Apscuf Newsletter Spring 2018

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APSCUF-KU Newsletter

Spring 2018

Kutztown University Chapter Association of Pennsylvania State

Farewell Message from Chapter President, Amanda Morris Commitment, Collaboration, and Compromise Colleagues, As my final act as your chapter president, I write today to review some of our accomplishments, and to look ahead with you as we transition into new leadership. Union leadership should be visible, accessible, and responsive to the membership, and this is a principle that I tried hard to uphold. Any mistakes I made are mine alone and I take full responsibility for any missteps. Please know that I worked hard every day to be responsive to any faculty member who asked for help, to communicate regularly with you about issues, changes, and challenges with management, and to hold our administration accountable for decisions that seemed detrimental to faculty and our mission of educating students. Transparency, collaboration, and action were my watchwords and guided my decisions on your behalf.

As I think back on these past two years, our successful strike looms large as a distinct memory, but so do smaller moments, such as advocating for a faculty member to receive a course release or being the safe, confidential landing space for faculty frustrations and anger over problems that seemed to have no solution. I have spent a lot of my time trying to help you and I hope that my efforts were adequate both on an individual and a structural level. There are some issues that the union cannot solve, but our leadership team tried every day to advocate for faculty and to improve working conditions and our campus climate.

KU Proud

Student Perspective

Accomplishments of KU students, faculty, and staff.

Is KU Free to Choose its Freedoms? & KU and PASSHE in Financial Health or Frugal Sickness?

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By Mariah Little

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Meet The Delegates KU-APSCUF delegates and their dedication.

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Much work remains to be done and it will require all of us to continue working together. Our new leadership team will need our input and perspective, just as I have needed your input, advice, guidance, and perspective. You’ve heard me say this many times, and I do believe it: Many hands make light work.

This means that all of us are responsible for ensuring our local chapter’s success moving forward. When I return from my fall 2018 sabbatical, I will serve the membership as past president, and will attend Executive Council meetings as required by our local Bylaws.

It has truly been an honor to serve you as your chapter president, and to represent your interests and concerns to state APSCUF and with the Board of Governors. I thank you for your trust. My final ask of you is to consider these three words: Commitment, Collaboration, Compromise.

Commitment to each other, commitment to creating the best learning environment for our students, commitment to serving our union.

Collaboration with other faculty members and with other departments, collaboration with management to solve university-level problems, collaboration with our students when they want to take action.

Compromise is trickier. Compromise requires courage. Ceding any ground is risky and scary, but I do believe we can find common ground with management on many issues and working toward compromise is a worthwhile endeavor, albeit an often frustrating one. Standing our ground is sometimes the best and only option. And sometimes attempting to reach a compromise should be the first option. We are heading into a challenging negotiation season for our next multi-year contract this fall, and we need to be prepared for the State System to ask again for the same things they did in 2016. We will need to rally all of our skills, knowledge, and courage to stand together and make hard decisions. I have faith in us to make good decisions for the benefit of all our faculty and students. We’ve done it before.

Thank you for allowing me this chance to serve as your chapter president. I have confidence in our newly elected leaders and look forward to facing all upcoming challenges together with you.

In solidarity, Amanda

State APSCUF President-Ken Mash, East Stroudburg; Vice President-Jamie Martin, Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Immediate Past President-Steve Hicks; Lock Haven; Treasurer-Chris Hallen, Bloomsburg; Secretary-Mike Papakie, Indiana; Coach Executive Leader- John Gump, Kutztown; Faculty Officer-At-Large- B.J. Mullaney, Cheyney; Faculty Officer-At-Large-Joyce Overly, Clarion; Faculty Officer-At-Large-Kara Laskowski, Shippensburg Labor Relations, (Grievance - Faculty and Coaches): Head of Labor Relations – Mary Rita Duvall; Directors – Julie A. Reese, Joshua J. Grubbs, Sara E. Miller; Administrative Assistants – Jewell Tunstall, Angela Belcher Government and External Relations: Associate Director of Communications – Kathryn Morton; Administrative Assistant – Ty Marks Membership Services: Director – Nancy Koutris; Secretary/Receptionist – Monica Troutman Researcher: Chris Dunne Support Staff: Executive Secretary – Andrea Mahoney; Administrative Assistant for Fiscal Affairs & Manager for Physical Facilities – Beth Connelly 319 North Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17101; 717.236.7487 or 800.932.0587 qualityeducation@apscuf.org

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Congratulations Dr. Frank Kumor, professor, KU Department of Music, is interviewed in the Georgian Room on Jan. 9 by CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Serena Altschul.

