By now, everyone should have seen the UA Digest Special Edition email (sent
on Monday, March 18 at 5:11 PM) announcing the Board of Trustees’
establishment of a Voluntary Separation or Retirement Program (details can
be found at: https://www.uakron.edu/hr/docs/vsrp-summary.pdf). After the
BOT authorized the Administration to develop such a plan, representatives
of the Akron-AAUP Executive Committee, along with outside counsel, met
several times with senior UA administrators regarding its terms. The
Administration made it clear that they were going to offer a
separation/retirement incentive. Through a series of negotiations, EC
representatives were able to make the plan materially better for faculty.
Over and above the exact terms of the incentive plan, our major concerns
were — and remain — the effects that the plan will potentially have on the
size and composition of the bargaining unit faculty. Before the end of May,
we will begin to have an idea about the plan’s impact. We are encouraging
all units who stand to lose faculty to immediately develop requests for
replacements. At the same time, we will be meeting with UA administrators
in order to address, among other issues, the appropriate size and
distribution of tenure and non-tenure track faculty. We will keep you
up-to-date on the progress of these discussions.
As always, the Akron-AAUP will continue to fight for shared governance,
while working with the Administration to advance the interests of faculty,
students, and the institution.