Steve M. Street, Prominent Advocate for Adjunct Faculty, Dies of Cancer

Steve Street started this blog, February 2009, originally to supplement Bob Samuels' New Faculty Majority Day. On the basis of my posting comments and his desperation, Steve invited me to contribute and then recommended  me for the New Faculty Majority organizing committee (before we even had a name). Later, he drifted away from blogging, which was not really his preferred medium but a responsibility he accepted to help both a friend's project and the fledgling adjunct coalition that later took its name. He will be sorely missed.

We're not ready yet, not psychologically, but hope to come out with an in depth piece commemorating Steve, sharing memories, more pictures and links to his writings. Until then, our thanks to Peter Schmidt for so promptly posting notice to The Chronicle of Higher Education today Friday August 17, 

COCAL Updates August 8

Joe Berry writes, 

I am now leaving for COCAL X in Mexico City and may or may not have sufficient time and internet access to send out another COCAL Update before I return to the US August 21. If not, have a good remainder of your summer and and excellent start of the school year, for all those who start early. 

Three notes of self promotion: My partner Helena Worthen and I have written three articles that have recently appeared or are about to appear that should be of interest to this list. (photo, UNAM by David Milroy)

1. 2012, Berry, J. and Worthen, H. “Why We Should Support Organizing in the For-Profits” Radical Teacher, #93 (latest issue)
2. Forthcoming, 2012, Berry, J. and Worthen, H., “Faculty organizing in the higher education industry: Tackling the for-profit business model”. Working USA (in the next issue)
3. Forthcoming, 2012, Berry, J. and Worthen, H., "Higher Education as a Workplace" (title may change in editing). Dollars and Sense, Sept./Oct. Special Labor Day Issue

If any readers would like copies of these articles emailed to you when the final versions become available, just drop me an email. In solidarity.

In addition to Joe Berry, other New Faculty Majority members attending include David Milroy for CFA and NFM board members Judy Olson, Jack Longmate and Steve Street. All are now in Mexico City. I promise to do my utmost at harrying them for reports to share with you.

Updates in brief and links

More responses to the Delphi report on the changing faculty and support for adjuncts


Cost of misclassifying workers as independent contractors (this happens to some teachers especially in extension and similar programs)


Grad unions active while awaiting NLRB ruling on their right to unionize under NLRA

Cyber learning and the for-profits

A Philly PA area  adjunct deals with cancer while teaching up to 7 classes.

Good blog post on workplace issues by Cory Robin, a TT prof in CA and formerly a leader of the Yale grad union and author of the great book, "FEAR, the history of a political idea" which has a wonderful chapter on fear as a factor in the workplace, drawn largely from his Yale experiences.

Joe Berry's COCAL Updates, July28 & Aug3

...news & links about #ContingentFaculty, #academiclabor & #organizing in #highered. To subscribe to regular Updates, email joeberry@igc.org.  More about Joe Berry.  Updates are also archived at chicagococal.org. Follow COCAL International on Facebook.   

Chicago, Chicago...
Chicago teachers show mobilization and real strike threat can win, but fight and strike prep continues. 

Good story out of Chicago Reader on how Mayor Emanuel and Mitt Romney have the same education program and why (and Obama too). It also makes very clear why we need to support the Chicago Teachers Union as much as possible in their fight to preserve public education in Chicago and nationally. See Labor Notes article on the same issue  

Around the adjunctiverse

#ForProfit #Highered @VillageVoice

"Only a Con Man Could Love, Barbarians in the Ivory Tower" by Cris Parker (not at the gates but all the way inside and, having paid off the watchmen, sacking the premises).

For-profit colleges haven't always been scrupulous when it comes to raiding the federal treasury. Between student-aid and GI Bill programs, most schools receive 90 percent of their revenue from the American taxpayer. And the recruiters—often little more than salesmen paid largely by how many people they enroll—are driven mercilessly to keep those cash registers ringing. 

Students don't get much in return. Although tuition rates can run as high as those at America's most esteemed universities, the education is generally substandard. In the end, most kids wind up walking away with a questionable degree bought at top dollar—and a mountain of debt to accompany it.

Great title, fab graphic but that's just the start. Read the rest of the Voice's extensive and detailed article on For-Profit Colleges Only a Con Man Could Love

#adjuncts & #studentloandebt

…the movies, not just one. DIY this time, not BYOP. Unfortunately, there is still not much public awareness of student debt among NTT faculty. See for yourself: search  YouTube for "student debt crisis." Then add "adjunct" or "faculty" and search. Here's a chance to fill the information gap. Robert Applebaum, founder of million+ member grassroots student loan debt forgiveness movement challenges student loan debtors to create and submit videos. He writes,

ForgiveStudentLoanDebt is re-branding as "Student Debt Crisis" to reflect the fact that the reforms we seek are not limited to just forgiveness of loans, but a whole host of other steps that chip away at the status quo. 

I'm writing today to ask each of you to participate in our very first video submission challenge: create your own short video that we can use to spread our message in favor of fundamental reforms to the way in which higher education is paid for in this country.