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10/6/2016, 7:46pm

Hundreds of faculty rally at state system office

By Troy S. Okum
Hundreds of faculty rally at state system office
Troy S. Okum

Shippensburg University faculty members spend hours walking the picket line and chanting.

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The chanting faculty members could be heard through the brick wall and bay windows of the state system office in Harrisburg today while the Pennsylvania Board of Governors (BoG) convened.

Dozens of cars and several buses brought in members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) from across the state at 8:30 a.m. Shippensburg University professors stood out in neon yellow shirts, and many more walked on in blue jeans and T-shirts.

Armed with signs and banners they walked in a growing circle on the doorstep of the Dixon University Center, which serves as the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s (PASSHE) administrative headquarters.

At 9 a.m. more than two dozen faculty members went inside to attend the quarterly public meeting and hear their colleagues address the BoG. University presidents, Chancellor Frank Brogan and several state legislators, among other board members, listened to faculty comments for more than half an hour before they moved on to normal proceedings.

Many of the speakers were temporary adjunct faculty who expressed distain for PASSHE’s proposals. In a live Facebook address Wednesday APSCUF President Kenneth Mash said adjunct faculty would either have their workload increased by 25 percent or their salary decreased by 20 percent under the proposed contract.

“Adjunct faculty perform a very specific role in higher education,” said James Greenburg, an SU professor of political science and adjunct faculty member. “We are a selective and distinct compliment to tenured faculty, as we try to bring a blend of specific combination of education and focused experience to supplement and compliment the needs of students to work in conjunction with tenured faculty.”

Greenburg said increasing the adjunct faculty course load would fundamentally change the way he is able to engage with his students.

As the silence grew between speakers the chanting of protestors grew louder — “Hey hey, ho ho, Frank Brogan has got to go,” and “What do we want? Contract. When do we want it? Now.” Inside PASSHE’s headquarters Mash suggested opening the blinds behind Brogan to let the sunshine in, receiving laughs from faculty and administrators.

“My colleagues are here and I think you’ve heard that; not because they want to be disruptive; not because they want to create any kind of disturbance,” Mash said. “They’re here because they want you to see that they’re real people.”

Adjuncts are real people and struggling to make a living and finish degrees in some cases, Mash said. The faculty are protesting and threatening to strike, Mash said, because they believe in quality education.

When Mash finished many of the faculty members left the chamber to go back to the picket line outside. With the arrival of more faculty the line thickened and stretched further down the property line. Passing cars honked their horns and the crowd cheered. Chants continued and signs were waved, some with reminders that the strike date is 13 days away.

The next and last round of negotiations before the strike is to start on Oct. 14. It is to last for three days, Mash said, adding negotiators will work into the night. He said APSCUF is prepared to set up picket lines on every major entrance of the 14 state system universities and in Harrisburg.

Read the full story and more updates on the negotiations in the upcoming issue of The Slate. Visit theslateonline.com to view videos of the rally.

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