The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, or PASSHE, has been under threat of strike since August. At Bloomsburg University, students received an email regarding the strike from President Soltz in the weeks leading up to classes. All in all, however, information to students about the strike from the University has been rather lacking. Few professors have talked about it in classes, and most who do simply say, "We've never been this close to striking, and there is threat of it almost every contract cycle."
Many students have been wondering about the strike, however. How will it affect us? Why are they striking? Will I get tuition reimbursement? Will we have to make up missed classes? These questions prompted me to seek answers.
The union for the faculty of PASSHE schools, APSCUF has been releasing information as it comes to them, with a number of press releases. The PASSHE system itself, however, has been less forthcoming. The most recent post on their website that I can find regarding the strike is dated September 6th. On the other hand, APSCUF posted a press release on the day that I am writing this, September 18th, and has twitter and text updates, the most recent of which was posted only an hour ago.
The PASSHE website provides little to no information about the strike itself. Instead, it attempts to put the minds of concerned students at ease assuring them that they "will continue to bargain in good faith with APSCUF toward a new contract that is fair to everyone, especially students."
From the information we gain from our State System of Higher Education, we still do not know what the strike is even about.
Thankfully, the APSCUF infographic, prepared especially for students, answers that question. It states that the faculty have been working under expired contracts for almost 450 days, and outlines the reasons they are demanding a contract negotiation, and therefore threatening to strike because of the importance they feel these reasons hold.
The reasons may be surprising to some students: the strike is not because they demand a pay raise or better benefits. It is because they feel, with the contractual changes the PASSHE system is suggesting, our degrees as students would become devalued.
To quote the APSCUF themselves, "The State System’s proposal would force you to take distance education classes because on-campus sections are full. It would allow you to be taught by new graduate students instead of faculty with advanced degrees. It would cut funding for faculty scholarship and professional development that allows your faculty to bring current knowledge to your class. It would substantially increase the number of temporary professors and reduce the number of permanent professors."
A Bloomsburg University professor posted his opinion piece about the topic, which was sent to the local newspaper, on Facebook in case it does not get published. If you are worried about the strike, I assure you it's worth the read.
I want professors with doctoral degrees. I want to take my classes at the university I attend. I want professors to attend professional development and bring the newest content in my field to the classroom. We are paying PASSHE to have these luxuries.
My question for the State System is this: if these proposals would come to pass, would my tuition go down?
I'm sure I know the answer.
Furthermore, the APSCUF assures students that they do not want to strike, and would like to reach a negotiation before that would become necessary. It also explains that during a strike, would receive no academic services: no classes, no advising, no library, no letters of recommendation, no faculty advisement at student organizations, no university emails. Classes missed will be made up later.
And how long would the strike last? As long as it takes the APSCUF to reach an agreement with PASSHE.
