Hello All-

I hope your Spring Semesters are going well. The weeks after Spring Break tend to be some of the busiest in the academic cycle, so I hope all of you are also able to take some time for yourselves.

I want to address a few issues that I have had several recent questions about: first, our 2% increase was implemented starting with our February paycheck. If you did not see this increase, please let us know ASAP. We are still waiting on the back pay for the increase for the start of the fiscal year (for most of us this will be our August payment) through January. I am working with the Provost’s Office and HR to determine when we should expect this. When I know more, you will.

Faculty Senate completed the first stage of their compression study. It is not a secret that salaries are compressed at SIU. This is particularly true at the Associate-level. According to SIU’s Factbook, the average Assistant Professor makes around $2k more a year than the average Associate Professor: https://irs.siu.edu/interactive-factbook/faculty-and-staff/faculty-average-salary-by-rank.php

This is clearly an unacceptable situation. Your Faculty Association is the sole bargainer on issues of salary, and we will be working diligently on this issue. We welcome the work of other campus institutions that bring this issue to light. The FA will be conducting our research and analysis on this as well. Remedies need to be provided soon.

I’m sure you saw President Mahony’s announcement about course-sharing between SIUC and SIUE. The development of this program is in its early stages and there are quite a few administrative hurdles to clear for it to be implemented. Yesterday, I met with my equivalents in the SIUC-NTTFA, SIUE-FA and the SIUE-NTTFA to begin discussing the best means for the unions to respond to this proposal. We all agree that there are positives to this plan, as well as reasons to be concerned. Cooperation with the local unions in implementation is vital and required. As we are seeing more system-level programs being implemented, we are planning for longer-term cooperation between the SIUC and SIUE unions.

If you teach online and are asked by the registrar to provide further information on your course, asked to identify an equivalent course at SIUE, and/or told that SIUE students will be enrolling in your course,please let us know immediately.

In Solidarity,
Jeffrey Punske
SIUC FA President