FacFAQs (Archives)

Responses to fictitious scenarios faculty might find themselves in.

FacFAQs: When do I get that raise that’s in the new contract?

Senior Botany Professor and 9-month faculty member at Mauna Kea College, Dr. Domingo, knows the new UHPA-BOR 2015-2017 contract went into effect on July 1, 2015. He was just telling a new hire that union dues are 1% of your salary, yet, due to this contract, faculty will get an 8% raise over the next two years. Not a bad return on investment! However, Dr. Domingo just got his July 20th paycheck, and he isn't seeing his increase. Was there a snag [...]

FacFAQs: How do I apply for a Special Salary Adjustment?

Martin is an 11-month instructional faculty member who just got awarded tenure at Aʻā Community College on a neighbor island (congratulations, Martin!). Unfortunately, he had no ability to negotiate higher than the base salary upon hire. In fact, he was a mid-year hire who requested a raise based on the salary info on the UHPA website. His VCAA told him she'd get back to him when the HR director returned from Christmas break, and then called his Department Chair to request the [...]

2015-06-05T15:09:22-10:00June 5, 2015|FacFAQs, Financial, Frontpage, Newsletter|

FacFAQs: When Did the Base Increases Really Happen?

Associate Professor of Sociology and 9-month Instructional faculty member at Mokihana College, Dr. Ying, was perusing the 2009-2015 contract, and found the following language: "Effective July 1, 2014, all Faculty Members shall have their base salaries increased by three percent (3%)." He recalled the finance officer at his institution saying that, for 9-month faculty, this raise actually was effective on Aug 1, 2014, and payable on Aug. 20, 2014. What's the deal?   Answer: The salary increases for faculty on 9-month appointments [...]

2015-04-28T15:32:50-10:00April 28, 2015|FacFAQs, Financial, Frontpage, Newsletter|

FacFAQs: Sabbatical Policy vs. Contract

Realizing she may never get timely information from her campus Human Resources office, Nora, a 9-month Instructional faculty member at ‘Āhinahina Community College, has decided to start researching Sabbatical information online herself. She noticed a discrepancy between policy and the UHPA faculty contract. She discovers that Policy A9.400 states that faculty must return to service at UH for one year, with item 6 stating that "Employees who fail to return to service subsequent to a sabbatical leave or who do not complete [...]

2015-03-24T17:50:47-10:00March 24, 2015|Academic, Commentary, FacFAQs, Newsletter, System Policy|

FacFAQs: Implementing DPC Changes in 2015-2017 Agreement

Marla is the department chair in the Psychology department at Lehua U, and just noticed that in the new 2015 to 2017 contract that there is a change in Article X for the department personnel committee procedures. The change states that now DPC members must be at or higher in rank than the applicant, which throws a bit of a monkey wrench in the current panel, specifically in regards to promotions. She mentioned this to the DC of Math who informed her [...]

2015-01-22T14:35:09-10:00January 22, 2015|Academic, FacFAQs, Frontpage, Newsletter|

FacFAQs: Will the snap-back be included in my “high three”?

Pearla has served many years as 9-month faculty at Lili'uokalani Community College, and is looking forward to her retirement in Spring 2015! After much congratulations and many joyful tears from colleagues, she started thinking about the financial repercussions of the snap-back. She knows that ERS often doesn't include retroactive payments so as not to inflate one's AFC. Will the snap-back be included in her "high three"? Answer: Although Pearla's "retirement estimate" does not reflect it, and it is not common practice from [...]

2014-12-30T19:38:01-10:00December 26, 2014|FacFAQs, Financial, Opinion|

FacFAQs: Can I split up my sabbatical?

Marvin is an Associate Professor employed at UH Waimea on an 11-month appointment. He applied for and was granted a 4-month sabbatical leave during Fall 2014. After he returned from his sabbatical, he applied for another leave, this time for 2 months during Spring 2015. However, his fiscal officer, Jan is telling him that, "the clock starts over again," and that he should have requested the split time before taking the initial 4-month leave. Marvin is shocked! He reread the third paragraph [...]

2014-12-30T19:36:26-10:00December 26, 2014|FacFAQs, Frontpage, Newsletter|

FacFAQs

Ken Tanaka* works for DaBest Community College as an Assistant Professor. After skimming through "Salaries" section of the ratified Tentative Agreement slated to begin on July 1, 2015, Ken is upset. Having been hired in 1994, Ken was only able to negotiate the minimum salary, and currently makes $60,000 a year. Now the new hire his department receives next year will be entitled to Ken's current salary as a base rate of pay! With all the service Ken has put in, how [...]

2014-12-26T17:21:32-10:00October 6, 2014|Commentary, FacFAQs, Financial, Opinion|
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