Know Your Contract

EMUFT Collective Bargaining Agreement 2023 - 2028

Below you will find an overview of the most important information that Part-Time and Full-Time Lecturers need to know from our contracts. It's a good idea to have a copy of your contract handy, which you can DOWNLOAD HERE, but this will get you started so that you understand the basics.

POSTINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Postings and Nature of Employment Relationship

Posting
Prior to hiring any new Employee, the University shall, whenever practicable, post the position using the Employer’s web-based recruiting system. The posting will list the minimum qualifications necessary for a candidate to be considered for the position, and will include a general description of the responsibilities of the position(s).
Whenever practicable, postings will be open for at least ten (10) consecutive business days prior to an offer being made to a candidate. A single posting may result in an offer made to one or more candidates.
A link to the web-based recruiting system will be provided on the Academic Human Resources website.

Nature of the Employment Relationship
The parties understand and agree that Employees are a part of a larger community who provide services that enhance the total learning environment. Subject to the provisions herein, Employees shall not have priority for teaching, writing center assignments, or library assignments over others employed by Eastern Michigan University.

Schedules and Assignments

The Employer shall determine employee assignments and schedules, in all academic terms (Fall, Winter, Summer) and in all academic departments. Decisions to offer or delete courses because of anticipated or actual enrollment changes, the reallocation of personnel, equipment, space and/or operating budgets, or shifting philosophies regarding the priority of one course of study over another are but a few of the reasons that the Employer, if it elects to revise its course offerings, may adversely affect the schedules and assignments of Employees. In addition, based on the qualifications of the Employee, the Employer shall determine the teaching assignment of each Employee including, but not limited to, the courses to be taught, and the days, times, locations (on and off campus) and modality of such courses.

In any event, such decisions by the Employer shall be recognized as decisions that fall within the Employer’s right to manage subject to the provisions herein.

Courses identified as part of an Employee’s teaching load may include classes offered through more than one department, at various locations (on-campus as well as off-campus), various times (weekdays as well as weekends), and various modalities (e.g., in-person, on-line and hybrid) except those classes identified as non-traditional (defined below).

All Employees shall be assigned a home department by the Employer. Employees cannot work in more than one (1) academic unit without advanced written approval of the applicable Department Heads and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources. Part-Time Lecturers working in more than one academic unit will be assigned a distinct rank in each academic unit.

Employees shall not be required to be on campus during official University holidays, the Thanksgiving Recess, Winter Recess, Spring Recess, and Christmas and New Year’s season days.

Appointments and Reappointments for Full-Time Lecturers

General Information

The minimum requirements for a Full-Time Lecturer appointment is a Master’s degree. In certain circumstances a Bachelor’s degree plus thirty (30) graduate credit hours in a discipline directly related to the Employee’s teaching assignment, or equivalent experience as recommended by the Department Head, and approved by the Associate Vice President of Academic Human Resources.
Upon initial hire, a Full-Time Lecturer shall be provided with a written offer letter. The offer letter will describe the specific work to be performed, the initial salary, the period of time for the work to be performed, specific responsibilities and duties, a link to this collective bargaining agreement and other terms the Employer deems appropriate. The appointment letter shall be signed by the Department Head, or other authorized representative of the Employer, and include a date by which the Full-Time Lecturer shall return a signed copy of the appointment letter as an acceptance of the terms.

Workload for Full-Time Lecturer

Standard Workload
The standard workload for a Full-Time Lecturer is as follows:

For those assigned to classroom teaching, the workload shall be fifteen (15) credit hours for each of the Fall and Winter semesters.
For those assigned to the Library, the workload shall be thirty-seven and one-half (37-½) scheduled hours per week for each of the Fall and Winter semesters.
For those assigned a combination of classroom teaching and other instructional assignments, workload shall be specified in their assignment letter and approved by Academic Human Resources. This includes adjustments in accordance with any accreditation standards adopted by the Employer.

The parties further agree that it is anticipated that owing to the credit hours assigned some courses, Full-Time Lecturer schedules may require assigning them a load greater than fifteen (15) credit hours in one semester and off-setting that assignment with a commensurately lower teaching load in the other semester. It is further understood that such balancing of loads must occur within a single academic year (i.e., Fall and Winter semester). Pro-rata adjustments shall be made in a Full-Time Lecturer’s base compensation to reflect the variances both above and below the standard thirty (30) hour load per academic year.

Employees shall not be assigned independent studies and related courses and awarded load or overload compensation except as approved by the Dean and Academic Human Resources.

During each year of their appointment, Full-Time Lecturers will receive teaching assignments during the base academic year (Fall and Winter semesters). Assignments beyond the base academic year (e.g., Summer term teaching assignments, etc.) shall be at the sole discretion of the Employer. Such additional work assignments shall not be subject to the grievance and arbitration provisions of this Agreement.

Non-Standard Workload for Full-Time Lecturers
There are times when the Department Head, Dean or supervising administrator, with the approval of Academic Human Resources, may compensate a Full-Time Lecturer for duties that are not traditionally considered instructional and are outside the standard workload described above. Examples of this work could include, and are not limited to, coordinating assessment, managing multiple lab sections, placement of student teachers and program coordination. The Full-Time Lecturer can choose to accept or reject this assignment without consequence.

If the Employer offers such work and if the Full-Time Lecturer accepts the assignment the Full-Time Lecturer’s standard workload shall be appropriately reduced or additional compensation shall be offered equivalent to the time commitment of the work as determined by the Employer.

If the Full-Time Lecturer accepts these non-standard assignments, a description of the duties, performance expectations, time duration of the non-standard assignment and the equivalent course load of the duties shall be specified in the appointment letter to the Full-Time Lecturer.

Promotion for Full-Time Lecturers

There are three (3) ranks for Full-Time Lecturers: Assistant Full-Time Lecturer, Associate Full-Time Lecturer and Senior Full-Time Lecturer. The initial appointment for a Full-Time Lecturer shall be at the rank of Assistant Full-Time Lecturer.

