Phone: (814) 227-2420

www.apscuf.org

February/March 2021

Executive Committee: President – Joyce Overly; Vice President – Mark Kilwein; Secretary – Christopher McCarrick; Treasurer – Linda Lillard; Delegates
–Joyce Overly, Jennifer May, Barry Sweet, Jacqueline Knaust, Mark Lepore, Annette Rosati; Alternate Delegates – Ellen Foster, Jonathan Touster,
Cristin Ketley, Jamie Phillips, Lorie Taylor; Coaches President – Chris Weibel; 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; State
APSCUF Executive Council – Joyce Overly
Faculty Meet & Discuss Team: Joyce Overly, Barry Sweet, Adam Roberts, Mark Kilwein, Jennifer May, Mary Buchanan, Chris McCarrick (recording sec.)
Coaches Meet & Discus Team: Chris Weibel, Matt Hanhold, Keith Ferraro, Eric Laughlin, Joyce Overly & Mark Kilwein

Dear APSCUF Brothers and Sisters,
My last day of face-to-face teaching and working in my campus office was March 6, 2020. Now,
almost exactly a year later, the availability of vaccines is expanding and the numbers of cases and
deaths, while still tragically high, are lower than they have been. I think we’re seeing the beginning
of the end of the pandemic.
At the same time, I think we’re reaching the end of the beginning of the planning process for consolidation of
Clarion, CalU, and Edinboro into a “New U.” The Chancellor has set a goal of presenting the implementation plan to
the Board of Governors at its April 14-15 meeting. If the Board approves the plan, the next step is a 60-day public
comment period with at least two public hearings. Final approval of the implementation plan by the Board would
occur in July, and execution of the plan would begin immediately after that. Many Clarion faculty members have
been members of the working groups and sub-groups developing the plans, and I am grateful for all the time and
thought they have put into this work.
One important aspect of the planning process was not addressed until very recently: the numerous complex and
intertwined provisions in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) which must be negotiated before consolidation
can occur. As state president Jamie Martin explained in her recent letter, APSCUF reached out the Chancellor’s
Office last fall but was rebuffed. Negotiations finally began in February with the exchange of proposals for an
interim curriculum approval process; additional negotiations meetings are planned for March.
There are dozens of thorny issues related to the CBA that must be resolved, but I have enormous confidence in our
Negotiations Team: Jamie Martin, state vice president Chris Hallen, APSCUF Labor Relations Director Mary Rita
Duvall, West Chester faculty member Margaret Irvin, and attorney Amy Rosenberger. Chapter presidents from two
consolidating universities, Marc Sylvester from Edinboro and Peter Campbell from Lock Haven are participating on
the team as well. The team is advised by the Negotiations Committee, made up of the chapter presidents from all
14 universities, which sets the priorities for the team and votes on proposals from management. The negotiations
process will take a long time to complete, but at least it’s now underway.
If you have questions or comments related to the consolidation process, don’t hesitate to reach out to your APSCUF
Departmental Representative or to me. Be well, and hopefully we will be able to resume some semblance of normal
public life soon!
In solidarity,

February/March 2021

www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion

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SPRING 2021 MEETINGS
(Please mark your calendars!)
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC)
Held virtually on Zoom @ 3:30 pm
Tuesday, March 16
Tuesday, April 6
Tuesday, April 20*
*Note: General Spring Elections
DEPARTMENTAL REP COUNCIL
Held virtually on Zoom @ 3:30 PM
Tuesday, March 9
Tuesday, April 13

MEET & DISCUSS MEETINGS
Held virtually on Zoom @ 3:30 pm
Friday, March 12 – Pre-Meet & Discuss
Friday, March 19 – Meet & Discuss
Friday, April 9 – Pre-Meet & Discuss
Friday, April 23 – Meet & Discuss
Friday, May 14 – Pre-Meet & Discuss
Friday, May 21– Meet & Discuss
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Held virtually on Zoom
Friday, April 16, 2021

REMINDER: State APSCUF in Harrisburg and our local Chapter Office staff continues to serve you remotely until further
notice. They all remain accessible via email and phone. Thank you for your patience as they respond to your
communication as soon as they are able.

