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Monday, October 30, 2017— 3A
security blanket. Something
that I know will protect me and
take care of me if I need it.”
Unlike
tenure-tracked
faculty, lecturers must renew
their fixed-term employment
contracts
whenever
they
expire. Lecturers at the Ann
Arbor and Dearborn campuses
teach a third and half of all
available student credit hours,
respectively.
Shelley Manis, LEO Ann
Arbor co-chair and lecturer
IV in the Sweetland Center,
started the minor in writing
program and has been working
at the Ann Arbor campus for
seven years.
“We are not necessarily any
different
from
tenure-track
faculty and yet we are on a
lower rung on the hierarchy
and we think it’s time for that
to stop,” Manis said.
Ashley
Lucas,
associate
professor of Theatre & Drama,
is an ally for LEO and spoke at
the rally. According to Lucas,
lecturers have more in-person
contact with students on a daily
basis and are an integral part to
her own work as director of the
Prison Creative Arts Project.
“I think you all deserve
the salaries, job security and
all the benefits that are equal
to tenure-track folks,” Lucas
said. “We need to keep fighting
together.
One
faculty,
one
University.”
Manis
has
worked
with
LEO organizers over the past
year to put together a platform
bargaining
for
salary
and
benefits
such
as
increased
pay, reliable health care and
minimum year-term contracts.
LEO surveyed members to
inquire what they wanted most
out of the bargaining session.
According to Manis, members
overwhelmingly
wanted
increased wages.
According to Bill Emory,
campus organizer for Flint and
Ann Arbor North Campus, each
University campus has different
minimum wage salaries with a
40 percent wage gap — $27,300
for Flint, $28,300 for Dearborn
and $34,500 for Ann Arbor.
As a Flint lecturer, Gelderloos
emphasized not only the need
for increased wages for all
lecturers but also for closing
the wage gap among all three
campuses.
“I think we feel pretty
united as a union. We do teach
more and we are paid less, but
I think the union does work
for all of us,” Gelderloos said.
“I am not envious that (Ann
Arbor lecturers) are paid more
than us, but if we are all one
union and all one school with
students getting the Michigan
experience, I think the pay
should be more equitable across
campuses.”
Some
lecturers
rely
on
benefits from the state due to
their low salaries. With many
living below the poverty line,
Manis explained that these
burdens affect teaching in the
classroom.
“We want lecturers to be able
to afford to spend their time
on their teaching rather than
constantly spending their time
trying to prove that they’re
good enough teachers to keep
their jobs,” Manis said. “We
love what we do and we just
want to be recognized more
financially so that we can afford
to live here and afford to keep
doing these jobs.”
In
terms
of
healthcare,
Emory explains in order for a
lecturer to receive healthcare
from the University, the number
of credit points they teach must
be within a 50 percent, half-
credit load, and 75 percent,
3-credit load, range. Rather
than
lecturers’
healthcare
fluctuating depending on their
number of credits taught each
semester, LEO is bargaining for
the University to average their
credit points over the semesters
for lecturers to have a more
reliable healthcare source.
The union is also fighting for
more health care subsidies for
parents with young children
and for single parents, whose
low salaries put a burden on
child care costs.
“One woman was being paid
$28,000 per year and child care
costs $22,000 per year,” Manis
said.
The lecturer review process
is more extensive compared
to the tenure-track reviews.
Manis explains the University
holds interim reviews for the
first three or four semesters
and later conducts two major
reviews. Lecturers must go
through this process every
three years with the first three
reviews tied to renewal of their
contracts.
“We feel like they should
know after twelve years if we’re
good enough to stay,” Manis
said. “Our review packets are
roughly the size and the rigor
of tenured review packets but
the tenure-track faculty goes
through that process once.”
Through
this
bargaining
campaign, LEO wants more
guaranteed renewals and fairer
performance evaluations. The
union believes this can be done
by simplifying the system and
eliminating redundancy.
The lecturer tier system
plays a large role in how
lecturers are treated in the
review and renewal process.
There are two separate tracks
— lecturer I/II which include
solely teaching appointments,
and
lecturer
III/IV
which
include
additional
service
responsibilities. Lecturer III/
IV have stronger job security,
since they have passed major
reviews. According to Manis,
some lecturer Is are hired on
a semester basis and will not
know until December if they
will be teaching next term.
“Lecturer I’s are in a really
precarious situation because
(the University) can lay them
off or bring them back at will.
