questions about the contract?

One of the features of the XChange for 2010 will be a series called “Know Your Contract.”  Some of you may have attended one of APSCUF-KU’s “Know Your Contract” lunches over the past couple of years.  This series will be similar to those lunches in that we will take up specific articles in the contract and discuss them.

This series will be different in that you will be able to post questions, comments, add ideas, raise problems, and continue the conversation over time.  In addition, the “Know Your Contract” series will be archived here so you can return to it any time you want.  If you look on the right-hand side of this page you will see a “tag cloud.”  A tag cloud is like a subject index of all the posts on a blog.  The bigger the text size, the more post there are in that thread.  If you click on “Know Your Contract” you will be taken to this post and all the other posts that follow in this series.

To get started I thought I’d post a link to our full contract, which is posted on the APSCUF web page.  If you have a particular article of the contract you would like to focus on, let me know and I’ll get to work on it.

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questions about PSERS?

As you know, there has been a lot of hub bub about a “crisis” in Pennsylvania’s Public School Employee Retirement System (PSERS).  As we approach another negotiations year, we need to keep in mind how irresponsible management has led to these “crises” and demand accountability.

NO BAILOUTS on the backs of faculty!

Check our this article from the Pennsylvania State Education Association:

Why is PSERS at risk?

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that job description we keep hearing about

As most readers of the XChange know, Kutztown University President, Javier Cevallos has frequently mentioned (at least since his meeting with the Board of Trustees) AACSB accreditation being #1 in his job description.  Given that Cevallos has used his job description as support for his lack of agency in doing anything but moving forward with AACSB accreditation and reorganization of the College of Business, I thought we should take a closer look at ALL aspects of his job description.  Click to the link below to access his full job description.

Cevallos Job Description (PDF)

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Great interview with Steve Early about labor and labor journalism

I just finished listening to the December 27th, 2009 podcast of Media Matters, a weekly radio show hosted by Bob McChesney out of U of Illinois (hey Allie!).   I can think of no better way to spend an hour and to get 2010 off to a fighting start.  I strongly recommend giving it a listen.   Check it our here:

http://will.illinois.edu/mediamatters/show/december-27th-2009/

Steve Early was on the show to talk about his new book, Embedded with Organized Labor: Journalistic Reflections on the Class War at Home. Sounds like a great read (just ordered a copy, actually) and I wanted to pass it on.

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Happy New Year!

Just wanted to say Happy New Year to all you fans of the XChange.  I tend to be one of those people who take stock each New Year’s Eve.  I am glad to finally have gotten the XChange off the ground after a couple of false starts early in the fall ’09 semester.  I am particularly happy about this given that APSCUF will be beginning to prepare for our next round of negotiations this spring.  While our contract does not expire until June 30, 2011, formal negotiations usually begin a year before and strike organization will begin this spring semester.  By all accounts, we may be facing “tricky” negotiations…especially if the economy doesn’t turn around.

But for now, let me just wish you and yours a wonderful new year ahead!  All the best!

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