Phone: (814) 227-2420 www.apscuf.org April 2022 Executive Committee: President – Joyce Overly; Vice President – Mark Kilwein; Secretary – Christopher McCarrick; Treasurer – Xiaofeng Li; Delegates –Joyce Overly, Jennifer May, Annette Rosati, Barry Sweet, Lorie Taylor; Alternate Delegates – Ellen Foster, Jonathan Touster, Cristin Ketley, Nripendra Singh, Karl Sprenger; Coaches President – Matt Hanhold; Coaches Vice President – Matt Hanhold; Coaches Alternate – Keith Ferraro; Coaches’ Grievance Chair – Eric Laughlin; Venango Campus Rep – Renee Bloom; CAP – Joseph Croskey; DRC – Mary Buchanan; Grievance – Mark Kilwein; Health & Welfare – Amy Shannonhouse; Legislative – Jonathan Touster; Membership – Paul Klenowski; Negotiations – Joyce Overly; Nominations & Elections – Rachel Newbury; Social Justice – Cahndice Matthews; Public Affairs/Relations – Christopher McCarrick; Student Liaison – Marc Sanko; Rules & Bylaws – Jamie Phillips; Mobilization Co-Chairs – Jackie Knaust & Andy Lingwall; State Adjunct Faculty Committee – Natasha Dias, Sheila Kazar *Faculty Meet & Discuss Team: Joyce Overly, Barry Sweet, Adam Roberts, Mark Kilwein, Jennifer May, Mary Buchanan, Chris McCarrick (rec. sec.) *Coaches Meet & Discus Team: Matt Hanhold, Heath Calhoun, Keith Ferraro, Eric Laughlin, Joyce Overly & Mark Kilwein The President’s Message… Dear Clarion Coaches and Faculty, There was an important development at last week’s Legislative Assembly. After discussion, the Assembly voted to amend the state APSCUF bylaws to require that campuses at consolidated universities maintain separate chapters. We now have some clarity about how local APSCUF chapters will be structured at PennWest, but there’s still lots of work to be done. For example, how will Meet & Discuss operate, so that faculty from all campuses are fairly represented and their concerns are addressed? Each chapter has its own bylaws; what parts of the chapter bylaws should be amended for the chapters to work together effectively and how similar do the bylaws need to be? To that end, the chapter presidents created an ad hoc committee to examine the three bylaws and make recommendations for revisions. Clarion’s representatives on this committee are Xiaofeng Li and Jamie Phillips, and I very much appreciate their willingness to take on this task in the midst of {gesticulating wildly} all of this. There have been a number of articles published lately about the disengagement of both students and faculty in higher education. The Great Faculty Disengagement describes how faculty members, stressed, overworked, and burnt out, are stepping back from university service and shared governance. The Great Resignation may not be as extensive in higher ed as it is in other sectors of the economy, but the disengagement is real. I see it in the dwindling numbers of people willing to run for offices or serve on committees. At the Chapter Presidents meeting at Legislative Assembly, President Jamie Martin asked the presidents to share positive stories from their campuses. As we went around the table, the happy stories were few. I don’t know how the disengagement can be reversed. We’ve been through the double-whammy of an almostbut-not-really-over national trauma and the upheaval of integration. At the same time, I think how much worse circumstances would be if not for APSCUF and members willing to take on the work of the union, and I am grateful. Hang in there, friends! Only a couple weeks of exams, projects, and grading stand between you and summer break. In solidarity, April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 1 SPRING 2022 MEETINGS (Please mark your calendars!) EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC) @ 3:30 pm Tuesday, April 19 MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS, ELECTIONS & GATHERINGS *Clarion APSCUF’s End-of-the-Semester Gathering – Thursday, May 5 @ 4 pm at CRBC MEET & DISCUSS @ 2:30 pm Friday, April 15 – Pre-Meet & Discuss Friday, April 22 – Meet & Discuss Friday, May 13 - Pre-Meet & Discuss Friday, May 20 – Meet & Discuss NOTE: The Clarion APSCUF Office will be closed on Friday, April 15 and Monday, April 16 in observance of Good Friday and Easter. FACULTY RETIREMENT RECEPTION: This year’s Faculty Retirement Reception will be in-person and will be held on Wednesday, May 4 at 4:00 pm in Gemmell Multi-Purpose Room. Please plan to attend and wish your retiring colleagues well as they begin this new phase of their lives. Funding for this event is generously provided by the Office of the President and Clarion APSCUF. WELCOME ABOARD NEW APSCUF MEMBERS!! Coach Ray Monica – Head Football Coach Coach Peter Collins – Assistant Football Coach REMINDER: ATTENTION FACULTY: 20/26 ANNUAL PAY OPTION WINDOW APRIL 1st THRU APRIL 30th Nine-month pay faculty who are interested in changing their pay options from 20 to 26 pays, or vice versa, may do so during a window period from April 1, 2022 to April 30, 2022. The change will be effective for the first paycheck of the Fall 2022 semester which will be on September 23, 2022. If you so choose to change your option, please complete the 20/26 Pay Option form and