Resolutions and Statements
Nov. 20, 2013. AAUP endorsed the Faculty Senate Class C Resolution on International and English Language Programs Extension Lecturers. The text concludes:
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate of the University of Washington supports the efforts of American Federation of Teachers-University of Washington English Language Faculty, Local #6486 in their efforts to obtain a fair contract, and supports an agreement that rewards both the performance and long-term commitment of I&ELP Extension Lecturers by providing competitive salaries, multi-year appointments, an evaluation system that promotes collaboration and recognizes professional competence, and a system for career advancement in keeping with the reputation and standing of the UW as a world class educational institution.
See full text here.
June 13, 2013. The governing board of the University of Washington Chapter of University Professors (AAUP) adopted the below statement in support of Seattle Public Schools teacher Jon Greenburg, who is facing challenges to academic freedom.
"The University of Washington Chapter of University Professors (AAUP) calls on the Seattle Public Schools to reinstate the Race, Equity and Gender curriculum at the Center School, and to reinstate Jon Greenberg to his teaching position there. The AAUP advocates for faculty being at the forefront of all academic decisions at the University of Washington, and we believe a similar standard should apply to K-12 education. Our nation's well-being relies on a high-quality public education system that prepares students for college, careers, citizenship and lifelong learning, and strengthens the nation's social, political, cultural, and economic well-being. Helping young people understand issues of race, class and gender is central to creating a culture of social justice. Motivated teachers who have earned tenure by gaining the trust of their colleagues and students must be allowed to exercise their professional judgment in the conduct of their teaching."
April 23, 2013. The University of Washington Chapter of the AAUP urges President Young to tell Haggard Nelson Childcare Resources to respect childcare worker rights
It is our understanding that there is significant support among child care teachers and
staff employed by Haggard Nelson Childcare Resources, who provide child care for UW
students, faculty, staff, and our own children, in forming a union. We urge you to protect the
fundamental right of these employees, many of whom have devoted years of service to the
University community, to make their own decision on forming a union, free from coercion or
intimidation. Some of us also are, or have been, parents of children in these childcare centers,
and know firsthand that having professional, secure workers and consistent staffing is important
to our children’s welfare, too.
We are asking President Young to inform Haggard Nelson management, through a public statement,
that the UW expects Haggard Nelson to remain neutral, guarantee a fair process, and allow child
care teachers and staff to make their own decision about unionization, just as many groups of
UW employees have done. We are aware that Suzanne Haggard has officially addressed HNCR
employees through a letter (enclosed) and discouraged them from forming a union. Making your
support for a fair and neutral process public will help to ensure that Haggard Nelson treats these
members of the UW family with the same care and respect that we treat staff who are directly
employed.
March 9, 2013. The University of Washington Chapter of the AAUP expresses support for the Faculty Freedom to Innovate Bill
An essential element of the “AAUP Recommended Principles & Practices to Guide Academy-Industry Relationships” (a draft report headed toward final form and publication later this year) states, as follows, that the right of faculty to control their intellectual property extends beyond invention:
“Faculty Inventor Rights and IP Management: Faculty members’ fundamental rights to direct and control their own research do not terminate when they make a new invention or other research discovery; these rights properly extend to decisions involving invention management, intellectual property (IP), licensing, commercialization, dissemination, and public use. As such, faculty inventor “assignment” of an invention to a management agent,* including the university that hosted the underlying research, should be voluntary and negotiated, rather than mandatory, unless federal statutes or previous sponsored research agreements dictate otherwise. Faculty inventors and investigators retain a vital interest in the disposition of their research inventions and discoveries and should, therefore, retain rights to negotiate the terms of their disposition. The university, or its management agents, should not undertake intellectual property or legal actions directly or indirectly affecting a faculty member’s research, inventions, instruction, or public service without the faculty member’s and/or the inventor’s express consent.”
Whereas Senate Bill 5247 proposes to fully embrace this principle by establishing a legal prohibition against involuntary assignment of intellectual property produced at Washington’s state universities, be it resolved that:
The UW Chapter of AAUP applauds the efforts of Senators Chase and Shin in proposing SB5247. We strongly support the essential principle that underlies the bill, and we encourage the legislature and the governor to approve SB5247.
February 5, 2013. The University of Washington Chapter of the American Association of University Professors stands by teachers in dispute regarding MAP test administration
The University of Washington’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) voted last week to support Seattle’s public school teachers in their opposition to the “Measures of Academic Progress” (or MAP®) tests required by the Seattle School District for students in all grades (K-12). A unified group of Garfield teachers announced in January they are no longer going to administer the tests to students, and several schools have since followed suit.
AAUP-UW Expresses Support for Seattle K-12 Teachers Opposing Flawed Standardized Tests
The University of Washington’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) works to uphold faculty academic freedom, a public good that ensures the highest level of teaching, research, scholarship and service. Our mission is to advocate for faculty being at the forefront of all academic decisions of our own University through meaningful shared governance, and we believe a similar standard should apply to K-12 education. Our nation's well-being relies on a high-quality public education system that prepares students for college, careers, citizenship and lifelong learning, and strengthens the nation's social, political, cultural, and economic well-being. The University of Washington in particular relies on the state’s public schools to produce college-ready graduates who can succeed in our degree programs. In light of these commitments, we support the decision of teachers at Garfield, Ballard, Sealth, the Center School, Orca K-8 and other Seattle Public Schools who have decided to refuse to administer the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP®), a standardized test that has been imposed despite teachers' principled objections on pedagogic grounds. In keeping with our organization's commitment to faculty oversight of academic matters, AAUP-UW contends that teachers should be regarded as educated professionals fully qualified to advise the School District with regards to assessment of students learning. AAUP-UW therefore calls upon the Seattle Public Schools superintendent to work with teachers to develop a more adequate measure of student progress, and opposes punitive measures against Seattle teachers who are boycotting the MAP test.
November 27, 2012. AAUP Statement of Support for University compliance with Academic Student Employee Contract and Arbitrator’s Decision
The University of Washington chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-UW) urges that the UW administration honor its commitments with UAW Local 4121 to maintain tuition and fee waivers for approximately 4,500 Academic Student Employees (ASEs) in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement.
Fees on ASEs can amount to more than 7% of the ASE income. Competitive ASE income is one of the key factors in the university’s ability to recruit the best graduate students. Fee waivers are needed to maintain competitive salaries. And by providing over half of the instructional contact hours and completing research that enables UW to bring in $1.5 billion in grants and contracts, ASEs are a critical pillar of the UW’s educational mission.
In September 2011, after UW imposed two new mandatory fees (Universal U-Pass and SFR) on ASEs with 50% appointments, the union (UAW4121) filed a grievance alleging that UW was not maintaining tuition and fee waivers per the collective bargaining agreement. The union and the UW administration proceeded to arbitration after the UW made it clear that they were unwilling to work out a solution during the earlier steps of the grievance procedure. The arbitrator and the mechanism for settling disputes were mutually agreed upon by both the UW and the union. The arbitrator found in favor of the union’s position. However, rather than accept this, the UW has chosen to launch a lengthy challenge to the decision, spending money on expensive outside attorneys all the while continuing to impose the fees. Not only is the UW’s action in violation of its own commitments under the collective bargaining agreement, it is also damaging the relationship between the university and the ASEs and a misuse of public resources.
In November, the Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) passed a motion urging the UW to swiftly resolve the dispute with the union. The AAUP-UW stands in solidarity with the ASE body and urges the administration to honor the arbitrator’s decision and maintain the fee waivers.