Please welcome Wenju Zhang to Kutztown University for the Spring 2018 semester. She is a Visiting Artist/Scholar in the Department of Art and Art History. She is a specialist in printmaking who also studies Chinese folk art from Yuncheng University in Shanxi Province, China. For more information please contact Prof. Evan Summer in the Department of Art and Art History.

Evan D. Summer, Department of Art and Art History Daily Brief, 01252018

The Center for Mallet Percussion Research at Kutztown University is scheduled to be featured on CBS Sunday Morning this weekend, Sunday, Jan. 28. CBS Sunday Morning can be seen on your local CBS affiliate at 9 a.m. EST. The segment, which was filmed at Kutztown University earlier this month, will highlight the development of the marimba, the J.C. Deagan Company, the contributions of Clair Omar Musser and the unique variety of xylophones, marimbas and vibraphone in KU’s collection.

Daily Brief, 01242018

The female members of the Department of Mathematics along with students from the Association for Women in Mathematics student club hosted a “High School Mathematics Day for Girls” on Thursday, Jan. 18. High school students and their teachers from nine local high schools came to KU for a day of activities designed to encourage young women to continue studying mathematics and to pursue careers involving mathematics, the sciences, technology and engineering by offering role models and mentors.

Daily Brief, 01262018

APSCUF-KU Executive Committee President- Amanda Morris; Vice-President- Bill Donner; Secretary- Albert Fu; Treasurer- Ju Zhou; Delegates- Tabetha Berstein-Danis, Lisa Frye, Michael Gambone, Daniel Haxall, Jason Lanter, Amy Lynch-Biniek, Thomas Stewart, Thomas III Robinson; Alternate Delegates- Darren Achey, Angelika Antoni, Kevin Mahoney, Robert L. Smith, Anke Walz, Carol Watson; Senate Representative- Henry A. Alviani; Health & Welfare- Dina Hayduk; Grievance Chair- Ruth Perkins 3 3 3

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Congratulations KU student Briana Zdradzinski ‘18 was invited by Governor Tom Wolf to attend Tuesday, Feb. 6 joint session of the Pa. General Assembly in Harrisburg.

Zdradzinski said of the experience: “While it was amazing to go to Harrisburg, sit in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, and listen to Gov. Wolf's budget address, the true honor of the day was meeting the governor of Pennsylvania himself at his home.”

Daily Brief, 02082018

Kutztown University's Astronomy Program attended the January 8-12 meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), Washington DC. Dr. Phill Reed, Department of Physical Sciences, and B.S. Physics/Astronomy students Bethany Tirrell and Tiffany Visgaitis presented research.

Tirrell and Visgaitis presented "Decreasing Computational Time for 'VBBinaryLensing' by Point Source Approximation" that summarized the work they did at University of Salerno, Italy, last summer. Reed presented his recent work, "Long-term Spectroscopic and Photometric Monitoring of Bright Interacting Algol-type Binary Stars." The winter meeting of the AAS is the nation's largest astronomy and astrophysics conference and the experience afforded the students opportunities to network and meet award-winning scientists from all branches of astronomy. Phillip Reed, Department of Physical Sciences Daily Brief, 02092018

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Congratulations

Your radio voice of KU just brought home the most trophies in organization history at the 2018 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) awards. Winner of both the Best Station Playlist/Music Selection and the Best Specialty Show. Awarded finalist in six categories: Best Use of YouTube, Best Talk Program, Best Use of Social Media, Best Documentary, Best Play-byPlay: Men’s Basketball and Best Social Media Director.

Mike Regensburger, KUR

The Kutztown University women's basketball team had four players score in double-figures led by 20 points from Rylee Derr in a 70-65 victory over a tough Cheyney University squad on the road on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 17, securing head coach Janet Malouf's 350th career win. Malouf, the winningest women's basketball coach in school history, ranks fifth all-time in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in career wins, reaching the 350-win milestone versus Cheyney. She will have the opportunity to move in fourth-place in PSAC career victories with a minimum of three games remaining for Kutztown, needing 353 to pass Clarion's Margaret Parsons (352). Daily Brief, 02192018

Twenty-two Kutztown University students joined hundreds of students, faculty and alumni from the 14 PASSHE universities at the Capitol on Thursday to participate in the #prepared4PA rally and visit elected officials to advocate for support for higher education.

