Teach-in: What you can do, even if you teach online courses

It can be hard to know how to make a difference when the union is fighting a tough battle with the administration. We often don't want to alienate our tenure-track colleagues, and arguing for pay raises can be extremely difficult during times when our students and their families are facing extreme and heart-wrenching financial difficulties.

However, the misfortunes of others are not a reason to believe that we, too, should be unfortunate. To put it simply, two wrongs don't make a right. The disparate pay of lecturers - in comparison to even high school teachers - indicates an injustice in the treatment of university lecturers, and we have every right to protest such an injustice. Educating students on these matters is the purpose of the upcoming Teach-in. Nevertheless, to do so intelligently and with compassion during a recession is no easy task.

LEO has posted a Teach-In presentation you can use for your own students. But I find that a more personal explanation of why each of us is invested in the union's work can accomplish a more compassionate, nuanced, and effective message. So how are you planning to modify your message for the Teach-in this Wednesday and Thursday, April 7th and 8th? Take 10 minutes of your class time to help students understand how university policy affects their education.

Here's the message I'm posting for my online courses:

In the next few weeks you may hear about some university instructors objecting to the pay and benefits provided by the university administration. I want to take a moment to be sure you understand why this is happening, and to welcome your questions, and to be sure you are aware of how this might affect you.

First, there are two main types of university instructors, tenure-track and non-tenure track (lecturers). Tenured professors work full-time, have benefits, and are often involved in both teaching and research. Lecturers most commonly are hired part-time by several universities (for example, I also work at Michigan State University), although many lecturers work for U of M full-time, and mainly work teaching courses.

This difference reflects a general national trend toward part-time workers in universities:



The problem with the trend toward part-time workers is not only the loss of protection of professional intellectual freedom, but the resultant tendency for part-timers to work at several universities, thus dividing their time between several student bodies, and often without benefits. There is also a great differential in pay, with lecturers averaging (nationally) $20,000-$35,000 per year. You can compare this to the national average high school teacher's salary of $52,000 per year (actually, the Michigan average is higher). So, in part, lecturer frustration stems from being paid less money despite higher education and preparation for our work.

In 2002, lecturers at U of M formed a union, the Lecturers' Employee Union (LEO), in order to negotiate higher pay and benefits. As we are renegotiating our contract, the university is prepared to eliminate benefits for some lecturers, and is refusing to pay us commensurate with the pay of high school instructors. This is why many lecturers will be protesting and educating students about this matter in the coming days, especially on the Ann Arbor campus.

I hope that you know that during these difficult times, I am especially sensitive to the notion of seeking pay raises when so many families are struggling, especially in Michigan. However, there is good reason to believe the the University of Michigan is in good shape financially and we should think seriously about precisely why universities have endowments as large as $7.6 billion, if not for difficult financial times. Most importantly, we need to think nationally about why, if college tuition is rising at such a steep rate, the increased revenue is not being spent on teaching.

My highest priority is always the quality of your education. I hold my students to the highest of standards, and I expect no less of myself. During the next few weeks, please know that your education will always come first. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to e-mail me.

Remember - the Teach In is THIS Wednesday and Thursday, April 7th and 8th. Join LEO for bargaining in Ann Arbor: Friday April 9th, 9:30am-5:30pm, in the School of Social Work.

UM School of Social Work
1080 South University Ave.
(Corner of South University & East University)

Negotiating room—
Education Conference Center, 1st floor

LEO caucus room—
Room 1804