That not only means that they
can’t prep appropriately, but
that also means that they can’t
budget,” Manis said. “They
don’t know where their next
paycheck is coming from.”
However, lecturer IVs also
hit a wage-earning ceiling.
Manis highlighted lecturer IVs
will never have a significant
increase after reaching this
level and can only achieve
salary increases with these
bargaining sessions.
“I am 42 years old, my
earning potential will top out
after my major review session
this January,” Manis said.
According to Manis, due
to the rigorous nature of the
review process, lecturers are
unable to teach to the best of
their abilities in the classroom.
“Because our review process
is one that makes our jobs not as
secure and stable, it oftentimes
means that lecturers aren’t
going to take risks as much in
the classroom to try new things
because there isn’t as much
room to fail splendidly,” Manis
said.
The main issue of lecturer
salary
also
plays
into
the
student experience. Gelderloos
highlighted that when lecturers
are working several jobs, they
do not have the time or energy
to
put
effort
into
quality
teaching.
“It’s in the University’s best
interest to have faculty who are
good at what they do and our
students deserve someone who
doesn’t just teach part-time
here and there to make ends
meet but deserve people who
have been teaching for while,
who are good at what they do,”
Gelderloos said. “I think the
students get a better education
from more seasoned and less
overworked professors.”
Although
many
elements
factor into the review and
renewal of a lecturer’s contract,
the review committee takes
teacher
evaluations
into
significant consideration. What
many students do not realize is
their lecturers’ jobs depend on
the evaluations.
“It always takes two or three
times when a new course starts
to get it to really work exactly
the way you want it to and
because
student
evaluations
are so important, that can
sometimes put a chilling effect
on innovation,” Manis said.
In spite of this, Manis still
encourages
students
to
be
honest in their evaluations and
emphasizes that the review
results are never at the fault of
the student.
Academia-bound
graduate
students’ futures also depend
on
LEO’s
work.
Rackham
student Rachel Miller, president
of
Graduate
Employees’
Organization,
spoke
about
the
implications
of
these
bargaining sessions.
“You are our future. You are
where we are heading,” Miller
said. “And only 17 percent of
the current faculty teaching
in higher education are in
tenured-track, so your fight is
our fight and your fight today is
our fight in the future.”
Due
to
the
wide
range
of concerns, LEO will hold
bargaining
sessions
every
Friday until contracts terminate
in April 2018, according to
Emory.
“You’re spending so much
time putting together materials
to prove that you’re an excellent,
rigorous, present teacher, that
it’s harder to be an excellent,
rigorous, present teacher in the
classroom because your mind is
divided,” Manis said.
RALLY
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FINALE
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CONVENTION
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BICENTENNIAL
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CAPSULE
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students today across different
disciplines while also issuing a
challenge to the students of the
future.”
The students who helped
to create the time capsule had
the responsibility of collecting
interviews
and
information
in a way that would represent
the
community
and
would
be
relevant
in
a
century.
The project team was led by
Hashmita
Koka,
a
recently
graduated aerospace engineer,
as well as other important
members of the team including
Engineering graduate students
Aakar Sheth and Connor Bluhm,
and faculty lead Aaron Ridley,
professor of climate and space
sciences and engineering. The
team also had non-engineers to
offer alternative perspectives
when gathering interviews.
M-BARC’s unique challenge
is that in 100 years students
will have to figure out how to
bring the time capsule back to
Earth and read the encoded
interviews. The time capsule
also contains the words of the
song “The Yellow and Blue”
embedded in DNA sequences,
which will allow future students
to study the effect of radiation
in space on DNA.
“This was the first official
event with the Bicentennial
committee, and it was really
great to talk about it and to share
our experiences working on the
team,” Koka said. “I hope that
100 years from now people will
actually go back and retrieve
(the time capsule).”
The panel of students held
a Q&A session, during which
members
of
the
audience
inquired
about
the
many
technicalities of the project.
One of the students present
in the audience was Music,
Theatre & Dance sophomore
Zoha Bharwani.
“I
didn’t
realize
how
extensive it (the project) was,”
Bharwani said. “I think it’s so
cool because it bridged so many
diverse groups of people and
so many different schools of
thought.”
At the conclusion of the
event, the audience was given
3-D printed models of the time
capsule itself, which featured
the Block ‘M’ on one side, as they
exited the auditorium. Prof.
