rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/md-public-higher-ed-faculty-librarians-need-collective-bargaining?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-md-public-higher-ed-faculty-librarians-need-collective-bargaining' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> UAM-UMD College Park https://actionnetwork.org/groups/uam-umd-cp https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/384/893/normal/Letter_Campaign_Banner.png United Academics of Maryland (UAM) is fighting to secure collective bargaining rights for all faculty and librarians in Maryland's higher ed institutions. WHAT DOES THE BILL PROVIDE? This bill provides collective bargaining rights for the 20,000 faculty at Maryland’s public sector universities, rights currently afforded almost all other Maryland public employees. WHY EXTEND BARGAINING RIGHTS TO FACULTY? Research has shown that faculty collective bargaining enhances cost effectiveness, optimizes efficiency, reduces inequality and advances equity, boosts student achievement, and improves university governance. With bargaining rights, faculty will have a true voice in determining the conditions under which they engage in instruction and research. Teaching conditions are learning conditions. Through collective bargaining, faculty will have the voice needed to advocate for students. WITH “SHARED GOVERNANCE” IS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEEDED? Yes. “Shared governance” is not a substitute for collective bargaining. Most faculty are not a part of shared governance. Moreover, “shared governance” is more of a name than a reality. Where it exists, it provides some faculty with an advisory role, with the administration having final say. Collective bargaining does not replace “shared governance” and “shared governance” does not replace collective bargaining. IS IT COMMON FOR UNIVERSITY FACULTY TO HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS? Yes. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia provide faculty with collective bargaining rights. These include Florida, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio and Oregon, as well as our neighbors, Delaware and Pennsylvania. Maryland is well equipped for this because there’s already a system in place for other public employee unions.² The USM system is equipped for this as other employees on the campuses have the right to and do, collectively bargain. DO PEER INSTITUTIONS HAVE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RIGHTS? Yes, and every peer institution should. As an example, of Towson’s 11 peer institutions, Towson is 1 of only 3 without these rights.³ Faculty collective bargaining rights are provided in all but one of College Park’s 10 peer institutions.⁴ These rights enhance university accountability to students, ensuring they receive the best education possible. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/md-public-higher-ed-faculty-librarians-need-collective-bargaining