FAQs

Most answers can be found in our CONTRACT or CONTRACT OVERVIEW

Here are some highlights:

What is ELA's pay scale?

ELA's minimum pay scale is based on credit hours taught. You can find the scale in section 4.1 of our contract or in the contract overview. These are minimums; the college may, at its discretion, pay more if it chooses.

What are the seniority levels?

Level 1: 0 - 47 credit hours taught

Level 2: 48 -123

Level 3: 124 - 187

Level 4: 188 - 251

Level 5: 252+

Your appointment letter should state how many credit hours you've accumulated. Please contact Anne Doyle if you notice a discrepancy with your own records.

Who qualifies for benefits?

Faculty who have taught 24 credits or more and who are employed to teach 16 credit hours (typically, 4 courses) per academic year are eligible to receive medical and dental insurance benefits through the school.

What about raises?

There is a higher pay rate at each level of seniority (see pay scale). Also, each faculty member will receive a 2-4% raise each Fall of the academic year.

What do I have to do?

Your appointment letter notes that you must become a dues paying member of the union as a condition of employment. Dues amount to 1% of your course fee (i.e., if your course fee is $7000 your dues obligation is $70). Please sign your form to have dues auto-deducted if you have not already done so. You may also arrange to pay our Treasurer by check.

What are my dues for?

Your dues pay for membership in AAUP, faculty events, and chapter maintenance (website, etc.). Dues also contribute to our treasury which may be needed in the event the union chooses to pursue a grievance on behalf of a faculty member. Filing and pursuing a grievance generally requires legal counsel which can become quite costly.

What is the AAUP?

The AAUP was founded in 1915 and is devoted to “developing the standards and procedures that maintain quality in education and academic freedom in this country's colleges and universities."

You can read more about the association at www.aaup.org.

Who runs ELAF-AAUP?

The current officers (president, vice-president, treasurer and members at large) run the union. We hold at least one meeting each semester which we strongly encourage all faculty to attend.

When are elections?

Per our bylaws, we hold elections each April on a rotating schedule of President/Members at Large and VP/Treasurer. Elections take place by April 15. ALL current ELAF members are eligible to run. The president is paid $2000/academic year by the college to serve as a faculty liaison to the school. VP, treasurer, and members at large are unpaid positions.

If you're interested in running or just getting more involved, please talk to one of the current officers.

We encourage everyone to get involved!

OTHER FACULTY RESOURCES:

AAUP FAQs on Teaching in Politically Charged Environment

Discounts for Teachers

What employment protections do I have?

Senior faculty (levels 3 and higher) have the right to grieve non-reappointment decisions that are based on performance or disciplinary reasons. ALL faculty have the right to have a union representative present during conversations regarding a faculty member's possible discipline, firing, or non-reappointment. If you believe you are in such a conversation, you have the right to ask that a union representative be present if you so desire. Note, this is not the same as filing a grievance which is a far more official process.

What is the grievance procedure?

The union contract brings to the adjunct teachers of Emerson a formal process for grieving unfair practices. The union’s hope is that this will be a last step solution for making sure people are treated fairly.

If you feel you are being treated unfairly, the first step the union recommends is for you to try to resolve the matter by working with your immediate supervisor. If you have tried to solve the problem yourself and feel like you are still being treated unfairly, do these three things:

Consult the union contract. Is there a specific provision of the contract that the school is in violation of? The union can not bring a grievance on your behalf unless there is a contract violation.
Gather all relevant information—contracts, emails, letters, evaluations, etc.—and write out a clear, detailed description of the history of the problem, the part of the contract you believe the College is in violation of, and what solution you are seeking.
Contact union the union president to report a grievance. We will take your request to the union officers, and as a team they will make a decision about the validity of your claim and whether the union will put its resources toward filing a grievance on your behalf.

The Grievance Procedure is Article 8 of the contract. It details how the process unfolds after a grievance is filed.