but changes can be implemented without senate approval.
Last Tuesday, a Post report on the Faculty Senate not approving the Budget Planning Council recommendation to shift health care costs from the university to employees to generate funds for the general university budget was in error when it stated, The Faculty Handbook requires the university present changes to health care costs to the senate but changes can be implemented without senate approval.
What the Faculty Handbook, which University General Council has stated is a contract between the university and the faculty, actually states is the following: Any changes to employee contribution rates must be presented to the Faculty Senate for approval each year.
In other words, the Faculty Senate must approve such recommendations before the administration makes any changes. If the president were to make the changes in health care contributions recommended by BPC over the unanimous vote of the Faculty Senate rejecting those changes, he would be in violation of the Faculty Handbook - a contract violation that faculty can grieve within university venues and thereafter within the courts.
Either the Faculty Handbook is a contract that faculty and administration respect or faculty must choose collective bargaining as the only means to protect their rights, privileges, compensation and benefits.
Joseph Bernt is a professor of journalism and faculty senator at Ohio University.
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