The appointment and reappointment process for a Full-Time Lecturer is as follows:

Appointment as an Assistant Full-Time Lecturer
Initial Two-Year Appointment | Assistant Full-Time Lecturers are initially provided a two year appointment. There will be a presumption of rehire subject to successful completion of the appointment, a successful evaluation, the availability of work, and other terms and conditions of this Agreement. However, the presumption of rehire during this period does not preclude the possibility of termination for just cause, or any other conditions of non-reappointment as specified in this Agreement.
The initial appointment as an Assistant Full-Time Lecturer shall be on a probationary basis and extend from one week prior to the start of the academic year to the end of the academic year, for a period of two successive academic years.

Individuals who are appointed Assistant Full-Time Lecturers and commence work at Eastern Michigan University after October 15 of a Fall semester (including appointments beginning in Winter semester) shall have their initial appointments defined in their appointment letters. The duration of said appointments shall not exceed two years. An Assistant Full-Time Lecturer whose evaluation does not meet expectations at the end of the second year will not be reappointed.

Three Year Re-Appointment | Following the successful completion of both the Initial Two Year Appointment and the evaluation, the Assistant Full-Time Lecturer will be provided a three (3) year re-appointment, extending from one week prior to the start of the academic year to the end of the academic year, for a period of three successive academic years.

The Assistant Full-Time Lecturer will be provided notice of this three year re-appointment on or before April 30 of the second year of their Initial Two Year Appointment.

Appointment as an Associate Full-Time Lecturer
After five (5) years as an Assistant Full-Time Lecturer and the successful completion of a Full Evaluation, Assistant Full-Time Lecturer will be promoted to Associate Full-Time Lecturer with the appropriate compensation increases as outlined in Compensation.

The Assistant Full-Time Lecturer will be provided a notice of continuing appointment and notice of promotion to Associate Full-Time Lecturer on or before April 30 of the third year of their Three-Year Re-Appointment. The promotion will be effective at the start of the following academic year.

Appointment as a Senior Full-Time Lecturer
After five (5) years as an Associate Full-Time Lecturer and successful completion of a Full Evaluation, Associate Full-Time Lecturers will be promoted to Senior Full-Time Lecturer with the appropriate compensation increases as outlined
Compensation.

The Associate Full-Time Lecturer will be provided a notice of promotion to Senior Full-Time Lecturer on or before April 30 of the fifth year of their Associate Full-Time Lecturer Appointment. The promotion will be effective at the start of the following academic year.

Priority for Full-Time Lecturer Retention

In order to retain Full-Time Lecturers the Employer shall reassign work from Part-Time Lecturers in the Department provided: a) the Full-Time Lecturer is qualified to teach the course(s), as determined by the Department Head; and, b) the assignment of the course(s) can be completed prior to the first day of class.

If the provisions above are insufficient to maintain a Full-Time Lecturer at 100% of load, the following process shall be followed:
The Assistant Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service in a department shall have their load reduced based on available courses.

This process would repeat as needed for the next Assistant Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service until there are no remaining Assistant Full-Time Lecturers.

The Associate Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service in a department shall have their load reduced based on available courses.

This process would repeat as needed for the next Associate Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service until there are no remaining Associate Full-Time Lecturers.

The Senior Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service in a department shall have their load reduced based on available courses.

This process would repeat as needed for the next Senior Full-Time Lecturer with the fewest years of service until there are no remaining Senior Full-Time Lecturers.

As a result of this process, Full-Time Lecturers whose assignments are reduced below 60% and cannot be restored by the end of the academic year, will be appointed as PTL3Hs in the next academic year in their respective home departments, if courses become available and they are qualified to teach the course(s). The compensation for such PTL3H shall be prorated based on their Full-Time Lecturer salary and shall not be less than the Part-Time Lecturer minimum pay rate. If, within two (2) years, the PTL3H can be assigned a 60% workload, the PTL3H shall be reappointed as a Full-Time Lecturer at their most recent rank and the same salary they would have received if not reassigned as a PTL3H.

Voluntary reductions in a Full-Time Lecturers workload must be approved by the Dean and Academic Human Resources.
The priority for retention provisions herein shall have no effect on the teaching loads of Graduate Teaching Assistants, Doctoral and Post-Doctoral Fellows, Visiting Professors, Exchange Professors, Visiting Scholars, Faculty Members represented by the AAUP, individuals holding administrative or joint appointments or individuals whose appointments otherwise require teaching or other instructional related tasks, Department Heads, supervisors and all other individuals outside the bargaining unit, who shall have priority for retention over all members of the Bargaining Unit.

appointments of part-time lecturers

General Information

Full-Time Lecturers in the Department must be assigned courses before Part-Time Lecturers.
An offer to appoint a Part-Time Lecturer is determined by the Employer and shall consider things such as: a) qualifications and suitability for the stated requirements of the appointment, b) rank of the Part-Time Lecturer, and c) availability.

The minimum requirements for appointment to Part-Time Lecturer is a Bachelor’s degree plus thirty (30) graduate credit hours in a discipline directly related to the employee’s teaching assignment, or equivalent as recommended by the Department Head and approved by the Associate Vice President of Academic Human Resources.

Due to the fluctuating nature of Employer needs, Part-Time Lecturers do not have reasonable assurance of rehire. Subject to the provisions of this agreement, final determination regarding appointments and assignments shall be at the discretion of the Employer.

Qualifications for appointments and course assignments can be based on a variety of considerations that could include expertise, experience (subject matter, teaching and modality), suitability, and/or performance relevant to the assignment in question, as determined by the Department Head. Considerations may include, but are not limited to:

Relevant graduate coursework, graduate teaching experience, professional experience, or academic degree in the subject matter area.
Suitability for teaching a course can include teaching a comparable course or course content, demonstrated experience with similar population of students (e.g., developmental to graduate levels), or modes of instruction (e.g., field, lab-based or online).
Teaching courses once does not guarantee future assignments of the course.

A Part-Time Lecturer will be provided an offer letter for each semester’s employment that will detail the course(s) assigned, the course schedule(s), salary, and specific responsibilities and duties of the position and other terms the Employer deems appropriate. The offer letter shall include a link to this collective bargaining agreement. The offer letter shall be signed by the Department Head or other authorized representative of the Employer. The Part-Time Lecturer shall accept the terms of the offer letter by signing and returning a copy of the offer letter on or before the date specified in the letter. In all circumstances, the Part-Time Lecturer shall have five (5) working days to respond to the offer letter. Part-Time Lecturers shall not be considered hired until all steps in the hiring process are completed. Failure to complete the hiring process in a timely manner will result in delays in payroll processing and may result in the withdrawal of the offer.

