Faculty of PA Owned Universities on Strike (Penn, Sylvania: credit, transfer)

[Wells5]

These 14 schools started out as State Normal Schools then became State Teachers Colleges and now they are universities. It doesn't matter that these college teachers are some of the highest paid in the USA and that their salaries dwarf those of private college faculty. And one should understand that when teachers strike, they are not striking against the state or the school district but against their students, that is against children.

No doubt, the state will cave to the teachers and guess who will foot the bill for the undeserved increase in pay?

The Associated Press

[Dequindre]

If they won't work, hire temporary replacements (which is an idea that has been kicked around by PASSHE). That would send the message that no PASSHE professor is indispensable.

[bluecarebear]

Not to mention the number of grad students and assistants at the teacher's disposal.

They are wasting the time and money of students. I would pull my kid out of school or have them transfer.

[Dequindre]

Originally Posted by bluecarebear

Not to mention the number of grad students and assistants at the teacher's disposal.

They are wasting the time and money of students. I would pull my kid out of school or have them transfer.

I think PASSHE would probably pull through with the temporary faculty if this thing was to drag on, especially considering that temporary faculty was a sticking point of the earlier proposed contracts. PASSHE would be sending a message and "saving the day" for students, so to speak.

[Flyers Girl]

From the article:

"We are headed to the picket lines, but even on the picket lines, our phones will be on, should the State System decide it doesn't want to abandon its students," union president Kenneth Mash said in a statement.

The only people abandoning the students are your teachers, Mr. Mash.

[trackstar13]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

I think PASSHE would probably pull through with the temporary faculty if this thing was to drag on, especially considering that temporary faculty was a sticking point of the earlier proposed contracts. PASSHE would be sending a message and "saving the day" for students, so to speak.

APSCUF represents more than 4,000 faculty members, how would you find 4,000 Ph.D. credentialed people in a variety of fields on short notice? Not to mention the fact that to many faculty members temporary jobs are not that appealing so they would probably have to find people locally rather than recruit from outside the state.

[Dequindre]

Originally Posted by trackstar13

APSCUF represents more than 4,000 faculty members, how would you find 4,000 Ph.D. credentialed people in a variety of fields on short notice? Not to mention the fact that to many faculty members temporary jobs are not that appealing so they would probably have to find people locally rather than recruit from outside the state.

Professors don't need a Ph.D. Many of the adjuncts have Masters degrees.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Wells5

...these college teachers are some of the highest paid in the USA and that their salaries dwarf those of private college faculty.

Didn't know that. All I keep hearing is how they haven't had a raise in X years.

[trackstar13]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

Professors don't need a Ph.D. Many of the adjuncts have Masters degrees.

This is only partially correct and many university accreditations require that there is a specific ratio of terminally qualified faculty. While there has been a recent proliferation of adjunct and temporary professors without doctoral degrees, there still needs to be a significant number of academically qualified faculty to maintain specific accreditations. These accreditations are extremely important for many academic programs and some of these programs cannot exist or are significantly devalued without these accreditations.

[sedimenjerry]

Students are getting the shaft. This is an argument between the faculty and PASSHE but it's the students that are being threatened. I can't believe how many of my fellow students support the faculty on this when we have so much to lose and very little to gain. Doesn't necessarily mean I'm on board with PASSHE but even the current rejected proposal would make tuition rise even more than it already will (good luck getting a tax increase). And honestly, it's PASSHE. A huge draw is the affordability, not necessarily the quality of education. It's not bad but it's not great. This whole "it's for the quality of education" is misleading.

What really irks me is that we the students are caught in the middle with no representation or say in the matter (faculty does not have our back, they are striking for their own interests, some of which may benefit us). We're nothing but bargaining chips but we have the most to lose. Fortunately two of my classes are taught by an adjunct who isn't striking.