SPRING 2021 SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS SCHEDULE
(Read memo on pages 6 & 7)
 Overload and Related Payments – March 26, 2021
 Distance Education Payments – April 23, 2021

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP/BARGAINING UNIT MEETING/“MEET THE CANDIDATES” FORUM/SEAN CRAMPSIE,
DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS VIRTUAL CAMPUS VISIT
The General APSCUF Membership and Bargaining Unit meeting will be held Tuesday, March 30, 2021, @ 3:30 pm via
Zoom. The General Bargaining Unit meeting will include “Meet the Candidates” Forum for the 2021 Spring General
elections which includes announcement and introduction of the candidates for Contractual Committees and APSCUF
offices and positions.
Following the General Bargaining Unit meeting/Meet the Candidate Forum, there will be a “short” General APSCUF
Membership meeting.
After the “short” General Membership Meeting, we welcome guest speaker, Sean Crampsie,
Director of Government Relations! Some of the issues Sean will update us on is:


State system consolidation - Where the current process is, what is or isn't being
discussed and answered, what the next few months will look like during this process
and what it means for you;



Pennsylvania Budget - how much state support can we anticipate for the State System and where negotiations
stand as we head toward the June 30 budget deadline



Nellie Bly Scholarship Proposal - what the proposal may look like, legislative hurdles, and the future of
scholarship programs in PA



Higher Education Legislation - what is being done in Harrisburg on union rights, affordable higher education, and
student debt issues

Please mark your meeting calendar and come welcome Sean to our campus…virtually!!

February/March 2021

www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion

2

REMINDERS – Note DEADLINES!
ATTENTION FACULTY: 20/26 ANNUAL PAY OPTION WINDOW APRIL 1, 2021 THRU APRIL 30, 2021
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, 2021 to April 30, 2021. The change will be effective for the first
paycheck of the Fall 2021 semester which will be on September 24, 2021. (Please read APSCUF President Jamie
Martin’s letter on pages 8-9 in this newsletter.)
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.

ENHANCED SICK LEAVE PAYOUT RETIREMENT INCENTIVE: The deadline to submit a retirement notice and
receive the maximum Enhanced Sick Leave Payout (ESLP) is Monday, March 15, 2021, with an effective date of
retirement on or before June 30, 2021. Eligible faculty members and coaches who submit notice to retire by that date
will be paid for 112 or 125 days of unused sick leave, depending on years of service, instead of the normal maximum of 50 days.
Between March 16, 2021 and September 30, 2021, faculty and coaches who submit a retirement notice with an effective date
between of retirement between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 can receive a payout for up to 75 or 87 sick days.
Please note that faculty members currently on an approved phased retirement plan are also eligible for the
payout.
Anyone who is interested in taking advantage of this offer should contact Shelly Williams in Clarion
University’s Human Resources office at swilliams@clarion.edu .
Also, if you wish to have a one-on-one virtual discussion on Zoom with Bim Arthun, Director of Membership
Services, please directly contact Bim at barthun@apscuf.org for a date and time.
CLARION APSCUF 2021 FALL SCHOLARSHIPS: Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2021 Clarion
APSCUF Scholarship to be awarded to six (6) Clarion University students. Any student wishing to apply must be
currently enrolled at Clarion University with a minimum of 3.2 QPA following completion of the Fall 2020
semester. Eligibility, instructions and application can now be downloaded at
www.apscuf.org/universities/clarion .
Deadline for submission is Friday, March 19, 2021 @ 12:00 pm. Please feel free to share the direct link
to the “fillable” application: Application for APSCUF Scholarship .
CONSOLIDATION TOWN HALL FOR STUDENTS: State APSCUF will be holding a Consolidation Town Hall for
students on Thursday, March 11 from 3-4 pm. State APSCUF leadership and staff will answer consolidationrelated questions from students and student journalists. The event will be open to students from all 14 State System
universities. Please feel free to share this information to interested students to the consolidation section of APSCUF's
Students page, where they can register to attend the event.
Please note: The event is exclusively for student at State System universities. APSCUF members may attend, but student
questions will be given priority. By registering for this event, you certify that you are a STUDENT or APSCUF member at a
university in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Anyone who registers for the event who is not a State System
student or APSCUF member may not receive login information or will be ejected from the event.
February/March 2021