return it to our Human Resources office in Carrier between April 1 and April 30th. Please do not return the form to our APSCUF office nor to the State APSCUF office. NOTE: This is the only opportunity to make this change during this academic year. The form was attached to the email announcement or you can request the form from our Human Resources office. SUMMER SCHOOL PAYMENTS FOR 2022 SUMMER SESSION 1: May 20,2022 SUMMER SESSION 2: June 17, 2022 SUMMER SESSION 3: July 29, 2022 SUMMER SESSION 4 (10-week 1st half): July 1, 2022 SUMMER SESSION 5 (10-week 2nd half): July 29, 2022 SEVEN WEEK 1: June 3, 2022 SEVEN WEEK 2: July 29, 2022 April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 2 A Healthy U Reminder – Time is Running Out to Save Money on Your Health Insurance The deadline to complete the Healthy U requirement is only eight weeks away! Not completing the requirement means you will pay a 10% penalty on your healthcare premiums for the period July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023. According to Sharecare, the PASSHE-approved vendor for the Healthy U program, you and/or your enrolled spouse/domestic partner, if applicable, have not yet completed the RealAge® Test. Completion of this health assessment is the only step needed to satisfy the requirement for the upcoming year. Note: The data for the Sharecare report is from March 29, 2022. If you completed your RealAge Test after this date, your activity is not yet reflected in the participation report. NOTE: There is no Healthy U requirement in retirement. Anyone retiring on or before June 30 won't be adversely impacted by not completing the RealAge Test. Remember that PASSHE does not send confirmation emails when the Healthy U requirement has been met. You may verify completion by logging into your Sharecare account at mycare.sharecare.com and clicking on the Achieve icon, and then Rewards. Questions? Complete information about the Healthy U program is available at www.passhe.edu/healthyu. You may also contact Human Resources or reach out to Bim Arthun in APSCUF Membership Services at 800932-0587, Option 1. CAP VOLUNTARY PAYROLL DEDUCTION CAMPAIGN: APSCUF’s Committee for Action through Politics (APSCUF/CAP) is the political voice for APSCUF faculty and coaches. Since its inception in 1981, CAP has assisted faculty and coaches in making informed political decisions. CAP is a nonpartisan organization that supports candidates who will advocate for APSCUF’s goals and priorities. The money collected for CAP is used by APSCUF to advance the causes of higher education, the faculty and state system students by supporting candidates who are pro-education. To find out more about APSCUF/CAP, download the CAP brochure. There are several ways to show your support by donating to CAP: • Use your credit card and donate today through APSCUF’s PayPal account. • Download and complete the Voluntary Payroll Deduction Form to authorize deductions from your paycheck. Once completed, drop the form off at your local chapter office. • Make out your check to APSCUF/CAP and drop it off at your chapter office or mail to: APSCUF/CAP, 319 N. Front St., Harrisburg, PA 17101 HAVE QUESTIONS? Please contact Clarion CAP Chair Joseph Croskey at jcroskey@clarion.edu April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 3 April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 4 SPRING 2022 GENERAL ELECTIONS In conjunction with the Faculty Senate Election, the Spring 2022 General Election for APSCUF Offices & Committees and PennWest’s University-wide Tenure Committee will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20 through Survey Monkey. The appropriate ballot will be sent to your campus e-mail address on Tuesday, April 19 at 6:00 am. You must complete and submit your ballot by on Wednesday, April 20 at 4:00 pm. At that time, polls for both elections will be closed. Note that the Faculty Senate ballot will be under a separate e-mail through Survey Monkey and will be sent to those who are eligible to vote. For your review, below are the slate of candidates/positions open/terms that will be on the ballot. Also, we have included in this newsletter the candidate statements that were submitted. (See pages 8-10) If you have any questions regarding the process of these elections, please contact Rachel Newbury, Chair of the Nominations & Elections Committee. In advance, thank you for your participation in these elections. APSCUF Nominations & Elections Committee: Rachel Newbury (Chair), Natasha Dias, Xiaofeng Li, Jin Qu, Lana Smith SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR THE GENERAL SPRING ELECTION APSCUF OFFICES & COMMITTEES: Secretary: 1 one-year term) ▪ Laurie Pierce Treasurer: (1 one-year term) ▪ Xiaofeng Li Delegates to Legislative Assembly: (2 two-year term) ▪ Jacqueline Knaust ▪ Jennifer May Alternate Delegate to Legislative: (2 two-year term) ▪ Ellen Foster ▪ Barry Sweet Nominations and Elections Committee: (3 two-year term) ▪ Alawya Alawami ▪ Laurie Bladen ▪ Natasha Dias ▪ Xiaofeng Li ▪ Rachel Newbury ▪ Briana Steele Venango Campus Representative: (1 one-year term) ▪ Renee Bloom PENNWEST