Part-Time Lecturer Ranks

A system of employment with three (3) ranks is provided for Part-Time Lecturers under this Agreement: PTL1, PTL2, and PTL3. In the Colleges, PTL3 shall also have three subdivisions: PTL3L, PTL3M, and PTL3H. Part-Time Lecturers working in the Library and in the Writing Center will be classified according to PTL1, PTL2 or PTL3 only.

Appointments shall be at the PTL1 rank until the Part-Time Lecturer qualifies for a promotion. Appointments at the PTL1 rank shall be probationary. Each appointment as a PTL1 shall be for one (1) semester. Subject to the provisions of this agreement, the Employer shall have full discretion in deciding whether to reappoint a PTL1.

Part-Time Lecturers who have met or exceeded expectations in their most recent evaluations will be eligible for a promotion upon completion of the minimum number of credits and semesters taught according to the following tables. For the purposes of counting “semester employed”, any course or courses taught during any Fall or Winter semester will count as one (1) semester taught or employed. Summer semesters are not included in this calculation. Courses taught during the Summer are not included for purposes of rank.

part-time lecturer Promotion Criteria

Part-Time Lecturers working in the Library or Writing Center must meet the number of semesters referenced in the above tables to promote from PTL1 to PTL2 and PTL2 to PTL3.

Academic Hiring List for Part-Time Lecturers

Part-Time Lecturers shall be placed on an Academic Hiring List specific to their Department after their second appointment to be eligible for future course assignments.

Part-Time Lecturers eligible for an appointment will be notified via electronic mail. Part-Time Lecturers must provide written notice of acceptance or rejection of an appointment offer to the academic unit in a timely manner as defined in the appointment letter, but in all circumstances shall have at least five (5) working days to respond to the appointment notice.

When the Part-Time Lecturer meets the qualification for the course assignment, as determined by the employer, the priority for course assignments is: PTL3s who were Full-Time Lecturers have priority for course assignments over other PTL3s. PTL3s have priority for course assignment over PTL2s and PTL2s have priority for course assignments over PTL1s. There shall be no priority for course assignments for PTL1s.

Part-Time Lecturers assigned to the Library and Writing Center shall have the following priority for assignments: PTL3s who were Full-Time Lecturers have priority for assignments over other PTL3s. PTL3s have priority for assigned work over PTL2s and PTL2s have priority for assignments over PTL1s.

Part-Time Lecturers shall remain on the Academic Hiring List unless:

They were unsuccessful in their most recent evaluation resulting in termination,
They declined an assignment for two consecutive semesters,
They have not received an appointment in two years, or
They do not respond timely to an appointment offer for two consecutive semesters.

If a Part-Time Lecturer is hired after they are no longer on the Academic Hiring List, they shall be considered a new hire at the PTL1 rank for all purposes.

Part-Time Lecturers on the academic hiring list shall continue to have access to all EMU facilities and services on the same basis as all other employees.

Teaching Workloads for Part-Time Lecturers

Workloads for Part-Time Lecturers are:

There is no minimum teaching load for a PTL1.
PTL2s have a three (3) credit hour minimum teaching load for Fall and Winter semesters, if courses are available.
PTL3Ls have a three (3) credit hour minimum teaching load for Fall and Winter semesters, if courses are available.
PTL3Ms have a nine (9) credit hour minimum teaching load in Fall semester and a six (6) credit hour minimum teaching load in Winter semester, if courses are available.
PTL3Hs have a twelve (12) credit hour minimum teaching load in Fall semester and a nine (9) credit hour minimum teaching load in Winter semester, if courses are available.
A PTL2 or PTL3 may request in writing a teaching load below the minimums.
Part-Time Lecturers can be assigned up to thirteen (13) credit hours a semester. Part-Time Lecturers assigned thirteen (13) credit hours a semester are not permitted to take on any additional employment with the Employer.
Part-Time Lecturers only assigned work in the Library or Writing Center shall be assigned less than 30 hours by the Employer.
One (1) hour worked in the Library or University Writing Center is equivalent to one (1) hour of work.
Part-Time Lecturers assigned a combination of classroom teaching and other instructional assignments or hourly work for the Employer, shall be at the discretion of the Employer based on hours available, qualifications, and Part-Time Lecturer rank, and limited to working less than thirty (30) hours a week.

The following table serves as a guideline for work assignments:

For example, in a given semester, a Part-Time Lecturer teaching a three (3) credit hour course is limited to working 23 hours in the University Writing Center.

Priority Consideration for Hiring Part-Time Lecturers

When the Employer determines courses are available to be assigned to a Part-Time Lecturer the Department shall prioritize hiring by assigning courses in the following order:

All PTL3s (L, M and H) are assigned one course in any order.
PTL3Ms and PTL3Hs are assigned a second course in any order.
PTL3Hs are assigned a third course.
PTL3Ms and PTL3Hs are assigned an additional course, if necessary, to meet credit hour minimums.
PTL2s are assigned a three (3) credit hour minimum.
Additional courses are offered to PTL3s and then PTL2s.
Additional courses are assigned to Employees, including PTL1s and new hires.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Part-Time Lecturer shall be assigned a workload greater than thirteen (13) credit hours per semester. If, after the foregoing assignments have been completed and appointment letters have been signed, a Part-Time Lecturer is subsequently laid off, the affected Part-Time Lecturer shall have priority for additional courses that become available during the affected semester up to their original workload assignment.

Modification of Assignments

The parties recognize and agree that there are numerous factors that make it difficult for the Employer to conclusively establish load for Employees in advance of the beginning of classes.

Understanding that such factors exist, and at the same time attempting to provide early notification to Employees, the parties understand and agree that, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, any Employee’s assignment may be changed or cancelled, in whole or in part, by the Employer at any time. In those circumstances in which the Employer changes or cancels, in whole or in part, an Employee’s assignment, the Employer agrees to inform Employees and the Union of said action and follow the processes outlined in this Article for retention and course assignment.

