By SHANNON O. WELLS
As discussions continue between the Tenure and Academic Freedom Committee and the Union of Pitt Faculty leadership on how the grievance process will work going forward, Senate Council President Robin Kear recently clarified how some aspects will affect both members and non-members of the union bargaining unit.
Calling the Oct. 10 meeting between the committee and faculty union leadership “successful,” Kear explained at the Oct. 17 Senate Council meeting how grievance-related advising will work related to three existing Pitt policies.
“For any faculty member outside the bargaining unit, TAFC continues to advise, as it always has, related to three university policies and the faculty handbook grievance description,” she said, referring to faculty grievance policies AC 22, AC 23 and AC 28. “And it was also agreed that individual faculty members can continue to advise individual faculty members, regardless of status, one on one.”
However, if a bargaining unit member goes to Tenure and Academic Freedom Committee in relation to any topic covered in policy AC 22, Kear added, they should be referred to the union to be advised “on the only grievance process available to them.”
And while committee members can still informally advise a faculty member, they should not engage that faculty member, supervisor or other administrator outside the bargaining unit on that faculty member’s behalf. If a bargaining unit member goes to the committee in relation to a topic covered in policy AC 28 (related to tenure appeals), besides only a procedural defect related to tenure, they can engage with TAFC as an advisor, as described in that policy.
“There’s some nuance to that, that we’re still working on our language,” she said, adding that Tenure and Academic Freedom co-chairs Carey Balaban and John Kirkwood will likely update committee members in more detail after they meet.
In other items Kear shared with Senate Council:
-
The “overarching issue” of dependent care benefits and retention of faculty came up in several committee meetings she attended. “(University Senate) continues to advocate broadly for this, for all at the University,” Kear said, noting an ad hoc committee on this released a report last fall. “So I made sure that the committee chairs had that report.”
-
School of Medicine Faculty Assembly members continue to meet with Eric Crossman, associate legal counsel in the Pitt’s Office of University Counsel, to discuss questions around the impact of the collective bargaining agreement on medical school faculty and shared governance. “It was very informative. Eric answered our questions, but there are still concerns for medical school faculty about the impact of negotiated issues potentially being applied to them without their input,” Kear said, adding meetings will continue to discuss remedies that go potentially beyond the existing Senate avenues. “We’re still formulating what that might look like for all committee chairs.”
Chancellor’s report
To begin her report to Senate Council, Chancellor Joan Gabel recognized October as Sustainability Month at Pitt, noting the acknowledgement of sustainability in the strategic Plan for Pitt. She encouraged everyone to visit the Pitt Sustainability website to check out specific events and activities happening this month, “but also for events and activities that are happening as part of (Pitt’s) ongoing commitment.”
She also acknowledged and expressed appreciation for the Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, “for everyone who worked so hard to recognize and celebrate throughout that period of time.”
In other news:
-
The search for the School of Law dean is “well underway,” with finalists currently visiting campus.
-
The search for director of the University Center for Social and Urban Research is just getting started.
-
Gabel recognized Geovette Washington, senior vice chancellor and chief legal officer, who is among 11 inductees to the Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania for 2024. Gov. Josh Shapiro and First Lady Laura Shapiro recognized the recipients in Harrisburg on Sept. 25.
-
Pitt’s annual United Way Campaign got underway on Oct. 1. Gabel thanked Lina Dostillo, vice chancellor of engagement and community affairs, for leading this year’s campaign to support vital services to Pitt’s neighbors across southwestern Pennsylvania. “She and our Pitt United Way Campaign Manager Kelly Gilliam produced an excellent video,” Gabel noted. “I encourage you to give it a look. And of course, I encourage you to support the United Way.”
-
Gabel recently visited the Pitt-Bradford campus with Dwayne Pinkney, executive senior vice chancellor for administration and finance and CFO, and Bill Haldeman, vice chancellor and chief strategy officer. She expressed great appreciation to President Rick Esch and the faculty, staff and students and community partners who hosted them.
-
On Oct. 17, Gabel attended the Regional Progress Forum with several local elected officials and other leaders. Co-led by the Office of the Chancellor and the Institute of Politics, the event’s theme this year is “Smart Investments in People and Places: Creating a Vibrant and Future-Ready Region,” which she said is about “place-based innovation and investment, something that we are discussing very actively in the region across many different nuances and angles.”
-
Gabel joined the Division of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement for their annual retreat. She recognized the 275 people “responsible for all the fundraising, donor and alumni engagement for Pitt and UPMC as they gear up for the next comprehensive campaign, (the first) in over a decade,” she said. “This is lining up with the current version of Plan for Pitt, and I think we’re all looking forward to how that will be a fun, energizing set of activities for all of us.”
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
Have a story idea or news to share? Share it with the University Times.