Bargaining Diary Archives

The two teams finished up at-the-table negotiations for the week today. Because the issues that remain are among the most challenging we will face this summer, very little progress was made. We did reach consensus on some smaller pieces of a few language items. We also discussed Tuesday’s budget presentation and requested further data. The two teams meet next on July 23 and July 25.

Article X (Professional Responsibilities):  

• We continue to discuss ways in which to address possible faculty-initiated increases to teaching loads as an offset to reductions in research or service.  
• The employer continues to assert their desire for a uniform teaching load for Special Instructors.  The OU-AAUP remains adamant that individual academic units best understand their workload needs and are responsible for addressing Special Instructor teaching workloads.

12-month teaching assignment concept

• The teams further brainstormed the possibility of 12-month teaching assignments for limited and specific teaching cohort groups.  The idea needs a great deal of development before the pros and cons can truly be explored.  

 Appendix A (Research and Full-Time Practitioner Faculty)

• The OU-AAUP team presented a counter proposal on Appendix A that accepted a requested change to include CAP in the review for research faculty 
• The counter also offered language that addressed the employer’s concern regarding the 20-person cap on research faculty at Oakland.  Currently the university employs two.  Our proposal initiates a reasonable discussion to increase the cap should the number of research faculty reach 18.  
• Most importantly, our proposal maintains existing language that allows for the possibility that these faculty may be promoted as opposed to simply receiving title changes.

Articles IV and XIII (Academic Titles and Compensation for Special Lecturers)

• The OU-AAUP offered a counter proposal that removed our proposed fourth tier (increased salary and contract length) for Special Lecturers who have served for over 12 years.
• Our counter maintains our original proposal language that broadens the Special Lecturer definition and introduces retirement contributions.
• The employer countered on Article IV with minor language changes but no agreement on any of our concerns.

 Article XX (Leaves with Pay)

• The OU-AAUP offered a counter proposal that slightly modified the employer’s previous proposal to move to a once a year sabbatical application process and slightly modified the application process for professional development and research leaves, but our team largely accepted both of the principles proposed.
• The employer countered on this article after a caucus, largely accepting our language changes regarding sabbatical application timing but refusing to consider any increase to research fellowship and grants and refusing to consider our slight modification to the current paid parental leave policy.

 Article XXIX and Appendix I (Calendar)

• More discussion about calendar concerns took place.  Our team shared the 2023-24 Ad-Hoc Senate calendar committee’s annual report which discusses priorities shared across campus and identifies the need for campus-wide discussions on the calendar to continue.  

As discussions get more complicated and more challenging, your support is even more appreciated.  We gratefully read all of the emails, text and survey responses we receive as it helps us best advocate at the table for the membership.