THE COMMUNICATOR

An issue has arisen with regard to the title University Professor. During the negotiating process PSU/KNEA had an agreement that 2% of individuals who had been full professors for seven years were eligible for the title of University Professor. A $4,500 stipend would be added to the base of anyone so designated. This designation would continue for five years, after which the individual faculty member could reapply. The original $4,500 would permanently remain in the faculty member's base. And upon again receiving the title (after five years) another $4,500 would go into the base salary.

PSU/KNEA does not negotiate for chairs. Thus, the intent at the Table, and we believed from both sides, was to provide a means to reward and recognize longtime faculty (as defined by the contract). Creating the University Professor title along with a substantial adjustment in salary provided well-deserved recognition and a salary bonus that assisted in addressing the on-going problem of salary compression of Professors on this campus. In the contract, the University Professor information was specifically separated from the promotion to ranks procedure as the UP is a title, not a rank. The title of University Professor is for a defined time line of five years. Once a rank is given, it cannot be rescinded.

PSU/KNEA believes that chairpersons included in this title-awarding process will potentially hinder the initial University Professor Committee's review. It will create undue pressure on Associate Professors on the committee whose chair may have applied. It creates a problem with the number of chairs that could be forwarded from the committee, as that "number" is not defined as it is with faculty at a 2% maximum. It is our conviction that the initial committee should not process any dossiers from chairpersons.

Since this issue has surfaced in this new process, it may be necessary for all parties to revisit this issue at the table. Again, we affirm that the chairs should NOT be included in the process as outlined in the Ageement

PSU/KNEA