A HEALTHY U REMINDER: Deadline for participation is May 31, 2020
It is not necessary to agree to the HIPAA authorization in Sharecare. It is required that
you agree to the ADA/GINA authorization on an annual basis.
Let’s back up for a moment. On January 8, the State System emailed faculty and coaches about the 2021 Wellness Year, which
runs January 1 through May 31, 2021. For those enrolled in the Highmark PPO, you and your enrolled spouse/domestic partner
must complete the Sharecare RealAge Test prior to May 31, 2021, to avoid paying a 10% penalty on your healthcare premiums for
the contract year July 1, 2021, through June 30, 3022.
A link in the email sends you to the Sharecare platform where you are required to login and complete the ADA/GINA authorization.
Once completed, a second screen pops up for the HIPAA authorization. The two screens look the same, and it appears as
though you must check the box to continue, but you do not. You may leave the HIPAA authorization blank and simply hit
SUBMIT to proceed.
For those who elect the HIPAA authorization, Sharecare will have access to your personal health information from the State
System, Highmark and/or any healthcare providers (including, without limitation, all physicians, physician groups, hospitals, nursing
facilities, pharmacies and other providers (each an “Authorized Organization”).
If you elected the HIPAA authorization and would like to withdraw it, you may do so by contacting Sharecare at 1-800-858-9063.
-Bim Arthun, Director of Membership Services

2020 TAX TIP: TAX SEASON IS HERE! IF YOU ITEMIZE, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING
2020 TAX DEDUCTION FOR UNION DUES:

February/March 2021

Nominating Petitions packets will be sent via Email the week of February 1st. All Nominating Petitions must be
returned by 4 PM, THURSDAY, MARCH 18 to Rachel Newbury, N & E Chair at rnewbury@clarion.edu.

GENERAL SPRING 2021 ELECTION CALENDAR
 Thursday, March 18: Nominating petitions due by 4 pm to Rachel Newbury,
Nominations and Elections Committee Chair @ rnewbury@clarion.edu and to Jan
Walters, Office Manager @ jwalters@clarion.edu
 Friday, March 26: Candidate Statements due from candidates to be published in the Clarion APSCUF
April Newsletter (e-mail to jwalters@clarion.edu)
 Tuesday, March 30: “Meet the Candidates” Forum @ 3:30 pm on Zoom - Candidates introduced;
comments and questions
 Week of April 5 & 12: E-mail reminders of the Spring 2021 Election to be held through Survey
Monkey. Included will be the slate of candidates and their statements.
 *Monday, April 19: Ballots sent for voting through Survey Monkey @ 6:00 am to campus e-mails.
 *Tuesday, April 20: Voting continues through Survey Monkey. Polls close at 4:00 pm.
 Tuesday, April 20: Verification of winners by N&E Committee. Announcement of winners.
*Note that the General Spring 2021 Elections will be held in conjunction with the Faculty Senate Elections on
April 19 and 20, 2021 through Survey Monkey. The Faculty Senate Elections will be a separate e-mail ballot.

The Following Faculty and Coaches positions are open. (Please review Qualification & Functions Summary.)
APSCUF OFFICERS & COMMITTEES:
 President: 1 two-year term
 Vice President: 1 two-year term
 Secretary: 1 one-year term
 Treasurer: 1 one-year term
 Delegates to Legislative Assembly: 1 two-year
term
 Alternate Delegate to Legislative: 3 two-year
term
 Nominations and Elections Committee: 2 twoyear term
 Venango Campus Representative: 1 one-year
term

February/March 2021

UNIVERSITY-WIDE CONTRACTUAL COMMITTEES:
 Promotion Committee: 3 three-year term
 Sabbatical Leave Committee: 2 three-year term
 Tenure Committee: 2 three-year term
 CCPS: 2 three-year term
APSCUF COACHES’ POSITIONS:
 COACHES’ PRESIDENT – 2-year term (Delegate
to Legislative Assemblies)
 COACHES’ VICE PRESIDENT – 2-year term
(Alternate Delegate to Legislative Assemblies)
 COACHES’ ALTERNATE – 2-year term
(Alternate to the Coaches’ President & Vice
President)
 COACHES’ GRIEVANCE CHAIR – 2-year term

February/March 2021

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February/March 2021