With less than two months remaining before the 2009-10 academic year starts on Sept. 3, Oakland University personnel are negotiating the 2009-12 contracts for faculty so that classrooms will have instructors inside them.

Details about the status of the negotiations are scarce because both sides are supposed to keep tight-lipped to the media and public, but one insider source agreed to reveal some information.

The faculty union — OU’s chapter of American Association of University Professors — that is bargaining for the contracts of 600 faculty members, keeps a “bargaining diary” at

www.oaklandaaup.org, but that diary only lists the topics discussed without disseminating any further details.

Joel Russell, president of OU’s AAUP chapter and a chemistry professor, declined to elaborate on those topics. And OU spokesperson Ted Montgomery said the OU administration also declined to comment. Ron Sudol, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, is part of the bargaining team on the OU administration’s side, and said only that he hopes “we get it signed by midnight the day before the first day of school starts.”

But one AAUP insider source familiar with the negotiations agreed to give further details about what is being discussed, but only on the condition of anonymity.

The source said that so far there has only been a few minor changes made in the contract language to make it read better. While they’re discussing issues like health care, same-sex partnership benefits, graduate assistants teaching classes, tenure process, summer classes and a few other things, there’s no talk about any monetary issues yet — and there may not be until well into August.

“The money issues are fairly well-defined and there are people on both sides of the table who can assess any economic proposals efficiently,” the source said. “The challenge, as always, will be to convince the administration that the support of the faculty is where money must be spent to build a stronger Oakland University.”

Sean Moran, an associate professor of history who once served the AAUP as a chief negotiator, said AAUP has been making “major concessions” on faculty pay and benefits while the top administrators have been getting better compensation.

“Students should make sure that those who teach get adequate compensation while expressing their outrage over the lavish rewards to the club administration,” Moran said.

Even though tentative agreements may be reached on some issues, none of the agreements will be final until the whole contract is agreed upon and signed.

Same-sex health care

A recent Michigan law prohibits public institutions — like OU — from providing benefits to their employees’ same-sex domestic partners. But several universities, like University of Michigan and OU, offer those benefits through loopholes.

When the faculty contract expires Aug. 14, the same-sex benefits will no longer be provided, unless put in the new contract in a legally acceptable way to Michigan laws. Russell and others said they’re looking to employ language similar to “an other qualified adult” like U-M does to provide the partner benefits and health care providers who will allow it.

“To date we’ve discovered that two of the plans we currently have will allow them,” said the AAUP insider.

“Other health insurance issues include new directions the administration wants us to go to reduce costs, such as new carriers and to adopt plans that would enhance benefits if faculty submit to regular checkups and to work on unhealthy behaviors,” said the source.

Russell said that OU is looking to give incentives to employees who take efforts to make themselves healthier, like quitting smoking and exercising.

Grad assistant lecturing

The two sides have come to a tentative agreement and will allow graduate assistants to teach courses, said the source, but only in a very restricted way.

“As you know, at Oakland University we are very proud, and advertise the fact that the vast majority of classes are taught by real, full-time, tenure-track faculty and not grad students.”

Summer classes

The source said that OU is trying to add more summer classes and make the curriculum and schedule equivalent to fall and winter to generate more revenue, but that there may be problems with doing so.

“Students may like the opportunity to take more classes and finish sooner, but are probably reluctant or financially unable to attend classes year-round,” the source said. “Most faculty spend the summer months in intensive research, and use the time especially in traveling in pursuit of their research. A lot of things would have to change to make this a viable option, and we’ve not even begun to discuss them in detail.”

Tenure changes

The faculty and the administration are also discussing ways to streamline the tenure review process.

“Faculty and the administration both spend a great deal of time reviewing faculty, and both sides have an interest in reducing the amount of time spent on routine cases,” the source said.

While wanting to make the tenure review process faster, the administration also wants to hire less tenure or tenure-track faculty, the source said.

“The administration would like to hire faculty that are not tenure-track, that is, faculty who would work on fixed contracts for a couple of years at a time,” the source said. “This would give the administration more flexibility, allow them to hire and fire at will instead of making long-term commitments to faculty, and be able to move quickly into and out of new or old academic areas.”

Although to some this may sound financially desirable in a tough economy, the source said this can be problematic and hurt the academics.

“Faculty must have the freedom to follow knowledge in their field and to teach it in ways that might not be popular or pleasing to the administration. Shared governance, where faculty have a say in academic decisions and the direction of the university, is a cornerstone of a modern, progressive university,” the source said. “Tenure is essential to allow the faculty to teach and speak freely, without fear of being fired for unpopular or contrary views. Non-tenure-track, contract faculty would have no such protections or freedoms.”

Other issues

AAUP is also trying to get OU to provide more academic technological support — especially in online classes — and to streamline the software purchasing process, which many agree is often a lengthy process.  

“The final contract will be built of many, many small agreements,” the source said. “When we run out of things to talk about, either because we agree or because the proposals are withdrawn, the contract is finished.”