MOU Lecturer rank

Part-time lecturer rank

PTL1s who have completed six semesters and have had an evaluation or should have had an evaluation during that period of time will be promoted to PTL2s in Winter 2024. PTL2s who have completed six semesters and have had an evaluation or should have had an evaluation during that period of time will be promoted in Winter 2024 to PTL3L, PTL3M, PTL3H based upon number of credit hours taught during their past six semesters of employment.

PTL1s in their third, fourth and fifth semester as of Fall 2023 will be evaluated in Winter 2024 for promotion in Fall 2024. PTL2s in their fifth semester as of Fall 2023 will be evaluated in Winter 2024 for promotion in Fall 2024. PTL3s in their fifth semester as of Fall 2023 will be evaluated in Winter 2024 for promotion in Fall 2024 if they have taught the number of credit hours required to promote.

full-time lecturer rank

For Winter 2024, Full-Time Lecturers will be classified into the Assistant, Associate and Senior ranks based on the time as a Full-Time Lecturer. Full-Time Lecturers with greater than ten (10) years of service as a Full-Time Lecturer will be assigned the rank of Senior Full-Time Lecturer. Full-Time Lecturers with six (6) to ten (10) years of service as a Full-Time Lecturer will be assigned to the rank of Associate Full-Time Lecturer. Full-Time Lecturers with five (5) years or less as a Full-Time Lecturer will be assigned the rank of Assistant Full-Time Lecturer.

For Assistant Full-Time Lecturers, the time until their next evaluation will be based on their last hire date as a Full-Time Lecturer. For Associate and Senior Full-Time Lecturers, the time until their next evaluation shall be based on the time since their last promotion or salary adjustment under prior contracts. In the academic year 2023-2024, eligible Full-Time Lecturers can apply for promotion or salary adjustment by February 1, 2024.

mou agreement

This agreement shall not serve to alter, modify or otherwise establish a precedent for further interpretation or application of the Master Agreement between Eastern Michigan University and the Lecturer’s Unit of the Eastern Michigan University Federation of Teachers.

ptl credit hour equivalencies and non-traditional courses

CREDIT HOUR EQUIVALENCIES

For the purposes of determining workload, some specialized courses exist where the credit hours of the course do not reflect the workload of the course. Credit hour equivalencies will be used for determining workload for these courses.

Only the following equivalencies shall be used in determining the workload:

NON-TRADITIONAL COURSES

The Employer and the Union are committed to providing quality educational opportunities to our diverse student population, recognizing that in certain cases, delivering programs and classes in non-traditional ways may be necessary.

Some examples of non-traditional courses include classes taught in a compressed format (classes less than three [3] weeks), classes taught during inter-sessions or University breaks, classes taught overseas (study abroad), non-credit courses, workshops, and courses taught for specialized groups and not available to the entire student body.

Non-traditional course assignments are made at the sole discretion of the Employer.

Non-traditional courses will not be assigned as part of a Full-Time Lecturer’s standard load.
Non-traditional courses assigned to Part-Time Lecturers shall be in accordance with the limits and specifications outlined above.

Compensation for non-traditional courses will be specified in the offer letter and is dependent on the scope of the non-traditional course.

responsibilities and professional development

employee responsibilities | office hours | ftl activity report | interllectual properties

The primary professional responsibility of the Employee is teaching, professional Library service, University Writing Center support and supervising student teachers.

Professional responsibilities may include a number of particular obligations which Employees are expected to fulfill, including but not limited to:

meeting with students during and outside of assigned classes
assessing student work and performance
preparing course materials
providing copies of course materials to their supervisor on request
assigning and submitting grades in accordance with established Employer schedules

SYLLABUS
A syllabus is required to be prepared for each assigned course in accordance with Employer requirements.

The Employee is required to provide the Department Head with a copy of the syllabus to be used in each course they are scheduled to teach preceding the commencement of a class.
In cases of late course assignment(s), the Employee shall have five (5) working days to provide the Department Head a syllabus. Substantive revisions to the syllabus shall be provided to the Department Head within five (5) days of the revision.

OFFICE HOURS
Office hours must be scheduled at times and modality most beneficial to students, and must be approved by the Department Head.

Full-Time Lecturers shall post and regularly hold five (5) scheduled office hours per week for student consultation. Additionally, Full-Time Lecturers must make themselves available to students five (5) hours per week outside normal office hours for consultation. Full-Time Lecturers on less than 100% appointment shall have office hours prorated accordingly.
Part-Time Lecturers shall be available for student consultations.

FULL-TIME LECTURER ANNUAL ACTIVITY REPORT
By no later than October 15th of each academic year every Full-Time Lecturer shall complete and submit an electronic Annual Activity Report to their Department Head.

The Annual Activity Report shall include a summary list of courses taught in the previous year and a summary list of professional development or other activities related to job performance that the Employee engaged in during the previous year.
The information contained in the Annual Activity Report shall provide the basic data for subsequent evaluations.
All Annual Activity Reports for the period under review shall be considered for Full-Time Lecturer Full Evaluation.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Employees who develop materials for classes, including online classes, retain all rights of ownership of the materials so developed. The Employee certifies that all appropriate copyrights were observed. At the Employee’s option, they may sign over the online class materials to the Employer. Employees will receive no stipends to develop courses or grading stipends to teach more students than allowed by the course cap.

Employer Responsibilities | Notifications | Professional Development | Distinguisehd lecture award

To facilitate the completion of these professional responsibilities, the Employer will provide without cost to all Employees a designated workspace with computer and phone. In departments or units where Employees have access to office space, they will continue to have access to office space. Full-Time Lecturer will participate in the Computer Refresh Program on the same basis as Faculty. Departmental mailbox, library privileges, e-mail account, the use of printing, scanning, and copy machines for instructional materials used for EMU courses, office supplies necessary to perform instructional responsibilities, and opportunities for professional development shall be provided by the Employer.

Each Employee will be provided the Employer’s IT services based on Employer policy. The Employer will make reasonable efforts to ensure that Employees have access to computers for classroom use.

Employees will be provided with clerical assistance consistent with normal practices of their department.

NOTIFICATION TO EMPLOYEES
The following procedures shall satisfy notification requirements in this Agreement.

