Phone: 814-227-2420 www.apscuf.org December 2016 Executive Committee: President – Ray Feroz; Vice President – Joyce Overly; Secretary – Karen Bolinger; Treasurer – Linda Lillard; Delegates –Ray Feroz, Karen Bolinger, Barry Sweet; Jonathan Touster, Uraina Pack Alternate Delegates – Nancy Clemente, Ellen Foster, Jennifer May, Karl Sprenger, Lorie Taylor; Coaches President - Al Modrzejewski ; Coaches Vice President – Sean Esterhuizen; Coaches’ Grievance Chair – Eric Laughlin; Venango Campus – Paul Klenowski; CAP – Joseph Croskey; DRC – Mary Buchanan; Grievance – Mark Kilwein; Health & Welfare – Marilyn Howe; Legislative – Jonathan Touster; Membership – Rhonda Clark; Negotiations – Ray Feroz; Nominations & Elections – YooJin Ha; Social Justice – Amy Conner-Love; Public Affairs/Relations – Christopher McCarrick; Student Liaison – Naomi Bell O’Neil; Rules & Bylaws – Carey Childers; Mobilization Co-Chairs – Dan Clark & Lorie Taylor; State APSCUF Executive Council – Joyce Overly The President’s Message… Dear Colleagues, As I write this message, APSCUF members are voting on ratification of the tentative agreement. It has been an eventful semester. The strike was nearly two months ago and it seems like it was yesterday. We can be thankful for the positive developments this semester: improved faculty collegiality and strength, enhanced appreciation for our students, and resolve to see reality as it is and speak truth to power. Thank you colleagues for being the best part of working at Clarion University! Wishing you peace and joy, Ray NOTE: The Clarion APSCUF Office will be closed the following days during the semester break: Tuesday, December 13th; Wednesday, December 21st thru Tuesday, January 3rd; Monday, January 16th. The office will reopen on Wednesday, January 4th at 8:00 am. December, 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 1 SPRING 2017 MEETING DATES (Please mark your calendars!) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC) (Rhea Conference Room @ 3:30 pm) Tuesday, January 31 Tuesday, February 14 Tuesday, February 28 Tuesday, March 21 Tuesday, April 4 Tuesday, April 18 (Spring Elections) Tuesday, May 2 SPRING 2017 MEET & DISCUSS (M&D) Tuesday, January 17 - Pre-Meet & Discuss (APSCUF Office) Friday, January 20 – Meet & Discuss (Rhea) Friday, February 3 – Pre-Meet & Discuss (APSCUF Office) Friday, February 17 Meet & Discuss (Carrier) Friday, March 24 – Pre-Meet & Discuss (APSCUF Office) Friday, March 31 – Meet & Discuss (Rhea) Thursday, April 13 - Pre-Meet & Discuss (APSCUF Office) Friday, April 21 – Meet & Discuss (Carrier) DEPARTMENTAL REP COUNCIL (DRC) (Rhea Conference Room @ 3:30 PM) Tuesday, February 7 Tuesday, March 7 Tuesday, April 11 Legislative Assemblies Spring 2017 *February 9-11, 1017 Wyndham, Gettysburg *April 27-29, 2017 Toftrees, State College GENERAL APSCUF & BARGAINING UNIT MEETING is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, 2017, @ 3:30 pm. Location is to be announced. This will also include “Meet the Candidates” forum for the 2017 Spring Elections. Please “pencil in” this meeting on your meeting calendar. NOTE: Spring Elections will be held on Tuesday, April 18th. COMING SOON…..SPRING 2017 ELECTIONS!!! GET INVOLVED!!! Nominating petitions will be arriving in your mailboxes in early February 2017. If you would like to run for positions on APSCUF Offices and Committees and/or Contractual Committees in the April election, please check out the upcoming local APSCUF January 2017 Newsletter for election information and consider running for the available positions. Welcome Aboard New APSCUF Members!! Sheila Kazar – Biology & Geosciences Karen Spuck – Education Cheryl (Brooks) Bowersox – Nursing Are you registered for the NEW MEMBERS ONLY site? To get yourself registered, go to www.apscuf.org. (Note that this takes the place of the old Members Forum site.) Here is the direct link to the registration page: http://www.apscuf.org/membersonly/membershipregistration/ . There you will find all the information on APSCUF’s Special Services such as discounts on magazines, rental vehicles, amusement parks, Verizon Wireless, etc. etc. TAX TIP: TAX SEASON IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER! IF YOU ITEMIZE, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING 2016 FEDERAL TAX DEDUCTION FOR UNION DUES OR FAIR SHARE PAYMENTS: NINETY-ONE (91%) PERCENT OF UNION DUES ARE DEDUCTIBLE WHEN FILING YOUR FEDERAL INCOME TAX RETURN. NON-MEMBER FAIR SHARE PAYMENTS EQUATE TO NINETY (90%) PERCENT OF UNION DUES AND ALL OF THESE PAYMENTS ARE DEDUCTIBLE. December, 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 2 CLARION UNIVERSITY APSCUF 2017 FALL SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are now available for the Clarion University APSCUF Fall 2017 Scholarship to be awarded to six (6) Clarion University currently enrolled students. Applications can be picked up at the local APSCUF Office located in former Rhea Building or at the Venango Campus in Suhr Library and Admissions & Financial Aid office. Or you can now download the instructions and application from the web at: www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion. We are asking once again for