Basic Information for IUP Faculty

The Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) was formed in 1937 as a professional organization for faculty at Pennsylvania's fourteen state teachers colleges. We have become one of the nation's most effective higher education faculty unions. In 1972, we negotiated our first collective bargaining agreement (CBA). We led in securing passage of Act 188, establishing the State System of Higher Education (SSHE) in 1983. The organization has been a major voice in the development of the fourteen taxpayer-owned universities in Pennsylvania.

APSCUF is faculty: full-time, part-time, tenured, tenure-track or temporary. Any SSHE faculty member can belong and the great majority, across the state and at IUP, do (about 4600 members).

Many wrongly assume that their pay, benefits and working conditions are the "natural order of things." As the legal bargaining agent of System faculty, APSCUF negotiates pay schedules, benefits, teaching loads, other responsibilities, faculty roles in university decision-making and many other vital aspects of faculty members' professional lives. Thanks to over a quarter century of successful negotiations, SSHE faculty enjoy:

APSCUF activities are not limited to negotiation. The union overseas contract implementation, making sure that agreed-upon contract terms are observed. This includes:

APSCUF also administers faculty benefits programs, such as

APSCUF does what most people think "traditional" unions do. But we also represent the special concerns of higher education faculty by negotiating agreements that:

APSCUF advocates for public higher education to Pennsylvania citizens and elected officials. The union engages in public relations and lobbying activities. We work with public officials, other organizations and unions, and administrators to defend higher education as a wise investment for the people of Pennsylvania.

By working with local unions, funding student scholarships and participating in service activities, IUP-APSCUF helps faculty become valued members of the community. Social events, local newsletters and other activities help remind us that we are a community with shared values and common goals.

Q & A

Who belongs to APSCUF?
All faculty, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary may belong to APSCUF. Members pay dues equal to 1% of their salary. All members may fully participate in all aspects of union activity. Those who do not belong pay a "fair share" fee (which is .9% of salary) to compensate APSCUF for costs incurred in negotiating and administering programs for their benefit. Thus the additional "cost" of becoming a member is actually one-tenth of one percent (0.1%) of salary.

 

What are the dues/fair share used for?
Your dues or fair share payments fund the cost of negotiating and implementing the CBA. APSCUF engages in lobbying state government concerning issues important to faculty and to public higher education. Only the state president, the state office staff and the local office secretary are paid by dues - most union work is done by faculty volunteers. APSCUF frequently hires additional communciations and legal support.

"The semester before the first contract my teaching load was 18 contact hours."

How is APSCUF Organized?
State-level governance is through an Executive Council of elected state officers and members at large. The state president is an elected faculty member who is the chief executive officer of the union. The policy making body of APSCUF is the Legislative Assembly, composed of delegates elected from local campuses based on the number of members (IUP currently has 14). Faculty direct the actions of the union by participating in the Legislative Assembly and 15 standing ommittees which oversee and suggest policy regarding everything from grievances and retirement to personnel and investments.

In support of our work, APSCUF maintains an office in Harrisburg near both the state capitol and the SSHE center. The president represents the faculty to the Chancellor's office and the state government. A processional staff of 14 is engaged in APSCUF administration, contract implementation and government relations. The union has three attorneys and three part-time government relations specialists on staff. The APSCUF Newsletter and hotline originate from the state office.

Each system campus has an APSCUF chapter with officers elected biannually by the members, and several standing committees. The IUP Representative Council is the policy making body of the local; members are elected by each department. The work of the local is done by standing and ad hoc committees covering many matters from grievance to health and welfare. Comunication is by newsletter, e-mail and membership meetings.

What do APSCUF Committees Do?
They are involved in every aspect of faculty life. Two important committees are Grievance and Meet & Discuss. The former helps faculty to resolve grievances locally and, should it be necessary, follows through at the state level. Meet & Discuss negotiates with local administration about important issues not specially addressed in the CBA.

What is CAP?
Because unions are forbidden by law to help fund the election of "friendly" candidates for state office, APSCUF has a separately incorporated political action group called Committee for Action through Politics (CAP). Members are encouraged to contribute.

Are faculty unions good for higher education?
Clearly the quality of public higher education in Pennsylvania has improved due to the CBA. The size and academic reputation of the SSHE have grown. Faculty qualifications and quaolity of life have improved due to the strong salary and fringe benefit packages negotiated by APSCUF. Furthermore, salary and benefits of administrators have grown in concert with those of faculty.

Don't Unions like APSCUF promote an "us-versus-them" attitude?
Administation and faculty have honest disagreements on many matters. The role of SSHE managers and IUP administrators is to present and defend their perspectives on issues, while APSCUF assumes the same responsibility for faculty. The CBA can actually eliminate many disagreements by incorporating mutually agreed upon provisions.

"Before the contract, I did not have Blue Cross/Blue Shield for me or my wife and children because I couldn't afford it."

I just don't like the idea of unions; why can't I negotiate with the administration myself?
APSCUF is the legally recognized bargaining representative of SSHE faculty; it is like a cooperative association where the dues are pooled to pay for services and procedures that we cannot afford individually. While individual bargaining might benefit some in the short term, it is hard to imagine how it would benefit all of us over the long run. The System administration speaks with one voice; so too must the faculty.

I am unhappy about parts of our current CBA; how can I influence issues to be negotiated in the next contract?
Join up, then speak up. Contact the local or state president and make your feelings known. Write letters to the editor of the local and state newsletter. Ask your departmental rep(s) to represent your views at Rep Council meetings. APSCUF is like other bureaucracies: it needs to be prodded. Answer the questionnaire which is distributed before each contract negotiation to determine faculty priorities. Unless the leadership hears from you, it is assumed you are happy with the way things are.

What kind of issues can APSCUF negotiate?
Wages, benefits and working conditions are at the heart of any union's collective bargaining process. Working conditions which apply specifically to higher education faculty include teaching load, shared governance, academic freedom, curriculum matters, professional development, etc. Much is "on the table" for the give and take of negotiations, but many items are withing the sole purview of the administration.

How can I join APSCUF?
Contact the local APSCUF office and tell Bonnie Jo Young (bjmarlin@iup.edu) that you want to join. A membership form will be sent to you.

 

Some Important Phone Numbers:
IUP-APSCUF Office: 724-357-3021
State APSCUF Office: 800-932-0587, hotline #5
Health & Welfare Fund: 717-233-4776
Highmark Blue Shield: 866-727-4935
TIAA-CREF: 800-842-2010
SERS: 800-633-5461
IUP Human Resources: 724-357-2431