Daily Brief, 02232018

Daily Brief, 03062018

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APSCUF-KU Gives Back

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KU faculty members Doug Lea, Mike Gambone, Eric Johnson and Tom Stewart spent a Saturday in October working on three Habitat for Humanity homes on Tulpehocken Street in Reading. The volunteer event was sponsored by APSCUF-KU. Daily Brief, 11102018

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KU Leadership

Faculty President, Delegate: Amanda Morris, English Vice President, Alternate: Bill Donner, Anthropology/Sociology Secretary, Alternate: Albert Fu, Anthropology/Sociology Treasurer, Alternate: Ju Zhou, Mathematics Delegate: Tabetha Bernstein-Danis, Special Education Delegate: Lisa Frye, Computer Science & Information Technology Delegate: Michael Gambone, History Delegate: Daniel Haxall, Fine Arts Delegate: Jason Lanter, Psychology Delegate: Amy Lynch-Biniek, English Delegate: Thomas Stewart, Academic Enrichment Delegate: Thomas III Robinson, Psychology Alternate: Darren Achey, Physical Sciences Alternate: Angelika Antoni, Biological Sciences Alternate: Kevin Mahoney, English Alternate: Robert L. Smith, Communication Studies Alternate: Anke Walz, Mathematics Alternate: Carol Watson, Elementary Education Coaches President: John Gump Vice-President: Judy Lawes 7

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Is Kutztown University Free to Choose its Freedoms? By Mariah Little

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Chaos erupted during the Fall 2017 semester on Kutztown University’s campus when members of Matthew 24 Ministries arrived to profess their views, and which offended students.

According to an article from December 2017 in The Reading Eagle the ministry members shouted phrases such as: “Obey Jesus or hellfire,” “Women belong in the kitchen,” “You are not a good person,” as well as remarks aimed towards gay, muslim, and feminist students on campus. This display, and eventual protest, caused controversy over the use of the freedom of speech on college campuses in Pennsylvania.

Since then, according to The Reading Eagle, the issue is now being discussed in Harrisburg as to whether or not the right to freedom of speech needs to be protected on Pennsylvania college campuses. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) is pushing for states across the country to develop legislation that protects that right for students and faculty members. Several states have already developed Campus Free Expression Acts such as; Colorado, Utah, Missouri, Virginia, North Carolina and Arizona. It is possible Pennsylvania could be next. State Senator David G. Argall, a Schuylkill County Republican, led the conversation, and listened to testimony from higher educators, and a member of FIRE on January 23.

During the debate, Rodney A. Smolla, dean and professor of law at Widener University’s Delaware Law School argued against the points made by Joe Cohn, FIRE’s legislative and policy director, by insisting that the right to the freedom of speech is not in as desperate need of saving as Cohn is insinuating.

It is Kutztown University policy that anyone is allowed to come speak because it is public property. However, the Public Safety office requests at least 24 hour notification regarding the presentation, in order to plan safety measures for all parties. FIRE argues that the freedom of speech should not have to be requested, or let anyone be aware of prior.

This situation is not the first time Kutztown University has been criticized for their policies about the freedom of speech for their students. According to The Morning Call, Kutztown University was put under scrutiny earlier in 2017 for erasing chalk messages from the group Students for Life, a pro-life club on campus, because the messages did not reflect the views of the university as a whole. However, as an end result to that argument the university changed their policy in order to better reflect the needs of freedom of speech for students.

During the meeting Dr. Valerie Harrison, Senior Adviser for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Temple University, undercut the argument made by FIRE when she claimed that students do not comprehend all the concepts that go into free speech when they get offended.

Harrison and Smolla, both being closely intertwined members of the system of higher education find the quest for legislative intervention on this issue is unnecessary. However, Kutztown University students and faculty seemed to be excluded from the conversation that is discussing their future, and how to protect freedom of speech. It is still unclear as to whether or not Argall intends to pursue a bill. ~Mariah Little, Professional Writing ’18, APSCUF KU Intern http://www.mcall.com/news/nationworld/pennsylvania/mc-kutztown-university-changes-chalk-writing-policy20170613-story.html http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/kutztown-university-students-demonstrators-clash http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/campus-free-speech-debated 8

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Kutztown and PASSHE in Financial Health or Frugal Sickness? By Mariah Little

