Eastern Michigan University faculty will hold a rally outside of Strong Hall on Aug. 11 at noon to support bargaining proposals ahead of the expiration of the contract on Aug. 31.
The Eastern Michigan University American Association of University Professors (EMU-AAUP) is at the bargaining table, calling for better course options for students, commitment to shared governance at EMU, and fair compensation.
“We are teachers and we are always thinking about how we can meet the needs of our students,” Matt Kirkpatrick, associate professor of English language and literature at EMU and chair of the EMU-AAUP negotiating team, said. “We’ve heard many concerns about required courses not being offered, so students either delay their graduation, go elsewhere or never graduate. If we can fix that problem at the bargaining table, it’s a win for everyone.”
The bargaining team from EMU-AAUP has a proposal that focuses on retaining EMU students, claiming that ensuring that required classes are available is a key strategy in this initiative. Through a new, flexible method of scheduling summer classes would result in an expansion of course offerings.
Currently, the EMU administration has not responded to the EMU-AAUPs proposal. The bargaining agreement ends on Aug. 31, two days after the start of the fall semester.
