-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Margaret Mary Vojtko, an adjunct professor who had taught French at Duquesne University for 25 years, died of a massive heart attack at the age of 83. Adjunct professors at Duquesne make between $3000 and $3500 per semester per course. In the best of times, Margaret Mary, teaching three course, wasn’t even clearing $25,000 a year with no benefits and no job security. After Duquesne reduced her to one course, Margaret Mary couldn’t afford to pay the electricity bill and her home became uninhabitable in the winter.
Ironically, Duquesne’s president, Charles J. Dougherty, is a nationally recognized scholar and expert in health care ethics. Since Margaret Mary didn’t have health care, I guess there was no health care ethics involved. Duquesne’s president makes over $700,000 a year with full benefits.
In 2005, adjunct professors make up about 48% of the faculty at colleges and universities. Today, that number is 75% as universities cut costs by reducing the number of more expensive tenured professors. The cost savings are not passed along to students. Duquesne, a private university, has increased tuition an average of 5.4% per year between 2006 and 2010. Higher tuition and lower costs via less qualified professors, the best of both worlds, for the universities.
A majority of the 130 adjunct faculty at Duquesne decided to organize as a chapter of the United Steelworkers and submitted a petition for an election to the National Labor Relations Board. Duquesne hired a Memphis lawyer known for his counseling organizations on how to remain union free. Duquesne filed a motion that since it was a “church-operated school,” it was exempt from NLRB jurisdiction. The motion was denied.
Although Duquesne was founded by, and is sponsored by, members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, it does not depend financially on the Catholic Church, does not require its faculty members to be Catholic, and does not require its student to study Catholicism.
As universities focus on increasing their endowments through cost cutting measures like hiring more adjunct professors, they lose sight of their raison d’être, to provide a quality education for their students.
Only a small part of the U.S. News & World Report rankings are based on the percentage of faculty who are full time. Even this small part is being gamed by the universities. The University of Nebraska interpreted the U.S. News question on the percentage of full time faculty to cover only those faculty who are tenured or on a tenure track and not to cover adjunct faculty. While U.S. News has since detailed that adjuncts should be counted, the low contribution to a school’s ranking, just 5%, is obscene.
The Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice has declared that “Union busting is a mortal sin.” Georgetown University, one of two Catholic universities to make the U.S. News top 25, just recognized its adjunct professors’ union, citing the Catholic Church’s social justice teachings.
H/T: Daniel Kovalik, Austin Cline, Mark Oppenheimer, Claudio Sanchez, Scott Jaschik, Moshe Z. Marvit.
Also, huge irony considering one was just complaining about others talking about him when he wasn’t present.
A remarkable lack of perception from someone allegedly skilled at observation.
SOTB, STEREOTYPER!! Paulie was the most insecure, passive-aggressive of the crew.
Doesn’t pass the smell test or even a semi normal train of thought. Were inmates referenced anywhere in this thread? He’ll deny, that’s a bet. Plausible deniability. You don’t work for the government w/o knowing how to play that chickenshit game. I’ll just let it go. He may give a lame ass explanation, but if he’s smart he won’t say anything. But, for the record, I see it as being called a sociopath by a psychologist online. That does violate ethical practices..Duh. But, I’m not going to press it. I’ll let it go. It’s par for the course w/ some Guest Bloggers. We just disagree on these guys, no biggy.
Hey this is Paulie Walnuts here. About Big Pussy Bumpinsaro – “Don’ worry abo’ it capisch?” Tony got his comeupins’ in Italy recently. I think they are gonna’ “make me”. And not how they did Joe Peschi in Good Fellas neder’
(WARNING: much offensive language – don’t click play if you don’t want to hear major potty mouths!!!)
SOTB, Menopause is a mofo. My wife had many problems. Sleeping was a big one. My poor bride sweat like James Brown every night. But, how are Republicans preventing you from getting Viagra? They love big Pharma, as do the Dems for that matter. Just ask your doc for an RX.
On re-reading it again and again… I think the “sociopath” comment was
about his patients at the mental institution he works at, not you. But I do think he was referring to you about “Victimstance”. If you are going to challenge OS on this go for the Victimstance comment not the sociopath because that is the antithesis of OS’s personality to do that. And its not because I like him. It’s my professional opinion of him. Just like you and your FBI-BAU buddy, Neil Purtell, we are profilers too (albeit amateur status).
I’m vigilant about all the rules, nick.