Personal Delivery to an Employee - Delivery of written notice to an Employee means: (1) handing it to the Employee or (2) leaving it at their last known residence with some person of suitable age and discretion residing therein.
Email - Unless notification is specifically required by mail or personal delivery, notification may be sent by email to the Employee’s official university email address.
Mail - Mailed to the Employee’s last known residence by regular First Class mail. Notification by mail shall be deemed to have occurred as of the date posted by the United States Postal Service.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Professional development activities may include, but are not limited to, advanced course work and continuing education in instruction in the Employee’s discipline or area of specialization.

Professional development opportunities that are provided by EMU, its colleges, departments, sections, or programs, such as workshops, institutes, training sessions, or other professional development opportunities shall be made available to Employees at the same basis they are made available to Faculty, as the University deems appropriate and relevant to members of the unit. This includes equal access, notification, invitation to attend, and distribution of honoraria, stipends and funding for participation in the above, equivalent to other University employees.

DISTINGUISHED LECTURER AWARD
It is hereby agreed by and between the Employer and Union that the Employer shall adopt a Distinguished Lecturer Award program for Employees. Awards shall be in the amount of $3,500. The Employer shall adopt two (2) Distinguished Lecturer Awards for Employees. The Union shall establish the criteria, application procedures, and applicant screening process, and will make final award recommendations to the Associate Vice President for Academic Resources.

MOU LECTURER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Employer shall adopt a competitive program of Lecturer Professional Development in direct support of activities designed to enhance teaching by Full-Time Lecturers, PTL3s, and PTL2s.
This program shall expire with the bargaining agreement.

Activities supported by the Lecturer Professional Development support include activities and programs that are designed to improve teaching.

In Winter 2024, Academic Human Resources will establish draft guidelines, application requirements, and deadline dates for Lecturer Professional Development support for implementation in the 2024 - 2025 academic year.

Funding for the Lecturer Professional Development shall be $25,000 each academic year of the contract period starting in academic year 2024 -2025. Funds will be administered by the Provost’s office. Unused funds do not carry over year-to-year. Individual support shall not exceed $2,500 in an academic year and follow University policies for reimbursement.

This agreement shall not serve to alter, modify or otherwise establish a precedent for further interpretation or application of the Master Agreement between Eastern Michigan University and the Lecturer’s Unit of the Eastern Michigan University Federation of Teachers.

evaluation and promotion

General information

All Employees shall be subject to evaluation by the Employer. The areas of evaluation include teaching and other assigned work. The teaching evaluation of Employee performance will include student evaluations, course materials and classroom observations. The evaluation of other assigned work of the Employee will include appropriate documentation as indicated in this Article, and as applicable to the discipline and other assigned work.

For all evaluations and for the purposes of determining an Employee’s eligibility for promotion, only work completed since the last evaluation, or the date of the Employee’s first term appointment, whichever is most recent, shall be evaluated.

Evaluations will normally follow the procedures established below. In unique circumstances, Department Heads may amend the evaluation procedure below to reflect department operations. These amended procedures shall be subject to approval by the Associate Vice President of Academic Human Resources and the Union. Employees impacted by the amended procedures will be notified of the approved changes.

In cases where Student Evaluations and/or Classroom Observations do not apply, for example Employees assigned to the Library, professional performance shall be the equivalent of instructional effectiveness, as determined by the Department Head.

The Employee will be notified in their appointment letter if a department uses discipline specific measures to assess performance (e.g., accreditation standards, licensing requirements). Subsequent changes to these measures will be provided to the Employee through revised appointment letters.

Evaluations conducted under this agreement can have the following outcomes:

Exceeds expectations
Meets expectations
Does not meet expectations

An evaluation shall be considered successful if an Employee achieves a rating of “meets expectations” in student evaluations, classroom materials and classroom observations. If applicable, applicants must provide evidence having maintained accreditation and licensing requirements in their discipline.

There are two types of evaluations: Periodic Evaluations and Full Evaluations. Full-Time Lecturers are evaluated using both Periodic and Full Evaluation processes.
Part-time Lecturers are evaluated using the Periodic Evaluation process.

ptl and ftl periodic evaluations

Frequency of Periodic Evaluation / Full-Time Lecturers
Full-Time Lecturers will undergo a Periodic Evaluation in the fourth semester of their Initial Two Year Appointment. Full-Time Lecturers will have the choice to undergo a Periodic Evaluation or a Full Evaluation in the fifth year after their promotion to Associate Full-Time Lecturer and every five (5) years thereafter.

Frequency of Periodic Evaluation / Part-Time Lecturers
Periodic Evaluations shall be performed for Part-Time Lecturers as follows:

In their second appointment.
In their fourth appointment.
In the sixth semester after the fourth appointment and every sixth semester thereafter.

Part-Time Lecturers who successfully complete a Periodic Evaluation in their fourth appointment and beyond shall be
promoted according Appointments and Workload.

Periodic Evaluation Materials
Periodic Evaluations require that Employees submit materials as described below to the Department Head by October 15th (Fall appointment) or February 1st (Winter appointment) of the appointment that triggers the evaluation.

Full-Time and Part-Time Lecturers shall electronically submit the following material to the Department Head by the dates indicated above:

Cover page (found on Academic Human Resources website)
Curriculum vita
Course materials for each course taught over the evaluation period.
Course syllabi are required for each unique course taught and any significant revisions to course syllabi.
Employees are expected to include a representative sample of assignments, exams, or other supportive material that demonstrates the Employee’s teaching effectiveness and approach to teaching.
Student evaluations. Student Evaluations shall be conducted in accordance with Eastern Michigan University policy. Employees shall be responsible for retaining each course’s Student Evaluation electronic file for the period of time that they are applicable to future evaluations of the Employee.
Other assigned work (if applicable). Instructional responsibilities not directly involving classroom teaching shall be supported by documentation that shows evidence of the Employee’s effectiveness in performing the responsibilities specified in their assignment letter(s).

ftl full evaluations

Frequency of Full Evaluations
Full Evaluations are conducted at the end of the Three Year Re-Appointment term. Every five (5) years thereafter Full-Time Lecturers have the choice to be evaluated under a Periodic Evaluation or a Full Evaluation. Full-Time Lecturers who successfully complete a Full Evaluation shall receive the appropriate promotion and/or salary adjustment.

