Members who are being displaced for the Neuberger renovation have begun reaching out to PSU-AAUP about the condition of the Stafford, where a number of departments will be housed temporarily.
The issues we've heard so far are as follows:
- Mold and mildew. Urine Smells
- No elevator, and not ADA compliant
- No spaces for private meetings with students
- Burglar bars prevent egress if there is a fire.
Items #1 and #4 are safety issues. CBA Article 24 Section 4 states:
If a faculty member believes in good faith that his/her present office or classroom assignment presents a clear danger to his/her health and/or safety, he/she may request a temporary reassignment. The University shall promptly respond to such a request and shall make every effort to accommodate the request.
In the past this meant that when a faculty member had a “reaction” to their office, i.e. found it toxic, uninhabitable, or unsafe, they could use this contract section to request temporary relocation. PSU-AAUP worked with faculty members to get moved to offices or other buildings. One faculty member who moved in 2012 due to their office going into a place where they, individually, had a reaction to mold is still in a different office in another building.
As the contract section deals only with the ability of faculty to react to their present office or classroom assignment, they must wait until actually assigned and discover that there are serious health or safety concerns.
We will bring this matter up with administration and advise to expect relocation requests if the above are not dealt with prior to move it.