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Spring 2018 Spring 2016

It is not an uncommon phenomenon to hear about universities, and the state system complaining that the funding is not there for certain things or cuts will have to be made in order to compensate for the lack of funds. We’ve all heard it, and we should all want to become a part of that conversation. Not the conversation to make the cuts, but the conversation as to why certain people believe that cuts need to be made or on why funds are diminishing because the evidence just isn’t adding up. The lack of understanding or knowledge of what happens to the finances that we are putting into this system is appalling. I am guilty as well. It has been easily overlooked because of administration or legislation feeding the public the cries of red, or bellows of poverty. However, this year APSCUF-KU and faculty members are embracing their skepticism, and pursuing the wealth of understanding to become a bigger part of the conversation.

On Thursday, February 15, Dr. Howard Bunsis came to Kutztown University to explain the financial audit he performed on both the Kutztown, and PASSHE systems. He had the support of many Kutztown University faculty members, APSCUF-KU union members, and various students. In his findings he compared the documented finances of both systems as wholes, and compared them. He also compared these findings to what they had released to the public. In his findings he explained the discrepancies between what the University and State system reported, and how their finances actually are.

The state system and Kutztown University are not facing significant financial struggle. Things are not as good as they could be, but when are they? Yes, enrollment has declined, but it is not as bad as it once was. The state system has over one billion dollars in reserves- a sort of rainy day, or emergency fund- that they are just holding hostage, yet are crying poverty. If the reserves were spoken for or tied up in more serious matters the money would be in different accounts, or being spent on institutions for higher education. It is hard to say the money isn’t there, when we already know it is. Over the past ten years the growing financial burden of the university has fallen to the pockets of the students, or the dignity of the campus rather than the State system. It all just is not adding up. How is the deficit so great when there have been raises in tuition and cuts to programs? It is difficult to try to unsee the analysis of Dr. Bunsis, and these questions will not just fade with time.

It may be easy to chalk up these claims as his word against theirs, but why wouldn’t skepticism come into play with greater understanding? I am fully aware the system and the university are businesses. They consider finances far more seriously than I would, but when is it going to be considered that they are being too serious, and strict with the funds? I am not saying we can snap our fingers and change the situation, but there comes a point where we need to be more than bystanders to this conversation.

~Mariah Little, Professional Writing ’18, APSCUF KU Intern

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OUR LEGISLATIVE GOALS AND AGENDA APSCUF LEGISLATIVE GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR 2017-2018 SESSION A. Secure adequate funding for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to secure a tuition freeze.

B. Secure funding for the faculty professional development fund.

C. Protect member retirement fringe benefits and options.

D. Work in solidarity with the labor movement to preserve workers’ rights (e.g. preserve fair share, prevailing wage, collection of union dues, oppose liquor privatization, and support raising the minimum wage).

E. Protect tenure and academic freedom.

F. Support legislation or regulations that would increase transparency for the State System of Higher Education.

G. Advocate for student voting rights.

H. Work to decrease the indebtedness of State System students in different ways including changes in PHEAA grants and studying other states’ solutions for student debt.

I.

Identify and build policy solutions to help Cheyney University recover from recent financial and institutional problems, including the promotion and financial restoration of the Cheyney Keystone Honors Academy.

J. Promote legislation that properly regulates for-profit institutions of higher education.

K. Advocate for greater privacy protections for members as it pertains to the right to know law.

20/26 ANNUAL PAY OPTION WINDOW: Nine-month pay faculty who are interested in changing their pay options from 20 to 26 pays or vice versa may do so during a window period from April 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019. The change will be effective for the first paycheck of the Fall 2018 semester, which is September 14, 2018.

If you so choose to change your option, please complete the 20/26 Pay Option form and return it to our Human Resources office in the Kemp building. Please note that this is the only opportunity to make this change during this academic year. The 20/26 10 Annual Pay Option has been distributed to faculty.

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Creating Racially and Ethnically Diverse Faculties “What’s noticeably missing from postsecondary attainment goals, now set by 40 states, is an effort to change the racial culture of colleges and universities generally -- and classrooms more specifically. These gaps make it unlikely that our state’s postsecondary system can reach the goal of 60 percent of our residents age 25 to 44 earning high-quality credentials by 2025.”

