Transcript Powerpoint
Background • UH is designated a Carnegie I Major Research University. • UH faculty, therefore, have a responsibility to carry out Instruction, Research, and Service at the undergraduate and graduate level. • UH-Manoa is unique, however, with its rigid faculty sub-classification scheme of I vs. R, and the extent to which we use S. Background • Tenure Track I-faculty are found in nearly all disciplines. • Tenure Track R faculty (90%) are R-faculty are clustered into 4 programs (SOEST, CTHAR, IFA and Cancer Center). • S-faculty (Specialists) are widespread across all departments/units athough 50% are located in just 3 units (CTHAR, Education, Student Affairs). • A-faculty (Agents) are found only in CTAHR. • 85% of B-faculty (Library) are in the Library. Background • The current BOR description for the Instructional (I) classification includes the open ended phrase “... and to perform related tasks as assigned”, without making specific mention of the Research and Service duties. • The current BOR descriptions for Research and Specialist faculty make no mention of Instructional duties. • This is going to be unsustainable in a economic setting wherein the Administration is increasingly being forced to fight budget cuts as opossed to increased budgets. Background • While some isolated units still function well under the defined classification, The reality is that most units on campus no longer practice or employ the faculty classification as it was originally conceived. • Times have changed - many units have had to resort to “split” appointments to meet the changing demands on their units. • The faculty classification actually makes if very difficult for faculty and their units to adapt to changing expectations and a changing market place. Misconceptions • This is a 9 month vs. 11 month issue – actually there are a significant number of 11 month I faculty on the books. • This is a disguised to replace S faculty with APT's – the reality is that their inclusion is seen as a method to protect the position. • The Admin is going to use this resolution as a tool to implement an evil agenda – the reality is that they can do that anyway, and the act of putting forth a pro-active resolution actually undermines their ability to do so. • There will be dissent among old and new faculty – so long as the Tenture and Promotion guidelines are well defined, there will be no difference in job duties and expectations. Inconvenient Truths • The State Legislature, BOR, and Admin increasingly don't care about faculty perception of what the University should be. • This sentiment is only going to increase with time as the State budget becomes more stressed with declining revenues and an electorate hostile to University faculty. • The argument will be made that if the S and R positions are so important to exist under definitions that excluse basic I teaching duties, then those faculty ought to (and should) be able to self-fund their positions. Inconvenient Truths • The abolishment of units will continue as a means to deal with retrenching budgets. • The Faculty Senate and UHPA will be powerless to stop this. • As the budget woes continue, units filled with “S” and “R” positions, will be the one's increasingly at risk, not I faculty. • There is no possibility, whatsoever, to make this policy apply to all existing faculty. It can only be applied to new hires and faculty who wish to opt in. • Those that control the University (State Legislature, BOR, Admin, and voting electorate can only envision a CSUS type university, and not a UC style university – they will not support State funds for the R and S positions in the future. Reality • UHPA does not recognize, in contract, the difference between I, R, and S, as they simply regard everyone as "Faculty". • The Law and Med school do the same thing. • If we are not proactive (now) then we will lose all effective control over the future of these job classifications - the reclassification of I, R, and S into a single PF class, with job descriptions and expectations comprehensively defined by the home units Tenure and Promotion guidelines, is the only long term way to protect the concept and spirit of the R and S positions.