May 7, 2012
TAUP Members Vote 92% Yes On New Agreement With Temple
On May 7, TAUP members ratified a new agreement between the Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP) and Temple University through October 15, 2014. The vote was 328 yes (92.1%) and 28 no (7.9%). Temple’s Board of Trustees is set to vote on the pact on Tuesday, May 8.
Contract negotiations were undertaken in a time of economic stresses and budget pressures facing students, employees, and the institution.
This pact comes early, five months prior to the current contract’s expiration date, evidence of the two sides’ cooperative approach to the talks.Arthur Hochner, president of TAUP said, “The union and the administration came to the negotiations aiming to provide stability to faculty, staff and university finances. We both want to assure that a Temple education remains affordable for the students we serve.”
The agreement extends the terms of the current contract.It also provides for 4% in raises over the two years for the more than 1,350 full-time faculty, librarians, and academic professionals represented by TAUP.
Given the funding uncertainties here and the increasing load of debt that our students bear, we are fortunate to have achieved this. It is a testament to the strength of TAUP that we were able to reach an early settlement when so many of our colleagues elsewhere are experiencing furloughs, benefit cuts, years of salary freezes, and prolonged contract negotiations.
For the first year of the extension (2012-13), we agreed to an ATB salary freeze. However, because merit is important to many faculty members, we did not want anyone’s accomplishments during this year (2011-12) to go unrecognized and unrewarded. Thus, merit awards will be decided during 2012-13, but payment from the 1% pool will be deferred until July 2013.
The freeze is important to help protect our students from bearing the brunt of increased costs through a large tuition hike, such as happened this year. This move will also help to persuade the legislators in the Pennsylvania General Assembly to reduce Governor Tom Corbett’s proposed cutback because the faculty is doing its part – something that legislators pointedly wondered about in budget hearings.
For the second year (2013-14), there is a total of 3% in salary increases, plus the deferred 1% merit pool from the previous year. Much of the additional salary comes through an across-the-board raise – 1.625% for librarians and academic professionals; and 1.375% for faculty members with an additional 0.25% for those submitting their annual report (ARoFA).
The second year also brings a 37.5% increase in the amount of merit pay available, resulting in a 1.375% pool. For the first time, there will be separate merit pools for NTTs and Tenure-track/Tenured (TT/T) faculty. This will significantly increase the amount of merit distributed to NTTs, i.e., more than double what was distributed in May 2011, and will guarantee that NTTs are rewarded for their important work. At the same time, there will be an increase for TT/T faculty, as well as librarians and academic professionals.
There is also new language and more clarity on NTT appointments and renewals in Articles 14 & 15.Article 14 now just concerns Tenure-track faculty, and Article 15, Nontenure-track faculty. Finally, we were able to agree on improvements on TAUP’s access to new hires and to information on department chairs.
All other terms and conditions, as well as processes and procedures from the current (2008-12) contract remain unchanged.
April 24, 2012
TAUP Orthodontia Discount Plan
TAUP is pleased to announce a new benefit for all members of the TAUP bargaining unit and their family members. This is offered by Irene Valenza, D.M.D., an orthodontia specialist and wife of TAUP member Mike Valenza (FSBM/Legal Studies).
Dr. Valenza will provide a 20% discount off her standard fees for orthodontic care. Dr. Valenza treats children and adults with regular braces as well as with invisible aligners (Invisalign).
Her office is located at 960 Old York Road, Abington, PA (on Route 611 just north of Jenkintown, on the Route 55 bus line, or a short walk from the Noble train station of the West Trenton line).
Contact Dr. Valenza’s office at 215-887-1252 for an appointment. There is NO CHARGE FOR AN INITIAL CONSULTATION. Check out her website at www.abingtonorthodontics.com.
To verify that you and/or your family member are eligible, Dr. Valenza asks that you bring:
1. Your Temple ID; and
2. A letter from TAUP stating that you are a member of the bargaining unit.
For more information call (215-763-2287 or 1-7641) or email Terry Kilpatrick at the TAUP office.
April 13, 2012
2012 Election of Executive Committee Members, and Delegates
On February 1, the TAUP office sent you a flyer asking for nominations for candidates to run for office as Executive Committee Members and Delegates. The 2012 TAUP Nominating Committee also worked hard seeking members to run for these positions. As of the deadline for nominations, one person came forward to stand for election for each position.
Article I of the TAUP Bylaws prescribes the union’s election procedures. Section 3 (Ballot and Voting), Paragraph (b) states:
For officers and delegates, if there are only as many candidates as there are open positions, the mail ballot will be foregone and the candidates will be considered elected. For Executive Committee members, if there are only as many nominees as there are open positions, and if all open positions are for full three-year terms, the mail ballot procedure will be foregone and the nominees will be considered elected.
Since the current election process meets the above conditions, there will be no balloting this year.
The following people were nominated and have been elected:
- Executive Committee Members: Five 3-year positions on the Executive Committee: from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2015,
- Patricia Hansell CLA/Anthropology
- Nikki Keach CHPSW/ Communication Science
- Benny Marcus CLA/Sociology
- Karen Palter CST/Biology
- Francis Ryan CLA/History
- Delegates: Five 1-year positions: from May 1, 2012, to April 30, 2013, to represent the TAUP at the AFTPA, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and other affiliates’ meetings.
- Fred Rowland Paley Library
- Barbara Day-Hickman CLA/History
- Joyce Lindorff BCMD/Keyboard
- Karen Palter CST/Biology
- Francis Ryan CLA/History
Congratulations to all those elected!