~ Estela Mara Bensimon, 03.26.2018: Inside Higher ED, https://goo.gl/Ztyq9m

Are Small Classes Best? It’s Complicated “The idea that small classes are best is intuitive. With fewer students in the room, a professor should be able to devote more time to each one, giving, for instance, more in-depth feedback on their writing. But comments like Kaw’s piqued my curiosity. What is the connection between class size and quality, anyhow? And if small classes really are better, how do you define what counts as small?” ~Beckie Supiano, 03.21.2018: The Chronicle of Higher Education, https://goo.gl/EXGcm8

We Must Cancel Everyone’s Student Debt, for the Economy’s Sake "According to the Levy Institute paper, authored by economists Scott Fullwiler, Stephanie Kelton, Catherine Ruetschlin, and Marshall Steinbaum, canceling all student debt would increase GDP by between $86 billion and $108 billion per year, over the next decade. This would add between 1.2 and 1.5 million jobs to the economy, and reduce the unemployment rate by between 0.22 and 0.36 percent."

~ Eric Levitz, 02.09.2018: New York Magazine, https://goo.gl/gkufKv

The Lure of the Lazy River ""The effort of some LSU administrators to push for an $85-million recreation complex at LSU is inconsistent with the state’s financial condition, inconsistent with fiscal responsibility, and inconsistent with the prior statement of some administrators that state higher ed is in dire straits," said Mr. Milkovich, who, in 2016, cast the lone Senate vote against allowing college governing boards, rather than lawmakers, to set tuition rates. (Louisiana voters went on to reject the measure)." ~ Jack Stripling, 10.15.2017: The Chronicle of Higher Education, https://goo.gl/hbE5ux

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much ~ Helen Keller

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Meet delegate Dr. Daniel Haxall. Daniel has been a delegate for two years. He is the chair of the Art and Art History Department here at KU. He is also a member of several committees such as: the membership committee, the temporary faculty committee, and the athletics committee.

Thank you for all your hard work! ~Mariah Little,

Meet the Delegates

Professional Writing ’18, APSCUF-KU Intern

Meet delegate Dr. Amy Lynch-Biniek. Amy is a professor here in the English department here at KU, the chair of the local temporary faculty committee, a member of the state level adjunct faculty committee, and a part of the meet and discussions team. Thank you for all your hard work! ~Mariah Little, Professional Writing ’18, APSCUF-KU Intern

Upcoming APSCUF-KU Events Friday, April 5

Application deadline for APSCUF-KU Fall 2018 Internship

Fri. April 12-Sat. April 13

Legislative Assembly

State College, PA

Thursday, April 19

Rep Council

3:15pm

Friday, April 20

Application deadline for APSCUF Student Scholarship

Tuesday, May 1

Executive Council

Thursday, May 11

Labor Relations Director, Sara Miller visits

Thursday, May 11

Rep Council

3:15pm

3:15pm

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CLUW wants to let you know of an open call to help recruit a new generation of women labor leaders. Ally organization WILL Empower (Women Innovating Labor Leadership) is asking for help to identify and recruit the first members of the WILL Empower Apprenticeship Program A new program designed to provide entry level opportunities to work in economic justice movements. Click here for more information about WILL Empower: https://www.willempower.org.

Will Empower is looking for rank-and-file workers and student activist graduates with a proven commitment to social and economic justice who want to explore long-term jobs with workerbased organizations. WILL Empower’s paid apprentices work for three to twelve months with unions and worker justice organizations across the nation in a variety of capacities, including organizing, research, communications, politics, mobilization, and policy. The first group of apprentices will begin work in the fall of 2018 after completing the WILL Empower cohort gathering and training program.

CLUW is proud to support and uplift WILL Empower as a newly-launched, multipronged initiative designed to identify, nurture, and train a new generation of women’s labor leadership.

Click here to read more about them at https://www.willempower.org/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/WILL-Empower-Apprenticeship-InformationGuide.pdf?link_id=1&can_id=9c0db27703534a595fa881a88f0a6c45&source=email-forwardedopportunity-will-empower-apprenticeshipprogram&email_referrer=email_324903&email_subject=forwarded-opportunity-will-empowerapprenticeship-program

Note that WILL Empower is also recruiting for their inaugural Innovative Women Fellowship, designed for developing a new idea for the future of labor and building worker power. Letters of interest for the fellowship are due April 6.

For more information contact willempower.labor@gmail.com.

Be sure to share these opportunities and be a part of building female leadership for the future of the labor movement! Thank you!

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