The start of a possible faculty strike at Wright State grows closer by the day. Over the holiday break, tensions came to a head when the faculty union, otherwise known as the Wright State Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP-WSU) voted to file its intent to strike.
85 percent of voting members of AAUP-WSU membership voted in favor of authorizing a strike, according to a press release from the union. A strike could happen as early as 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 22.
The union’s decision came in response to administration and the Board of Trustee’s unanimous vote to impose a ‘last, best offer’ in regard to contract negotiations that the two have been engaged in since February 2017.
Given the start of a new academic semester and the whirlwind of information related to the potential strike, we at The Guardian have compiled a list of information that students may find useful in the event of a strike.
The university will stay open.
Wright State’s Dayton and Lake campuses will maintain normal hours of operation, and classes are expected to continue in the event of a strike, administration said in an email to campus.
“No matter what happens, Wright State University has a duty to its students to plan for all potential outcomes and continue operating for its students. Our students’ success and their progress toward their goals, including their graduation, is now and will always be our highest priority,” Bauguess said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: WRIGHT STATE STRIKE UPDATES
Not all teachers will go on strike.
The faculty union does not represent all teachers at Wright State. AAUP-WSU President Martin Kich said that union has about 564 total members.
The university said in an official statement that it has about 1,700 faculty members in total.
All union members may individually decide whether they wish to participate in a strike. Those who are not on strike will continue teaching as usual.
No teachers from The Boonshoft School of Medicine and School of Professional Psychology are AAUP-WSU members, Kich said. They will attend class as usual.
Non-bargaining faculty members, including adjunct professors, part-time instructors, and graduate assistants are expected to report to work as usual during a strike, according to the university’s website.
Classes are expected to be covered, even if teachers are not present.
Administration says it has measures in place to cover courses normally taught by faculty who may decide to go on strike Tuesday.
“The university has contingency plans in place that provide full authority to the instructors assisting the university during this period of time. This authority extends to attendance, assignments, issuing quizzes and tests, as well as posting grades,” said Susan Edwards, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.
Administration has said that administrators and non-striking faculty will cover classes during a strike.
“During this potential work stoppage by AAUP-WSU faculty members, Wright State will continue to provide service to you and other students; however, service may be modified or reduced. Please be assured, we are committed to providing the best service possible, even in these trying times,” wrote President Cheryl Schrader in an email to campus.
Students will be notified through their Wright State email if there is a change with their class.
BREAKING: FACULTY UNION MEMBERS VOTE TO AUTHORIZE STRIKE
Students are still expected to attend class.
The university has said that attendance will be tracked during a strike.
“Students should continue to attend class in accordance with their regular class schedule including online classes,” said Seth Bauguess, director of communications.
Financial aid will not be immediately affected.
A faculty strike will have no effect on students’ financial aid status, the university said in an email issued on Wednesday.
“Actions taken by the faculty do not change the federal reporting requirements associated with federal aid,” the communication email says. “As long as students continue to meet course expectations related to attendance and coursework, their financial aid will not be impacted.”
Unless students drop, withdraw, or stop attending class altogether – otherwise known as an unofficial withdrawal – their financial aid is not in jeopardy.
Transportation to campus will be available.
Starting Tuesday, Jan. 22, a free shuttle service to the Dayton campus will be made available to students, staff, and faculty according to information from the Office of Communications. It will run from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The shuttle will pick people in Lot 8 by the Nutter Center and drop them off in Lot 11 by Millett Hall. The bus will make trips every ten minutes.
The university will keep students updated through its alert system.
Students can expect receive notifications through the Wright State Alert System if a strike takes place. They will also be notified in the event of class schedule changes, and other updates.
This story has been updated from its original version. The Guardian will continue to provide updates on the potential faculty strike as we receive more information. All stories by The Guardian relating to the strike are available on our website.
UP NEXT: WRIGHT STATE CAMPUS REACTS TO POSSIBLE FACULTY STRIKE
