TOLEDO, Ohio — University of Toledo professors from three different unions will do a combined strike for two-and-a-half hours Wednesday due to announced budget and academic program cuts, Erika White, the president of the Local 4319 chapter of the Communications Workers of America, said in a press release.
The CWA chapter, along with the UToledo chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, will have an "informational picket" from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in front of University Hall, White said.
A letter signed by White and UT-AAUP President Tim Brakel, specifically calls out UToledo President Gregory Postel's announcement that 58 academic programs at the university had been cut, "with more to come."
"The only thing this proposal will cut is recruitment and retention, as students enroll in institutions that respect their faculty and provide stable program schedules," White and Brakel said in the letter.
According to the letter, UToledo's General Fund for academic expenses makes up less than half of the total UToledo budget, which includes the University of Toledo Medical Center. Of that half, less than 15% covers the UToledo faculty payroll and benefits expenses, not including members of UTMC.
The letter also claims that in comparison, the budget for the administration is more than 40% of the academic expenses, which is almost three times more than the faculty.
The letter also says UT Executive Vice President of Finance Matt Schroeder has cut $17 million from all of the college budgets except for the medical school. This will cause faculty and program terminations, 'particularly lecturers,' the letter says.
The letter goes on to explain this claim:
"The total cost of lecturer payroll (with benefits included) is less than $10 million, about 2.5% of the academic budget. Lecturers are the lowest-paid full-time UT faculty and teach over 51% of the student credit hours (FTEs). They generate over $125 million in tuition and fees."
In a press release issued on Sept. 26, White also states for the past 18 months the 'UT-AAUP have been negotiating in good faith . . . with numerous issues still unresolved and still no contract.'
The strike on Wednesday will only be UT-AAUP's second since it was founded 30 years ago. The union helps university professors negotiate their contracts.
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