belief that Castell & Co. are holding up faculty contracts in order to present them at the last minute and force faculty to sign new contracts which will allow the University to fire them at will.
As you can imagine this is something the FAMU UFF will be on the look out for, especially since the previous conract the University issued faculty, several weeks ago, was withdrawn because of miscalulations with the bi-weekly pay and this new language favored by Castell & Co.
This is something we will continue to watch.
Executive Service & Adminstrative & Professional (A&P) employees don't have contracts either.
ReplyDeleteunbelievable.........
ReplyDeleteCould it be that some of the tenured and tenure track professors are not properly credentialed? Dr. B knows exactly what she's doing.
ReplyDeleteanonymous at 1126am if that is the case then deal with those individuals, no need for all to be put in the mix
ReplyDeleteWe'll address that credentialing scam first thing next week. It seems the U is botching that too.
ReplyDeleteCould it be that some of the tenured and tenure track professors are not properly credentialed? Dr. B knows exactly what she's doing.
ReplyDeletePlease see a psychiatrist as you're really sick. Yes, the power addicted Castell Bryant knows what's she's doing, but it's not in the best interest of the University or employees covered by collective bargaining agreements.
Anonymous said...8/03/2006 @ 11:26
ReplyDeleteCould it be that some of the tenured and tenure track professors are not properly credentialed? Dr. B knows exactly what she's doing.
If that's case, then why is it that the A&P folks are without contracts as well as tenured faculty? 1200 people employed at FAMU cannot all be jacked up.
Now it makes sense why Castell has hired a new labor attorney back in April. I guess he is solely their to deal with this new employee/employer relations matter.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, you all can explain this for me ...
ReplyDeleteWHY - If the normal protocol is for this to have been done much sooner than now - has the UFF waited until the students are d@mn near about to check into the dorms before bringing this issue up?
Wasn't this issue on the table back when they were going to bat for the 8 SBI profeessors?
IOW - Shouldn't they have been pressing this issue much sooner than NOW?
This issue is not just coming up. It's just appearing on this blog site.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the FAMU academic calendar, the "fall semester for faculty" begins August 8 -- this coming Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteWhat will happen if faculty do not have contracts before that time -- or at that time?
If certain faculty are not going to have their contracts renewed, won't they have to receive notice before Tuesday?
I have heard that A&P people also do not yet have fall contracts. If they have not signed their fall contracts BEFORE Tuesday, won't the university simply shut down?
Won't it become illegal for non-contractual former employees (at this moment, nearly everyone) to come on campus, park, use keys, enter offices, use university pens to sign contracts late?
How much lead time do employees have to get before signing their contracts? The maximum now possible is two days -- Friday and Monday.
This is a confusing situation for any faculty or A&P person at FAMU. Faculty do not know whether they have jobs starting Tuesday, whether they will be expected to begin work without contracts, whether they will be presented at the last minute with some other form of altered contract, or whether they will be told that they are not qualified to contine the work they have been doing (perhaps for many years).
When the university fired the SBI group, they effectively asserted that they do not have to give faculty any notice. Has this question been negotiated since then?
The most specific thing most faculty members can remember at this point is Dr. Bryant being quoted as saying "The worst is yet to come."
Such a situation tends to hurt faculty morale. Or, to avoid having their morale hurt, faculty have to engage in a degree of detachment that is itself hurtful, or in cynicism, which is especially destructive to an educator.
Can anyone provide a constructive way for faculty to navigate through not having a contract two working days before the start of the fall semester?
Will faculty be re-hired? If so, when? If not, when will they find out?
Would any of this be tolerated at at UF, FSU, or USF? Don't African-American faculty and students deserve better treatment? I bet the power circle is getting paid on time. FAMU is not Dollar General!
ReplyDeleteThe nine month contract faculty usually are allowed the first week backon contract for course prep and development activities. Many don't check in until the faculty workshops and breakfast. I'll bet they will all be back the first day this time.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...8/03/2006 10:30 PM
ReplyDeleteThe nine month contract faculty usually are allowed the first week backon contract for course prep and development activities. Many don't check in until the faculty workshops and breakfast. I'll bet they will all be back the first day this time. WHY?
Austin will be in for a surprise. Quite a few have taken faculty positions elsewhere. FSU even p/u 1 or 2. Some people have families and they will do what's right for their families.
Just seems on the surface that there is/was no real sense of urgency on either side to get this done any sooner.
ReplyDeleteAs someone else posted - Would this kind of s*** be going on - or be tolerated - anywhere else?
BTW - When are the students due?
It looks like they are pulling the old attrition angle with temporary adjuncts waiting in the wings and "so called credentialled" faculty to come on board in the falll or spring semester.
ReplyDeleteAnon @ 9:41 PM asked, "Would any of this be tolerated at at UF, FSU, or USF?" Yes it does happen whenever there is a change of the guard. The difference, you ask? Professors at the "others" are not entrenched for 400 years and do not attempt a "Custer's Last Stand" against the new administration. It's high time that we shift the "Missionary Baptist Paradigm" with those in power dying with it and never passing on the baton.
ReplyDeleteAnon at 10:24:
ReplyDeleteWhat is the Missionary Baptist Paradigm?
Who has it, faculty or administration, or both?
I understand that decisions on tenure and promotion are also late. Very late.
ReplyDeleteIf FAMU's faculty are so DAMN afraid to demand equal rights (i.e., contracts on time like other SUS faculty) then why should we be concerned? If they don't care enough about the conditions they are working in then I say the HELL with them.
ReplyDeleteIn the real world people don't work without contracts and especially if managment is treating them like crap. But if they continue to take this crap, then the hell with them.