LEOunion.org

The Lecturers' Employee Organization has written a letter about conditions of contingent faculty at the University of Michigan to President Barack Obama, who will speak at the upcoming UM commencement ceremonies. On Monday, April 26, LEO's letter was delivered to the White House, thanks to the efforts of the American Federation of Teachers and the office of AFT President Randi Weingarten. Sheryl Edwards, Dearborn campus LEO chairperson, also forwarded a copy of the Obama letter to US Undersecretary of Education Martha Kanter, whom she had met at a recent AFT/NEA Higher Education Conference. The text of that letter follows . . .

Dear President Obama:

As Lecturers at the University of Michigan, we are proud that you will be this year's commencement speaker and welcome you to our campus. Your presence will bring public attention to our great University. It also provides an opportunity for us to express our concerns about the current state of higher education in this country and on our campus.

We are a union of 1400 non-tenured faculty at Michigan, and we are affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers. Comparable with national trends, we teach approximately 34% of the student credit hours. On our Flint and Dearborn campuses, that number rises to 50%. We have played a critical role in teaching the undergraduates you will be addressing on May 1. At the same time though, as is true across the nation, our salaries are low, our benefits are being cut, and we lack job security even after many years of teaching.

We are currently in labor negotiations, trying to address these very issues. Taking just one example, we are seeking equitable pay for the critical educational services we provide students. The University of Michigan argues that our salaries are already in line with regional and national "market" salaries. The majority of our starting full-time salaries range from $25,000-$32,000, barely enough to support a family of four. LEO proposed a six year plan of  annual raises that would bring us closer to equity with the starting salaries of high school teachers with MAs in our community and the teaching proportion of  the median salaries of tenure-track professors. The University refuses even to recognize the concept of equity.

We know that the American Federation of Teachers works hand in hand with you and your representatives, providing extensive information on the conditions of contingent faculty. Many of these problems exist at the University of Michigan, and we hope that this communication from us will help to better inform you about the impact of these problems on contingent and adjunct faculty.

In closing, we have one simple request. When you speak to the graduates at the University of Michigan, please ask the students to thank all those at the University who have helped bring them to their day of graduation, especially the faculty and the many Lecturers, who helped them to become the pride of Michigan, developing them into "the leaders and best."

Sincerely,

Bonnie Halloran

LEO President

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Also see "Michigan Lecturers Reach Out to President Obama" (AFT-FACE).