It's good to see Ohio University faculty members taking a strong stance against unfair administrative policies.
Faculty unionization would be a healthy step forward from the current ineffectual system of shared governance. As it stands, the faculty has far too little input into the things that matter most ' benefits, and workload and grievance policies on behalf of members. Unionization would help to maintain a high quality of life for faculty and a high quality of education for students.
Examples of faculty powerlessness are numerous and troubling. Especially painful is the lack of a faculty member on the Board of Trustees. Despite an overwhelming vote of no confidence by faculty for OU President Roderick McDavis last year, current trustees awarded him a five-year contract extension an entire year earlier than expected. Meanwhile, faculty members can only look on in exasperation while the same trustees grandstand with a comprehensive evaluation of the president that is more theater than responsible action.
It doesn't end there. Just this year the university failed to follow through on promises involving healthcare spending. Also concerning is the lack of faculty input in the imminent switch from quarters to semesters. And while that decision itself was probably inevitable, it is important that faculty, who will take on the brunt of adjusting the curriculum, have more leverage in the proceedings. Whole quarters of coursework must be reevaluated and restructured to fit the new academic calendar.
The American Association of University Professors says that hostile strikes should be an exceedingly rare occurrence on unionized campuses. The union would not otherwise affect teaching or student rights.
No matter what happens with current negotiations, it is encouraging to see this line of dialogue being pursued. Administrators have distanced faculty from the real decision-making for too long. If faculty members are not granted some influence in important proceedings then they must unionize and seize it for themselves.
Editorials represent the views of The Post's executive editors.
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Faculty should fight for more input in university decisions