Full Evaluation Materials
It is the responsibility of each Full-Time Lecturer to clearly and explicitly document in their evaluation material both the quantity and quality of their activities over the last five (5) years. Full Evaluations require that the Full-Time Lecturer submit electronic evaluation materials, as detailed below, to the Department Head by October 15th of the academic year of evaluation.

Full Evaluation materials for Full-Time Lecturers shall include the following:

Cover page (found on Academic Human Resources website)
Curriculum vita
Narrative Statement. The narrative statement should explain how and to what extent the Full-Time Lecturer has performed the duties outlined in their appointment letter. Examples include a reflection on their teaching and student evaluations, a reflection on their instructional responsibilities not directly involving classroom teaching, efforts to stay current within the discipline, and the pedagogical innovations the Full-Time Lecturer has implemented.
Course Materials for each different course taught over the period the evaluation period.
Course syllabi are required for each unique course taught and any significant revisions to course syllabi.
Full-Time Lecturers are expected to include a representative sample of assignments, exams, or other supportive material that demonstrates the Employee’s teaching effectiveness and approach to teaching.
Student evaluations. Student Evaluations shall be conducted in accordance with Eastern Michigan University policy. Employees shall be responsible for retaining each course’s Student Evaluation electronic file for the period of time that they are applicable to future evaluations of the Employee.
Other assigned work (if applicable). Instructional responsibilities not directly involving classroom teaching shall be supported by documentation that shows evidence of the Full-Time Lecturer’s effectiveness in performing the responsibilities specified in their assignment letter(s).
Extraordinary Achievement. The Full-Time Lecturer may include discussion or evidence of service or professional development beyond that which is directly related to the Full-Time Lecturer’s teaching assignment. Such discussion or evidence shall be taken into account by the Department Head, but shall not result in an overall negative review.

off-cycle periodic evaluations

An off-cycle Periodic Evaluation can be initiated based on concerns by the Department Head in consultation with the College Dean (or the appropriate academic administrators). The Department Head will notify the Employee in writing within thirty (30) calendar days of when the Department Head first becomes aware of the concern, with copy to Academic Human Resources and the Union. Such evaluations will follow the Periodic Evaluation procedures. Dates and times for the submission of materials and Department Head responsibilities will be adjusted, as applicable, depending on the timing of the off-cycle Periodic Evaluation and shall be specified in the written notification to the Employee.

department head evaluation responsibilities

Notification
Department Heads shall notify Employees scheduled for evaluation within the first two weeks of the semester in which they are being evaluated with details regarding the evaluation process and material required to be submitted for the evaluation with a copy to the Union.

Classroom Observations
The Department Head, or suitable designee, shall conduct classroom observations during all Periodic and Full Evaluations of an Employee. Prior to the appointment of a designee, the Department Head shall discuss the selection of the designee with the Employee. Classroom observations shall be scheduled with reasonable advance notice of no less than ten (10) working days. Results of classroom observations shall be discussed and provided to the Employee in written format during the meeting with the Department Head. Classroom observations may be waived for one (1) credit courses and off-campus courses where direct observation is not feasible.

Meetings
Department Heads are responsible for meeting with Employees for both Periodic and Full Evaluations to discuss the Employee’s performance.

In preparation for the meeting, the Department Head will review the evaluation materials submitted by the Employee, review student evaluations for the period of the evaluation and prepare the written results of the classroom observation.
Meetings will focus primarily on an Employee meeting expectations. This meeting needs to be completed by December 1st for Fall Periodic Evaluations or April 1st for Winter Periodic and Full Evaluations.
The discussion shall include both the positive elements seen as well as those elements of performance where improvement might reasonably be expected.

Written Summary
After the meeting, the Department Head will reduce the evaluation of an Employee to writing, explaining with reasonable specificity, the evaluation efforts that were conducted, their individual results, and the qualitative basis for the ratings assigned.

Written results of such evaluations, indicating whether or not the Employee met expectations, shall be returned to the Employee no later than December 15th for Fall Periodic Evaluations or April 15th for Winter Periodic and Full Evaluations. The Employee shall have up to ten (10) working days to submit a written response. Both the evaluation results and the Employee’s response (if any) shall be placed in the Employee’s personnel file.

The written summary shall include the semester and year of the next Employee evaluation.
The Department Head’s evaluation and the Employee’s materials in support of the Employee’s performance shall be placed in the departmental personnel file.
The Department Head’s Written Summary shall be forwarded to Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, with a copy to the Dean of the appropriate college, for inclusion in the official personnel file.

rEMEDIATION

Full-Time Lecturers

If, during the first Periodic Evaluation, the Full-Time Lecturer does not meet expectations they will not be reappointed.
If the Full-Time Lecturer does not meet expectations during any future evaluation, the Department Head in consultation with the Full-Time Lecturer, with Union Representation if desired, shall develop a Remediation Plan.

Full-Time Lecturers undergoing a Remediation Plan as a result of a Full Evaluation shall receive promotion and salary adjustments upon successful completion of the Remediation Plan.

A Remediation Plan shall not alter the normal schedule of evaluations. By way of illustration, a Full-Time Lecturer scheduled for a Full Evaluation in 2025, who was put on a Remediation Plan, shall be eligible for their next Full Evaluation in 2030 if they successfully complete the Remediation Plan.

Part-Time Lecturers

A PTL1 who does not meet expectations during a Periodic Evaluation will not be rehired.
If, after any Periodic Evaluation, a PTL2 or PTL3 does not meet expectations, the Department Head in consultation with the Part-Time Lecturer, with Union Representation if desired, shall develop a Remediation Plan.

Part-Time Lecturers undergoing a Remediation Plan as a result of a Periodic Evaluation shall receive promotion upon successful completion of the Remediation Plan.

A Remediation Plan shall not alter the normal schedule of evaluations. By way of illustration, a PTL2 scheduled for a Periodic Evaluation in 2025, who was put on a Remediation Plan, shall be eligible for their next Periodic Evaluation in six
semesters if they successfully complete the Remediation Plan.