UNIVERSITY-WIDE TENURE COMMITTEE: (terms staggered: 3-year/2-year/1-year) ▪ Amanda Lockwood (Chemistry - College of Natural Sciences & Engineering Technology) ▪ David Lott (Biology – College of Natural Sciences & Engineering Technology) ▪ Rachel Newbury (Libraries – Faculty Not in a College) ▪ Amy Shannonhouse (College of Education) April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 5 ATTENTION: ALL TENURED CLARION FACULTY OF THE BARGAINING UNIT CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR PENNWEST UNIVERSITY-WIDE PROMOTION COMMITTEE The Clarion APSCUF Nominations and Election Committee announces the General Spring Election for the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee and invites nominations and self-nominations to run for four (4) Clarion Faculty Representative positions and/or one (1) non-teaching faculty representative on the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee. According to the “final procedures” recommended from the Integrated Promotion Committee, the faculty of the three campuses will jointly elect four (4) teaching faculty representatives from each campus, as well as one (1) nonteaching faculty representative. Representatives shall include no more than one (1) member from any department. All representatives must be tenured faculty at the start of the 2022-2023 academic year. TERMS: These positions are for three-year appointments, however, for this initial election, terms of one, two and three years will be awarded based on the following procedure: For each campus, the person who receives the most votes shall be awarded a three (3) year term, the person who receives the second most votes (from a different department than the first) and the person who receives the third most votes (from a different department than the first and second place finishers) shall be awarded two (2) year terms, and the person who receives the fourth most votes (from a department different than the first, second, and third place finishers) shall be awarded a one (1) year term. The non-teaching faculty position shall be a three (3) year term. NOTE: If a member of the UWPC cannot complete their term, APSCUF Nominations and Elections Committee shall conduct an election (meeting the above parameters for membership) to replace the remainder of the term. If the UWPC has already begun its deliberations for the term, then the UWPC may proceed with the remaining membership for the tenure candidates under review. Again, in an effort to comply with current campus guidelines on reduction of campus density due to Covid-19, and with the health and safety of our membership in mind, the Nominations & Elections Committee will keep the nominating process for the General Spring Elections for the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee the same process as the 2021 Spring General Election. Nominating Petitions with the 10 member signatures will not be required. Self-nominations or nominations by others for candidacy will be accepted by e-mail to N & E Chair, Rachel Newbury at rnewbury@clarion.edu until Monday, April 18 by 5:00 pm. Included is a nominating form to be used to self-nominate or nominate persons for the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee. Nominating petitions should be emailed to N & E Chair Rachel Newbury at rnewbury@clarion.edu and will be accepted until Monday, April 18 by 5:00 pm. All nominations will be acknowledged via email. Once the nominee(s) is validated for eligibility and accepts their nomination, each candidate will be asked to include a candidate statement by sending it electronically to Jan Walters in the APSCUF office at jwalters@clarion.edu . NOTE: This election for members of the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee will be held separately from the Spring General Election. This election for the representatives on the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee will take place thru Survey Monkey and the ballot will be sent to campus email addresses. Voting will be held from Monday, April 25 starting at 6:00 am through Wednesday, April 27 with the poll closing at 4:00 pm. ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL faculty of the APSCUF Bargaining Unit from ALL three (3) campuses will be voting on one single (1) ballot and will be voting for ALL representatives from all three (3) campuses for seats on the PennWest University-wide Promotion Committee. April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 6 If you have any questions about this nominations and election process, please contact N&E Chair Rachel Newbury at rnewbury@clarion.edu . The Nominations & Elections Committee encourages all tenured faculty members to consider running for this very important committee. Thank you in advanced for your consideration. The Clarion APSCUF Nominations & Elections Committee Rachel Newbury, Chair, Natasha Dias, Xiaofeng Li, Jin Qu and Lana Smith April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 7 April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 8 April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 9 April 2022 www.apscuf.org/clarion 10