Wait, now I see the anonymity hyper vigilance. Well, if someone says, “Joe was a plumber, or cook, or lawyer,” whatever..the logical[that’s your specialty]follow-up is to simply ask where, what, etc. I know you’re a control freak, but you can’t control very simple, innocuous follow-up questions during a conversation. There’s a great scene in the Soprano’s. The BEST scenes are w/ Dr. Melfi. Tony had just killed Big Pussy. All Dr. Melfi could see was that there was something very wrong. “Anthony, there’s a darkness there, I’ve seen this before.” Of course, she couldn’t budge that sociopath.
Dr. Melfi was an incredibly incompetent therapist and she also violated many ethical standards.
@nick – I was just busting your stones on the sexual thing. I thought you’d think it was funny. But “hey wadda’ ya’ gonna’ do.” bada-bing-badda-boom 🙂
That little blue pill is something alien to me but sorely needed. You and I are too much alike. I was hoping as of Oct 1st I could finally get some of them. But thanks to the Republicans I’m going to have to wait now. Ah what the hell it’s been 5-years now. I’ll bet I have your inmates beat in in one-half of the celibacy thing (the NORMAL sex part). She doesn’t give a damn. You know what I mean. That hormonal thing?
Some folks tend to think the entire Internet revolves around their schedule.
That might bring some enlightenment.
Some folks tend to comment when I’m not around. That might bring some enlightenment.
I’m sure you think you do.
@Elaine M. – But I wasn’t implying anything. I assumed my prima facie statement would stand on it’s own. As Nick seemed to empirically validate about his culture. OK not a mistake but definitely jumping to conclusions not in evidence. Just because a person makes a definitive statement about perceived truth he/she is not implying that something else is automatically false.
@Nick – I’m sure Otteray Scribe will say something maybe tomorrow. Right now it’s 10PM in Arkansas and I’m sure he’s sitting in his Lazy-Boy with his feet up, 10 o’clock news on TV, a newspaper or trade-magazine across his belly, maybe a beverage by his side, sound a sleep, with his glasses on his head. The clicker is in his right-hand about to fall on the floor. Then his dog hears something and barks. He awakes to say “shut up! there’s nothing out there!” – then goes back to sleep… Sounds like me but I don’t have a Lazy-Boy… 🙂
SOTB, I have testified hundreds of times. Not just civil cases, I was a criminal investigator also. I know what Gene’s about. He was and is an easy read. I’ve been here over a year. I know the cast of characters and the score…Rays still leading 3-0.
SOTB,
Yeah, I knew there were some problems with JP, but I just picked two dinos I figured most people would be familiar with from it.
@Nick – You work at Leavenworth and OS works at a similar place down south. So you two are KINDA’ brothers-in-the-blue in a way (or whatever colors lab coats are these days). He deals with the same kinda’ nuts you do daily (nuts is a new PC clinical phrase – /sarc)
The answer to your questions are mostly yes. Gene has done a lot! Especially here in the JT world. He has many helpful blogs he started which we can all learn from. Yes I think he is financially successful. And yes I now know he was once from the “Legal Eagles” team (i.e. lawyer). I did not know that.
But listen to Bron… Gene will try and get your goat. That’s his MO. He is relentless too. I can hear the opposing attorney now: “Objection your honor, Mr. Howington is badgering the witness!” – just teasing Gene! 🙂
Nick how many times have you been hostilely cross examined by the opposing attorney in one of your insurance fraud cases. How’s that different from here? Just go with the punches. I like your presence here. It’s entertaining.
nick,
I rarely agree with Bron. Still, Bron argues his position and leaves it at that. He never uses vulgar or foul language. He doesn’t belittle people, play the victim, or claim that people are attacking him because they disagree with him.
Pissing contest? That’s your perception. I argue my case–and provide information to back up my position.
You’ve also had it explained to you before that no one owes you any personal information that they don’t wish to share, nick. That’s part and parcel of the anonymity policy.
But please, keep ignoring the good advice that both SOTB and Bron have given you – ostensibly the only people on “your side” in this matter – and keep digging the hole you’re in.
Much like Napoleon, I never get in the way of an opponent making a mistake. You are making yourself and no one else look worse and more petty with every single post. Your credibility, not that you had much if any to start with, is a number rapidly approaching zero. Even with your allies. And there you are right behind it, pushing it down that path. Good show.
It’s funny.
SOTB,
I didn’t make a mistake. I read what you wrote–and wondered if you really meant what you seemed to be implying. That’s why I asked you that question.