I am grateful to Sarah for prompting this discussion and for hearing firsthand (and for
many of you, for the first time) my colleagues' voices. Honestly, these exchanges have me
regretting that I don't work harder to engage you more often.
I've some very strong views on whether we should go this route or not. I'm not sure
they're relevant here at this time. Perhaps a quick word about my experiences with the
AFT and MSU TA unionization might be helpful. In short, the union has done some helpful
things for TAs here. And I be holding back the truth if I didn't also say that they've
helped my office and many of my efforts in getting better development efforts "out there"
and in forms that are helpful to my charges. I believe I've got a great working
relationship with the GEU and I seek to keep it that way. Sure, I've reacted strongly to
issues concerning communication of objectives, what I perceived as surreptitious
behind-the-scenes navigating, opaque organizational behavior, mis-communication, and
concerns that setting a confrontational atmosphere hurts more than helps drive change
here. That said, some of my reactions are more about me than the GEU. Truth is, we work
together, not in opposition, and I hope the climate for TA development is better here
because of that. Regardless of my opinions (and these are just my thoughts. I do not
speak for anyone else or any organization), my #1 priority is helping future faculty be as
good as they can be. That and doing the best we can to improve undergrad education here.
Whether we agree with organization or not, the professional circumstances facing MSU
teaching specialists reflect issues ongoing nationally that have a lot of my colleagues
concerned. My more experienced Specialist peers here know better than I what trends have
emerged in the last ten years: increases in non-tenured instructor and very little if any
serious attention to creating development opportunities. I've dodged salary issues,
insurance, work schedules, class sizes etc. It's not enough anymore to simply say, "Vote
with your feet (although my upbringing, politics, cultural background etc. may have once
had me believe that.)." Those of us who take teaching and the state of the Academy
seriously have unfortunately often let this 800-pound gorilla sit corner-bound and
unnoticed for too long. That said, there are administrators here who continually consider
this in their planning, salary, and development decisions. They definitely "get it." They
are concerned too.
I am leery of organizational leadership of all kinds. I mistrust murky funding
appropriation processes. And I am not keen on paying for something I don't want.
Representatives did visit our office last fall, contacted one of my staff inappropriately
at home. But to their credit, they backed off when I requested it. My irritation with
that aside, I am increasingly mindful that there is a crucial segment of our teaching
population, a seriously committed and important part of our MSU family, that needs more
attention. I try to meet their needs developmentally in some of our programs, but just
can't appropriately, and truth is, it's not a part of our mission. Perhaps there are
political avenues we haven't explored.
I guess I've let my opinion about this slip, perhaps inappropriately, but I am encouraged
that some balance seems to be emerging in this conversation. Are there things we can do to
improve education here, meaningfully allows all parties' concerns to become part of a
well-negotiate process, and most of all, make transparent these conversations? Yes.
I wish I'd been at that meeting.
Warm Regards. I look forward to continue hearing your views on unionization, but also on
how we can help teaching specialists here more effectively, unionization or not.
What a wealth of experience and wisdom we have here.
k
Kevin M. Johnston
Director
MSU Teaching Assistant Programs
9 International Center
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-3063
517-353-3156 (fax)
kevin.m.johnston (SKYPE NAME)
http://tap.msu.edu
Certification in College Teaching
http://grad.msu.edu/teaching.htm
MSU Teaching Thoughts
http://tap.msu.edu/nvgt/rescs/thoughts.htm
T.A.P. Wednesday Futbol
http://tap.msu.edu/PDF/futbolannouncement.pdf
-----Original Message-----
From: MSU Academic Specialists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Stanley L.
Flegler
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:14 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Union Dues
If you want to see where the union dues would be going, please go to
http://www.scribd.com/doc/8972081/MEA-Director-Raises-from-2007-to-2008
Stanley L. Flegler, specialist for 34 years and 100% opposed to being in
the union.
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