Ridley said the idea to have the
audience leave with a miniature
version of the time capsule came
from the students.
“The
students
have
been
unbelievable throughout this,
and they’ve pushed really hard,”
Ridley said. “A lot of the faculty
led initiatives are the faculty
saying you do this and this, but
really it’s been the students
who’ve driven the whole thing.”
The launch date for the
time capsule is expected to be
sometime in May 2018.
spectators to enjoy.
Gary
Krenz,
executive
director
of
the
University
of
Michigan
Bicentennial,
explained
the
goal
of
HAILstorm! was to take people
through the history of the
University with an exciting
presentation.
“It’s a 3-D projection mapping
light show on the façade of
Rackham,” Krenz said. “It’s
going to incorporate all kinds of
stuff from the history, present
and future of U of M-lots of
lights, lots of motion, a huge
amount of energy. People are
really going to enjoy it.”
Krenz also reflected on the
Bicentennial celebrations as a
whole. He discussed how even
though the University enjoys
showcasing all the good it has
accomplished over the last 200
years, it’s also important to
come together as a community
to understand the areas where
the institution fell short.
“When
you
reach
an
anniversary like this, you really
can pull the whole community
together to reflect,” Krenz said.
“Part of this is to celebrate how
great we are, but part of it is
also to think about where we’ve
made some mistakes, and how
do we think about that as we go
forward.”
Rackham
student
Kaitlyn
Portal echoed Krenz’s statement
about the value of bringing
the community together. She
also pointed out recent racist
incidents on campus show the
University still has areas it
needs to improve on.
“I like the way that they
focused on bringing the U of
M community together, and
identified ways that we can
improve
ourselves-especially
recently with the racial events
on campus,” Portal said. “I
think the campus still has issues
it needs to work on. But, I think
events like tonight’s really show
us how we come together as a
community.”
Along
with
areas
for
improvement, LSA senior Aiya
Saad was very impressed with
the Bicentennial showcase of
new technology the University
is developing. Saad explained
she looks forward to seeing the
diverse range of innovations
University students and faculty
create.
“I hope Michigan keeps doing
what they’re doing. I’ve seen
a lot of what people have been
working on in different areas of
campus, and I was so amazed. I
hope to see more of that going
forward,” Saad said.
Krenz hopes the Bicentennial
celebrations
allowed
people
to reflect on the University’s
legacy,
understand
the
challenges it has faced and
obtain a stronger historical
awareness going forward.
University in the continuum”
and the ever-changing colors
represents
diversity
amongst
staffers.
The statue was built to honor
past and present University staff
for their hard work over the
years, as well as the Bicentennial
celebration itself. The idea of
creating a marker honoring the
University’s staff originated from
the Voices of the Staff members
—
an
employee
engagement
program consisting of University
staff members — in 2013, who
believe
staff
members
that
contribute
to
the
University,
should be recognized publicly
for their dedication. Designed
by artist Dennis Oppenheim in
2007, the artwork was gifted by
University alumni Jagdish and
Saroj Janveja who donated the
funds for the statue in recognition
of their appreciation of the staff’s
commitment to the University’s
goals.
The
President’s
office
matched Janveja’s donation.
The couple previously funded
public art placed outside of
Michigan Stadium, the Museum of
Natural History and the soon-to-
be-completed Biological Science
Building, among others.
Jagdish Janveja said he felt he
owed the University something in
return for all that it has done for
him, and hopes future generations
will feel similarly.
“I’d
like
to
inspire
the
students and staff to give back
to the University where they are
studying and spending their life
at,” Janveja said. “This is a way
of giving back. I am trying to
encourage everybody else to help
the university in whatever way
you want to (enrich) the people for
the incoming generations.”
Laurita Thomas, associate vice
president for human resources,
discussed how the statute reflects
the University’s community.
“With its many hues and
constant prismatic changes, the
piece is an apt reflection of our
community, constantly changing
and evolving, comprised of many
colors, backgrounds and beliefs,”
Thomas said.
University
President
Mark
Schlissel then explained why the
University chose to dedicate a
campus site to its employees.
“We wanted to commemorate
the amazing work of the past,
but also recognize that all of our
future goals for Michigan’s third
century and beyond rely on the
dedication and intellect of our
talented staff,” Schlissel said.
