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Voting for an Autonomous Faculty Body

Few things are as important to American higher education today than a strong faculty presence. A powerful faculty guarantees that academic and curricular needs come first in university priorities. A strong faculty safeguards academic freedom, the foundation of intellectual advancement. And a strong faculty makes certain that those most responsible for the educational mission of the university are well protected in terms of medical and retirement benefits.

Decline of Professorial Status

Unfortunately, due to the corporatization of academia, faculty voice has grown weak; Villanova reflects this decline in the Professoriat. We are now deciding how best to reverse this trend on our campus. At stake is whether or not we will have an independent organization to decide on faculty concerns, or whether our voice will be lost, once again, in a sea of committees associated with a larger university grouping.

What Villanova Faculty Want

As it turns out, Villanova faculty across colleges have overwhelmingly indicated their preference for an autonomous faculty organization on at least two occasions: the recent Middle States surveys (see next page) to which 60% of the faculty responded and the Faculty Senate vote of 1997 for the "Unified Faculty Voice." The vote on that proposal was 212 in favor and 30 opposed. We are beginning to wonder how many times our position must be tabulated before it is understood to be an accurate expression of our interests.

Unpopular Administrative Initiatives

An autonomous faculty body would negotiate with administrators instead of accepting their unilaterally imposed initiatives such as salaries and reduction of benefits (e.g., health insurance, dental insurance), the addition of curricular and advising responsibilities, the alteration of final exam schedules, the extension of the work year, and the levying of parking and internet fees.

Better Salaries with Bargaining Power

Obviously, most faculty believe that an independent organization would best serve our interests. It is perhaps the ability to bargain collectively that accounts for the excellent salaries among public school teachers in the area. Median salary for teachers in the Lower Merion School District is $74,897 (Philadelphia Inquirer, September 19, 1999).

No disrespect is meant by the above characterization. Indeed, our regard and affection for Villanova is multifaceted. However, the need to assert our independence is clearly evident. We do not wish to have others continue to speak for us, no matter how well meaning. Nor do we wish to see our collective voice further weakened by having to promote our interests through an organization with several competing constituencies.

Revitalizing Villanova

Crucial to our professional effectiveness is the designation of an independent body to represent our needs and desires. If we truly want to revitalize Villanova University, what more far reaching, invigorating step could we take than strengthening the faculty?

Problems with the Rules and Review Committee's Proposal

The Rules and Review Committee of the University Senate has proposed a revision of the University Senate. This Committee had a minority of faculty members on it; its proposal is to be adopted or rejected by the University Senate, on which faculty hold only 30% of the votes, a minority status that continues under the new Rules and Review proposal. There is a complex and cumbersome system of faculty committees. Where the faculty does exist as a separate body, the administration is not obligated to respond to it, nor can it bargain on behalf of the faculty. The newly restructured University Senate maintains the ineffectual Budget Committee, which does not develop the University's budget. That budget is actually made by the University Planning and Budget Committee, on which no faculty or students serve; the UPBC has only administrators on it. Anything the committees of the University Senate do can end up back in the University Senate, where faculty are a minority.

Voting for a Stronger Faculty

Voting "yes" on Question 2 means supporting discussions regarding a single, autonomous faculty body which is not under the University Senate and is the single such body that can bargain effectively for all faculty concerns, including salary, benefits, course loads, exam schedules, and academic policy. If the autonomous faculty body earns the majority of faculty support, the Faculty Senate will initiate discussions in which not only a few faculty are invited but all faculty are invited to participate and vote.

Catholic Social Teaching and Unions

In the Encyclical, "Laborem Exercens" (September 14, 1981), Pope John Paul II stressed the importance of unions and the "right of association" or the right "to form associations for the purpose of defending the vital interests of those employed in the various professions. . . ." Significantly, the Pope argued that "each profession, has its own specific character which should find a particular reflection in these organizations . . . ."

The Pope continued that "representatives of every profession can use them to ensure their own rights. Thus there are unions of agricultural workers and of white-collar workers; there are also employers' associations. All, as has been said above, are further divided into groups or subgroups according to particular professional specializations. . . . It is always to be hoped that, thanks to the work of their unions, workers will not only have more, but above all be more: in other words, that they will realize their humanity more fully in every respect."