The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Rift remains between Faculty Association and administration

Two years ago, Morteza Daneshdoost felt unwanted.

As the president of the Faculty Association, he had traveled to Springfield to help lobby for SIUC's budget. Once he had taken the podium and began addressing the legislature, he felt everything was going well.

Then he saw two people get out of their seats, turn around and leave the room.

They were SIU President James Walker and SIUC Chancellor Walter Wendler.

Ever since then, Daneshdoost has taken that moment as a symbol of what the Faculty Association means to the SIU administration.

"The fact that they left was an insult," Daneshdoost said of the event now. "They keep us away, but we should work together on the mission of the University. Whenever we extend a hand, they slap it."

Admittedly, things have changed a bit since that day. Almost two years ago came the tense negotiations between the faculty and administration that almost threw the University into the abyss of a faculty strike, a moment that would have made history among Illinois universities. In the end, the moment never came. An agreement was reached, and a contract stretching into 2006 was established.

For the moment, the crisis was settled.

Accordingly, both groups have since moved on. Without the arguing between the two entities, Wendler has been able to focus more on the goals of Southern at 150, and the association has been able to move on to the standard grievances that constantly flow in from University faculty.

There are lots of them, said Marvin Zeman, a mathematics professor who took the reins of the Faculty Association from Daneshdoost last month. So many that it makes for another full-time job. Sometimes, Zeman said his home phone will ring from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Each call is a problem, and each is evidence to Zeman and Daneshdoost that a rift continues between the administration and the association, albeit a quieter, calmer rift.

Both admit that times are better and that progress is consistently made with the administration, but nonetheless, they believe their voices are not always heard or respected.

"There has been cooperation between the administration and the union," Zeman said, adding that despite the look of progress, current administrators don't always understand the society of SIUC. "We don't have any continuity [between administrations.] They may have good intentions, but they don't understand the University's culture. It takes time to get a handle on it."

Daneshdoost and Zeman both said they don't always believe their grievances are taken seriously when they are brought to the attention of the administration. For instance, a faculty member was recently judged to be "outstanding" by a departmental faculty committee and was recommended for promotion, Zeman said. The department's dean said no.

A grievance was filed with the administration, and the provost responded that proof was needed to substantiate the word "outstanding." In the end, the administration won the battle.

These are the daily conflicts that are sometimes won, sometimes lost, but almost always leave someone frustrated. On the administrative end, the picture is somewhat more optimistic.

Sue Davis, spokeswoman for the administration, said the relationship between the two groups is a healthy one and that Wendler is pleased with the amount of progress that has been made. While the association and the administration have different priorities, Davis said that doesn't mean there is a great disparity. Sometimes, issues just come up, thus is the life of a large university.

John Dunn, provost and vice chancellor, seems inclined to agree. His office receives grievances from the Faculty Association, and while some are deemed large enough to move directly up the ladder to the chancellor, many are resolved under his supervision.

Dunn said that since the University is so large, "we will never be able to satisfy everyone," and each grievance is dealt with in a thoughtful and appropriate manner.

Done Rice, who stepped into the role of Dunn's associate provost two months ago, reiterated this and said he realizes there is a certain distance between the two groups. He said he has cordially tried to set up lunch appointments with Zeman and Daneshdoost, but schedules are always in conflict and the time can never be made. Despite this, he said there should be more effort made for the groups to communicate, not just when the tension is high.

Rice said he would like future negotiations to not be overshadowed by the ghosts of last year's averted strike.

"I hope future bargaining doesn't carry that baggage," Rice said. "I hope there's no animosity carrying over."

Animosity, though, does not seem to be an applicable word right now. The disagreements perceived on both sides of the table are of a more understated variety right now, and both sides take each individual issue with its own grain of salt. Regardless, Daneshdoost and Zeman said there is a lack of understanding and a common goal between the two groups, and as a result, the communication between them is strained and taken with fake smiles.

Most of all, Daneshdoost said the issue all boils down to one thing.

"They are in a state of self-denial that we have a union here," Daneshdoost said. "We have a common mission here. We should be working together, not against each other."

 

 

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