Higher Education

10/5/2020

In which we consider the matter of why UMB’s administration would choose to propose new contract language on “academic freedom” and what questions this raises about cultures of surveillance. 

The examination combines the techniques of an observing hierarchy and those of a normalizing judgement.                      

--Michel Foucault, Discipline and Punish 

Greetings, Colleagues: 

9/28/2020

Greetings, Colleagues:

9/22/2020

Dear FSU Members,

Following up from the below email from last week, the FSU writes to remind members of the meeting tomorrow to discuss the attached report, the steps taken so far, and those that still need to be taken, in order for the FSU to address issues of racial justice for faculty on our campus.  This meeting will take place on: Wednesday September 23, from 9:30 to 11:00. 

Contact the FSU or Steve Striffler for Zoom info.

9/21/2020

Dear FSU Members,

Tomorrow morning, Tuesday 9/22, the UMass Board of Trustees will be meeting. A number of union leaders – including myself and PSU President Anneta Argyres-- will be speaking at the meeting and urging them to roll back the draconian budget they adopted on 7/20, which called for a 6% cut to UMass personnel on all campuses. We need your help to get the Board of Trustees to hear us!

9/21/2020

On this holiday, AFR Submission Day, we invite the membership to think about what it really means to evaluate the work we do, especially with respect to our public-facing contributions.

Greetings Colleagues!