Remediation Plan
The Remediation Plan shall include but is not limited to:

areas of performance in need of improvement;
strategies/activities for improvement;
specific outcomes for successful completion of the remediation plan;
documentation required to be submitted by the Employee during and/or at the end of the remediation period; and
the timeline for improvement, including key dates and the submittal date for the Employee’s remediation narrative described below.

If the Department Head identifies new significant areas of concern during the Remediation Plan, the Remediation Plan will be modified by the Department Head in consultation with the Employee, with Union Representation if desired, and can be extended to address those new problems. Any such modification shall extend the timeline of the plan to accommodate the Employee’s obligation to meet newly defined outcomes. A significant area of concern is one that would, on its own, justify a rating of “does not meet expectations” in a Periodic or Full Evaluation.

Remediation Plan Outcomes
The Employee shall submit supporting materials documenting the activities performed in fulfillment of the Remediation Plan along with a narrative explaining how the plan has been fulfilled as indicated on the timeline.

The Department Head shall review the Employee’s narrative and supporting materials and write a report that explains the outcome of the Remediation Plan.

If the Department Head determines that the Employee has not met the specified outcomes of the Remediation Plan, the Employee will be terminated. The Department Head shall document this determination in the Remediation Plan report.

compensation

general information

The base academic year shall consist of two (2) semesters for a total of thirty-two (32) weeks during the Employer’s regular Fall and Winter semesters.

Full-Time Lecturers will make themselves available the week prior to the beginning of each semester for department and/or college meetings and other activities as directed by their Department Head.
If a Part-Time Lecturer is required to attend a mandatory meeting specific to their teaching assignment during the term of their appointment they will be paid at the hourly rate specified in Library and Writing Center.
Part-Time Lecturer appointment letters will specify the duration of the appointment.
Employees are required to hold final exams during the final exam period. If the course does not regularly administer final exams then the final exam period must be used for instructional purposes.

Salary Period
All salaries of Employees shall be determined in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

When necessary and appropriate for an Employee to teach or perform library service on a continuing basis (year round), the Employee’s salary will be determined at one hundred and thirty-three percent (133%) of base academic year salary and the assignment will be considered as a twelve (12) month assignment.

PTL Pay Rates

The following minimum rates apply to Part-Time Lecturers:

A Part-Time Lecturer who was paid above the minimum per credit hour rate in the previous academic year shall receive a $40 per credit hour increase to their previous per credit hour rate.

Full-Time Lecturer Salary and Salary Adjustments

Full-Time Lecturers shall be paid a minimum of $43,000 per academic year.

If a Full-Time Lecturer is hired for a position that has advertised qualifications of an earned doctorate or a terminal degree equivalent to the doctorate, the Full-Time Lecturer minimum salary shall be $46,000.

Effective with the first full pay period following ratification of the agreement by both parties, each Full-Time Lecturer appointed prior to September 1, 2022, shall receive an increase of three percent (3.0%) plus $500 added to their academic year base salary.
Effective with the beginning of the academic year 2024-25, each Full-Time Lecturer appointed prior to September 1, 2023, shall receive an increase of two percent (2.0%) plus $500 added to their academic year base salary.
Effective with the beginning of the academic year 2025-26, each Full-Time Lecturer appointed prior to September 1, 2024, shall receive an increase of two and one quarter percent (2.25%) plus $500 added to their academic year base salary.
Effective with the beginning of the academic year 2026-27, each Full-Time Lecturer appointed prior to September 1, 2025, shall receive an increase of two and one quarter percent (2.25%) plus $500 added to their academic year base salary.
Effective with the beginning of the academic year 2027-28, each Full-Time Lecturer appointed prior to September 1, 2026, shall receive an increase of three percent (3.0%) added to their academic year base salary.

Order of Adjustment
For the determination of base academic year salary increases, any salary adjustments provided for in Section I will be added to the Employee’s base academic year salary after all other increases provided pursuant to this Agreement are applied to the Employee’s base academic year salary for that year.

Full-Time Lecturer Overload and Summer Pay
Full-Time Lecturers teaching overloads (greater than fifteen (15) credit hours a semester) shall be paid no less than the per credit hour rate specified in the table below:

Full-Time Lecturers teaching Summer shall be paid at 1/30th of their academic year salary per credit hour.

Employee pay options

Semi-monthly pay dates will fall on the last workday that the University is officially open for business on or before the 15th of each month, and on the last workday that the University is officially open for business on or before the last calendar day of each month.

Full-Time Lecturers have the option of receiving their base academic year salary under two pay plans:

Option 1 - Total base academic year salary to be paid over an eight (8) month period in sixteen (16) consecutive semi-monthly payments commencing on September 15 of the academic year.
Option 2 - Total base academic year salary to be paid over a twelve (12) month period in twenty-four (24) consecutive semi-monthly payments commencing on September 15 of the academic year.

Full-Time Lectures will be required to choose the pay option upon hire. When they have chosen the option they wish to exercise, the option will remain in full force and effect for the duration of the period covered by the option selected. If a Full-Time Lecturer wishes to change the pay plan for the following academic year, the Full-Time Lecturer may do so by submitting a pay plan election form to the Employer’s Payroll Office, found on the Academic Human Resources
website, by no later than August 1st of any given year. Changes shall not be permitted after August 1.

Full-Time Lecturers who fail to advise the Payroll Office of their election as herein provided shall continue to be compensated in accordance with the pay plan under which they were compensated during the preceding academic year. Newly-hired Full-Time Lecturers who fail to make an election shall be compensated in
accordance with Option 2.

Full-Time Lecturers who receive annualized appointments must elect to have their base salary paid over twenty-four (24) pays in accordance with Option 2.Semi-monthly pay dates will fall on the last workday that the University is officially open for business on or before the 15th of each month, and on the last workday that the University is officially open for business on or before the last calendar day of each month.

Part-Time Lecturers will be paid semi-monthly starting the next full pay period after the semester begins and they complete all of their required hiring forms. Part-Time Lecturers cannot be entered into the system to be paid without all of the hiring forms completed accurately. No accommodations to pay will be made for Part-Time Lecturers who fail to submit their forms prior to the start of their teaching.