you to please announce this scholarship to your students in your classes along with posting this link in each of your D2L course-sites. In advance, the Scholarship Committee wants to thank you for your assistance. (See page 4) Simon Aristeguieta (Chair), Todd Lavin & Deborah Ellermeyer Clarion APSCUF Scholarship Committee 2017 STATE APSCUF SCHOLARSHIP: For Family Members of APSCUF/APSCURF Members Only: State APSCUF is now accepting applications for their annual scholarship program. The scholarship award of $3,000 will only be presented to one (1) eligible applicant in his/her higher education career in August 2016. An eligible applicant must be a “family member” of an APSCUF/APSCURF member in good standing or an APSCUF staff member and must be enrolled at one of the fourteen (14) state-owned universities. Deadline is March 3, 2017. For more information on eligibility and to download the complete application, go to http://www.apscuf.org/images/PDFs/students/APSCUFStateScholarshipProgram2017.pdf . A “HEALTHY U” REMINDER What is Healthy U? The Healthy U program is a customized plan for PASSHE employees, spouses and same-sex domestic partners who are members of the Highmark Indemnity or PPO plan. This program promotes a phased-in approach to wellness and offers additional voluntary tools and resources to assist in improving your health. All personal health information you provide as a participant in the program will be kept strictly confidential and participation is voluntary. Successful completion of the Healthy U 2016-2017 participation requirements by the program deadline of May 31, 2017 will allow you to save significant dollars on your healthcare premiums for the following plan year. Don’t put this off till the last minute. Participate today! Please remember that participating in Healthy U saves you $$$$ (10%) on your premium. This affects anyone who is enrolled in the Highmark, PPO or Comp Indemnity Plan. This includes temporary faculty as well that qualify for the health plan and enroll in the PPO or CI. You should complete Healthy U because you too will pay the additional 10%. Even if you do not know if you will be rehired in the fall – it has been recommended that you should complete it because if you do get rehired, the State System will assess the penalty if they were actively employed during the “activity phase”. A REMINDER to the new Fall 2016 Part-time Temporary Faculty: If you were a new part-time temp for the fall 206 semester and are returning to Clarion University for the spring 2017 semester, please contact Jan Walters in the APSCUF office in January for a PA Faculty Health & Welfare Fund enrollment card. YES, you do qualify for partial vision and dental coverage for you have fulfilled the obligation of serving one semester of the previous three semesters. NOTE: THIS IS NO COST TO YOU WHATSOEVER. Just one of the benefits from APSCUF’s collective bargaining. For detailed coverage for part-time temporary faculty, go to http://www.pafac.com/ptbenefits.htm. December 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 3 -NOW ACCEPTINGApplications for Clarion APSCUF Scholarship To be awarded for Fall Semester 2017 *Applications are available at: *Clarion Campus: Clarion APSCUF Office, Rhea Building *Venango Campus: Suhr Library and Admissions & Financial Aid Office *Or to download the instructions and application, go to: www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: Friday, March 24, 2017 @ 12:00 pm (noon) Return completed application to the Clarion APSCUF Office, Rhea Building, Clarion University of PA Scholarships will be announced on Friday, April 7, 2017 Six (6) $500 scholarships will be awarded to Clarion University students currently enrolled for the Spring 2017 semester, one in each of the following categories: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Child or spouse or parent or domestic partner or their child of a Clarion University APSCUF member Graduate student in Fall 2017 Senior in Fall 2017 Junior in Fall 2017 Freshman or Sophomore in Fall 2017 At large in Fall 2017 Students will be considered for all categories in which they fit. Order of selection will be as per the above. Only one (1) scholarship will be awarded to any one (1) student. If there is not a qualified applicant in a category, the scholarship committee reserves the right to roll that scholarship into the at-large category. The following criteria will be considered in the selection of the recipients:    Minimum of 3.2 QPA of Clarion University coursework Participation and leadership in campus and community service organizations A one page narrative outlining goals and objectives for the future The scholarship award will be made directly to the university in the name of the student to be applied toward fees and/or room and board. NOTE: PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE APSCUF SCHOLARSHIP ARE INELIGIBLE FOR THIS YEAR’S AWARD. Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties December 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 4 December 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 5 December 2016 www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion 6