After several weeks of negotiating to get a severance package for Intensive English Language Program (IELP) faculty, PSU-AAUP and Administration have reached a tentative agreement. This agreement is in the form of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between PSU-AAUP and the University.
University concessions to PSU-AAUP:
- The University agrees to pay IELP faculty members subject to layoff under this MOA a one-time, taxable lump sum payment of $25,500 on June 15, 2024.
- IELP faculty are eligible to apply for emeritus status, effective when they are no longer on the recall list.
- Any teach-out plan for IELP students will be staffed by IELP faculty on the recall list.
- IELP faculty who receive favorable decisions on their promotional reviews in progress, if recalled, will be employed at their new rank.
- IELP faculty will be entitled to a 50% discount on courses and programs at PSU’s Center for Executive and Professional Education (CEPE).
PSU-AAUP concession to the University:
- The University is not required to follow the contractual processes for layoffs in Article 18 or Article 22, except as specified or referenced in the MOA. In the case of Article 22, this includes forgoing presentations to PSU-AAUP and Faculty Senate and subsequent comment periods.
Per PSU-AAUP’s Constitution and Bylaws, MOAs must be ratified by the PSU-AAUP membership. You will see a ballot in your email inbox to ratify this agreement. The ratification timeline is very short, so keep an eye on your inbox for that vote.
IELP Faculty and PSU-AAUP recommend you vote to ratify this agreement. Without ratification, IELP faculty are not guaranteed any severance or other negotiated benefits when they are laid off no sooner than July 1, 2024.
Why an MOA?
Why would we consider an MOA instead of relying on the contractual provisions in Article 22 (Retrenchment) or Article 18 (Non-Tenure Track Instructional and Research Faculty), Section 2(e) on the terms of continuous appointment?
On February 12th, Interim Provost Chabon told representatives of PSU-AAUP and Faculty Senate Steering Committee that she was recommending to President Cudd the elimination of the IELP. In her request to PSU-AAUP, Interim Provost Chabon expressed her interest in providing a “soft landing” for individuals who would be let go, and in avoiding the public pain of the retrenchment process as required by Article 22. The retrenchment process may only be initiated by the University President and includes no severance pay or other meaningful support from the University. The IELP Faculty chose to support our entry into MOA negotiations, with the understanding that an agreement could provide some financial and other benefits after they were laid off. PSU-AAUP, in turn, felt it important to involve IELP in every aspect of these negotiations, including sitting at the bargaining table.
What’s Next?
- The Collective Bargaining Team will be reviewing the MOA, and forwarding it to the PSU-AAUP Executive Council for a vote.
- The Executive Council will vote on the MOA.
- If passed, PSU-AAUP Members must vote on the MOA via the email ballot.
- The MOA does not affect the Faculty Senate actions required for the elimination of an academic program. The Administration will submit a proposal to Eliminate an Academic Unit to the Faculty Senate. The Administration will also consider PSU-AAUP’s response to the plan for managing the impact of the elimination of IELP.
Take Action
The Board of Trustees Finance Chair Manning and President Cudd stated inside the last Board of Trustees Finance and Administration meeting that they intend to continue the cuts.
Take action to stave off further layoffs:
- Join 684 PSU colleagues and community members in emailing President Cudd
- Join 549 PSU colleagues and community members in emailing the Board of Trustees
- Attend upcoming Faculty Senate meetings wearing your AAUP t-shirt. At the Senate meeting reports from the Interim Provost, and the President will certainly discuss the program elimination and layoffs. The next Senate meeting is April 1, 2024 from 3-5pm.
- Wear your PSU-AAUP t-shirt every Wednesday, recruit colleagues to do the same, and send a group photo to aaup@psuaaup.net.
- Build power inside your union; sign up colleagues who aren’t members