After the dedication, attention
turned
to
various
smaller
presentations held under tents in
an effort to keep out the pouring
rain. The tents stretched from
the Diag to the Chemistry and
Kraus Natural Science Buildings.
Food and drinks were provided
to students and passersby at the
event.
The featured tent in the center
of the Diag held various displays
highlighting the revolutionary new
programs and groundbreaking
innovations coming out of schools
and colleges at the University, and
were designed to be interactive in
their format.
Among these activities were
presentations
by
the
College
of Pharmacy highlighting the
college’s programs in personalized
medicine and the Ross School of
Business with speakers including
Business
Dean
Scott
Derue.
Photos could also be taken with
props sponsored by the University
of Michigan-Dearborn campus.
Both the College of Pharmacy
and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
used virtual reality headsets. The
College of Pharmacy utilizes VR
technology to examine human
lungs, among other uses, while
C.S. Mott uses their VR headsets
to provide an entertaining and
positive distraction for young
patients. Those who attended the
exposition had the chance to try
on both pairs of VR headsets.
Since 2015, volunteers from
the Ann Arbor-based technology
school GameStart have partnered
with C.S. Mott to provide VR
headsets
that
allow
patients
to experience roller coasters,
submarines and other virtual
worlds. GameStart’s work goes
hand-in-hand with that of the
Jim Harbaugh Foundation to help
provide VR headsets for patients.
The
remaining
tents
held
exhibits on the value of teaching
and education in the 21st century
and showcased some of the
scientific advancements from the
College of Engineering and other
schools and colleges.
Christie
Donahue,
assistant
director of program development
at the Center for Socially Engaged
Design, explained the importance
of problem-scoping and social,
economic and cultural contexts
related to engineering design.
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the table,” Lawrence said. “It’s the
women who stand up and lead.”
Saturday
centered
around
headliner
Congresswomen
Maxine Waters, D-Calif., with
the Sojourner Truth Luncheon.
Waters was introduced by speaker
Michaela Angela Davis, as the
voice the Democratic National
Convention ignored. Davis insists
when women of color are in the
room, they are bringing a plethora
of different voices with them.
Before Waters took the stage,
Women’s March co-chair Tamala
Mallory
clarified
the
Bernie
Sanders controversy that clouded
the convention a few weeks before.
“The media likes to lie,” she
said, explaining while they are
disappointed Sanders could not
speak due to his choice to travel to
Puerto Rico, Waters was always
the main speaker for the event and
was in fact consulted over their
slogan, “Reclaiming our Time”.
Waters took the stage, focusing
on rampant sexual harassment and
assault women face in all aspects
of the industry. She referenced
former Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton’s book “What Happened”,
in which Clinton described her
discomfort of Trump’s behavior
during the 2016 debate.
Waters said Clinton was advised
to not speak up but she should
have ignored that advice. No
longer, Waters said, should women
tolerate sexual harassment and
should call it out when they see it:
“Keep your hands off!” she said to
a standing ovation.
“Every day (Trump) is in office
is an affront to this nation,” she
said.
Throughout the event breakout
sessions were held on various
topics including discussions on the
Muslim travel ban, women in the
media and the Flint Water Crisis—
were “Little Miss Flint,” Mari
Copeny herself, was a panelist.
Michigan
gubernatorial
candidate Gretchen Whitmer was
one of the speakers for the Planned
Parenthood event. She continued
the theme of the lack of female
representation in the government.
“There
were
more
people
named
‘John’
in
the
room
than women,” Whitmer said,
referencing that there are only two
female Democratic governors in
the country.
Another
panel,
“Say
Her
Name: Police Violence Against
Women of Color is a Feminist
Issue,” featured University of
Michigan
Rackham
student
Maryam Aziz. Aziz is one of
the organizers for Ann Arbor
Alliance for Black Lives, a civil
rights group that, among many
tasks, hopes to bring light to the
police shooting of Ann Arbor
resident Aura Rosser.
Aziz said Ann Arbor has
been able to ignore its anti-
Blackness within the police
department
because
of
its
reputation as a “neo-liberal,”
smaller Midwestern city. She
emphasized to the crowd that
it did not matter whether there
are less deaths caused by police
in the city compared to New
York or Cleveland— Rosser’s still
needed attention.
Aziz also explained Ann Arbor
mayor Chris Taylor consistently
affirms that she was at fault for
Rosser’s shooting and that there
is constant overpolicing of Black
residents on and off campus.