‘Friends’ is back! Page 5
THE STUDENT PUBLICATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN-DEARBORN Editor-in-Chief: Kyla Bazzy | umd.mj.editorinchief@gmail.com
Vol. XLIX, No. 18
@MichiganJournal | michiganjournal.org
First no-hitter in UM-Dearborn baseball history
Page 8
February 25,2020
Lecturer summer pay cuts planned, cancelled two days before bargaining (for now) “People should view the school as a three-term school, not two terms and a dangling appendage.” By KYLA BAZZY Editor-in-Chief @kylajustineb
The UM-Dearborn Lecturers’ Employee Organization (LEO) recently held a town hall meeting to discuss the school’s plans to decrease summer course pay. Over 20 current and retired UM-Dearborn lecturers attended. However, 90 minutes before the LEO meeting was to begin, all UM-Dearborn faculty received an email from Provost Susan Alcock announcing that the pay cut would not occur this year. The decision originally “was made last fall following an unexpected shortfall in our enrollments,” according to Alcock in an email to the Michigan Journal. The pay cut would impact the salaries of faculty who teach courses May-August and create the potential for faculty to teach elsewhere. A draft of the pay cut plans was originally sent to UM-Dearborn lecturers. It stated that summer pay would be the lower of two options: Compensation as per current practice per course at UM-Dearborn (for Lecturer I’s and II’s, this is current pay course, subject to raises; for tenured/tenure-track faculty and full-time Lecturer III’s and IV’s, this would normally be 12.5% of their academic salary per three-credit course). OR A fixed rate per credit hour, varied by academic unit and course level, as follows: (Rates may be adjusted in future years) For courses in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters (CASL) $1,750 per credit hour for all courses For courses in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) $2,625 per credit hour for all courses For courses in the College of Business (COB) $2,916 per credit hour for all BBA prerequisite and core courses (except BPS 451) in COB $4,375 per credit hour for all other courses For courses in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) $2,916 per credit hour for all lower level courses (100 and 200 level) in CECS $4,375 per credit hour for all other courses The compensation draft was originally marked as confidential, but that title was stripped when the LEO union mentioned to higher-ups that lecturer salary
is public information. “Summer teaching is considered supplemental, and thus is not part of a faculty member’s standard teaching load,” Alcock told the Michigan Journal. “In an effort to offset the financial shortfall that the campus
will arise next year,” said Alex Elkins at the meeting. Elkins is an LEO organizer on the Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses. He suggested getting both students and faculty involved in the One University campaign as a starting point.
hence my pause on the process.” “This business of calculating pay based on credit hours is a total screw job,” said a lecturer at the meeting. “A course that I teach has lecture and laboratory. It’s four credit hours for the course, but it’s a two course load. The lab is the same load as the lecture. So that means that if I got paid for four credit hours, I’m basically teaching most of a course load for free.” Many attendees were also concerned with the fact that, according to the drafted proposal, those teaching CASL courses would make at least $1,000 less per credit hour than their CEHHS, COB and CECS counterparts. Even lecturers whose job wouldn’t be affected by the pay cut showed up to show their support for the LEO. “Our teaching partnerships with LEO professors are essential to our students’ growth, their education and their future success,” said Dr. John Thomas, a professor of biology at UM-Dearborn. “While I do not normally teach in the summer, I am relieved that Provost Alock decided to reconsider the changes in summer salary, especially so close to the start of the summer term.” Attendees at the LEO town hall meeting, led by Elkins and Marshall (pictured standing) Neither the original summer pay cut Photo//Kyla Bazzy draft email nor the cancellation of the pay experienced, our summer compensation bud- Another lecturer said that they all cut email were sent to UM-Dearborn staff or get came under examination.” have to “be united,” and a third said, “people students “I would like… to take some should view the school as a three-term Elkins believes that any additional time to assess and evaluate campus school, not two terms and a dangling information in emails regarding potential needs and strategies affecting this matter,” appendage.” teaching pay cuts should have also been sent Alcock wrote in the email to UM-Dearborn Many of the attendees were also to all UM-Dearborn staff, as their paychecks lecturers. “In the meantime, compensation worried about the effects pay cuts would have are partially paid for through summer for the 2020 spring/summer salaries will on students, including Elkins and Marshall. teaching revenue. This means that a loss of not change. I look forward to our continued Some mentioned that decreasing summer pay summer teaching revenue by faculty teaching conversations.” would keep some lecturers from teaching in elsewhere could potentially have an impact Luckily for UM-Dearborn the summer, possibly causing a decrease in on all UM-Dearborn staff, including food lecturers, the plan to cut summer salary is on the number of summer classes offered, which service workers, janitors, human resources hold (for now). Still, the sudden cancellation could ultimately keep students from taking and more. of salary cut plans didn’t keep some the classes they need over the summer. Alcock told the Michigan Journal lecturers from speaking their minds about “It will make it even harder for these that as she started to learn more about UMhow UM-Dearborn higher-ups could have kids to graduate on time,” Elkins said. Dearborn’s financial situation and the made this decision in the first place, nor did it “Where is the student-centeredness discussion on decreasing summer salary, she keep members of the LEO from worrying- or in any of this?” said another one of the decided that “taking a pause would be wise.” even expecting- that pay will be cut in the meeting’s attendees. “Where is the practical “We need to do some serious near future. student approach?” thinking about our campus future and our “In CASL it feels like the sky is “We must view all of our decifinancial situation, and unquestionably some always falling... there’s always a crisis,” said sions with a holistic eye toward what is in of those conversations will be challenging,” Erik Marshall during the town hall meeting. our students’ best interests,” Alock told the Alock continued. “This will inevitably inMarshall is a Journalism and Screen Studies Michigan Journal. “The impact of a summer volve a range of budgetary issues.” lecturer, LEO Dearborn Campus Chair and instructional pay cap for all faculty would be While summer pay will remain member of the LEO bargaining team. one aspect of our broad considerations. It is steady for now, there is no word on whether “What can we do? Because this crisis most certainly not a decision we take lightly, salaries will change in the coming years.
Harvey Weistein found guilty on two counts
By KINSEY BURNETT News Editor @kinseyburn
Harvey Weinstein, a former film producer and one of the most highlighted names of the #MeToo movement, was found guilty on two counts on Feb. 24, 2020. He was found not guilty on charges of predatory sexual assault and first degree rape. He has been found guilty of criminal
what’s inside
sexual assault and third degree rape. The court case was filed in New York court. Allegations against Weinstein first appeared in Oct. 2017 and his name hasn’t disappeared from the news since, until this long-awaited trial. Weinstein has been known as one of the most successful film producers in Hollywood since the 1990’s. He first appeared at Miramax and then started The Weinstein
the Michigan Journal
Company with his brother Bob Weinstein, which declared bankruptcy in 2018. Dozens of women have claimed that Weinstein raped and abused them, including Heather Kerr, Natassia Malthe, Louisette Geiss, Angie Everhart and others. The charges Weinstein is accused of involve his former production assistant Miriam Haley and former actress Jessica Mann. Actress Annabella Sciorra also filed charges against
• NEWS 2 • STUDENT LIFE 3 • OPINIONS 4 • ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 5-6 • SPORTS 7-8
@MichiganJournal
Weinstein but he was not accused of these. Weinstein currently is remanded without bail at Rikers Island, where he is awaiting sentencing.
Photo//LA Times
@MichiganJournal
Michigan Journal