Pre and Post Sessions and On-Campus Workshops | Substitution PAy | Grants and COntracts

Salaries for Pre and Post Sessions and On-Campus Workshops
Compensation for short-term workshops for which semester hour credits are granted and which are offered by an academic department will be in the amount of four percent (4%) of the Full-Time Lecturer’s base salary per week (i.e., seven (7) calendar days) or $2,000 for a Part-Time Lecturer.

An additional two percent (2%) of base salary per week may be offered to Full-Time Lecturers who supervise workshops, or $1,000 for Part-Time Lecturers, which require a twenty-four (24) hour commitment each day.

Substitution Pay
An Employee who agrees to substitute for another absent Employee (due to illness or short-term disability) shall be compensated as provided below:

For each course taught, the Employee shall be compensated at the hourly rate of $50.00 per contact hour class met or per two (2) lab contact hours met.
In those limited instances where it is apparent that an Employee’s period of absence due to illness or injury will be of extended duration, the Dean may authorize the Department Head to engage the services of an Employee and compensate the Employee at their current rate, as specified in this article, commencing with the first hour of substitution, prorated for the remainder of the term.

Full-Time Lecturer Sponsored Grants and Contracts
When a Full-Time Lecturer is appointed to a sponsored grant project, concurrent with a full-time appointment, additional compensation is not allowed when on the grant (overloads, summer pay, and other forms of compensation). Release time, travel expenses, and other perquisites may be allowed, subject to administrative approval, and subject to funding provided by the grant.

The Full-Time Lecturer who is recognized as the “principal investigator” of an externally-fund grant shall have ten percent (10%) of the grant’s indirect costs payable to the Employee placed into an Employer account. In the case of more than one principal investigator, the principal investigators shall equally share the ten percent (10%). The Full-Time Lecturer(s) must spend these funds on research-related expenses within two years of the completion of the grant. After two years, any remaining funds will be moved to the Provost’s indirect cost fund.

As recognition for successful research efforts, the Full-Time Lecturer who is recognized as the principal investigator of an externally-fund grant greater than $50,000, that includes indirect costs payable to the University, will receive a stipend in the form of a one-time, not-to-base, payment of 1% of the value of the external funds awarded to the Employer (excluding indirect costs, matching funds, and amounts awarded to other agencies or universities) not to exceed $5,000. In the case of more than one principal investigator, the principal investigators will equally share the stipend. The stipend is awarded at the conclusion of the grant after the successful acceptance of the final report by the funding agency. The stipend amount shall be determined once per year at the end of the fiscal year in which the grant or grants conclude(s)

grievance proceedures

general information

Nothing in this Article shall prevent informal adjustment of any complaint and the parties intend that, so far as reasonably possible, such complaints will be resolved between the Employee and the administrative agent of EMU immediately involved. Said complaints may be adjusted without intervention of the Union, provided the adjustment is not inconsistent with the terms of this Agreement.

The resolution of an informal claim, formal claim, or grievance as outlined below shall not add to, subtract from, or modify the terms of this Agreement, or serve as a binding precedent in the future interpretation of application of the terms of this Agreement, unless done so in writing and approved by EMU’s Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, the Union’s President, or their respective designees. Any such agreement reached between the Union and the Employer shall be binding on the Union, the Employer, and Employees.

definitions

“Harm” is defined as an event, occurrence, or circumstance which is perceived to be a violation of the contract for which an Employee or group of Employees is seeking resolution.

A “grievance” is a written allegation, made in the manner prescribed in this Article, by an Employee, group of Employees, or the Union that an express term of the Agreement has been violated, misinterpreted, or improperly applied, and that such Employee(s) or the Union has been harmed in some manner by the alleged violation. The grievance shall set forth the nature of the grievance, the facts upon which it is based, the specific Article(s) and Section(s) violated, the harm suffered by the grievant, and the remedy requested.

A “grievant” is the party alleging a grievance and who has been harmed by the alleged violation.

A “grievance form” is the official form upon which all grievances shall be submitted. The grievance form shall set forth the nature of the grievance, the facts upon which it is based, the specific Article(s) and Section(s) violated, the harm suffered by the grievant, and the remedy requested.

basic provisions

The Union’s Grievance Officer and the EMU’s Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources shall be provided with a copy of all written grievances, grievance adjustments, grievance withdrawals, grievance denials, notices of appeal, notices of extension, and all other correspondence exchanged between the Union’s and the Employer’s representatives pursuant to the processing of grievances. Said copies shall be provided concurrently with the transmittal of the original correspondence exchanged between the parties’ representatives.

Failure to initiate any grievance within the time limits specified in this Article by the Union or the grievant(s) shall bar further processing of the grievance. Failure to appeal any grievance within the specified time limits on the part of the Union shall cause the grievance to be resolved on the basis of the last administrative decision concerning the matter(s) at issue and bar further processing of the grievance. The time limits may be extended by mutual written consent of the parties. Failure to comply with the time limits on the part of any administrative representatives will permit the grievance to proceed to the next step.

An Employee who participates in the grievance procedure will not be subject to discipline or reprisal because of such participation.

The Union and the Employer may, by mutual consent, elect to begin the formal grievance process at any of the three steps. In cases where grievances are initially filed at a step other than Step I, the timeline for the initial filing at Step I shall be adhered to.

grevience step i

A Step I grievance shall be filed on the official grievance form by the Employee or the Union. No Step I grievance will be entertained or processed unless it is submitted within twenty (20) working days of the occurrence of the harm identified in the grievance or the date the employee should have reasonably become aware of the harm identified by the grievance. With respect to appointments, the twenty (20) working days begins after the sending of the second list, as referenced in Information Furnished to the Union (Article X.A).

The grievance shall be served on the Department Head in which the grievant(s) is employed (or other appropriate administrative representative), with a copy to the Dean of the College in which the grievant(s) is(are) employed and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources.

The Department Head (or other appropriate administrative representative) will schedule a meeting with the Union to discuss the grievance with the grievant(s), the Union’s grievance officer, and other such person(s) the Department Head (or other appropriate administrative representative) deems appropriate. This meeting shall be completed within ten (10) working days after the written notice of grievance is filed.

If a mutually agreeable resolution is reached at this Step, the resolution shall be reduced to writing and a copy provided to the grievant(s), the Union, the Dean, and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources.
If no mutually agreeable resolution is reached, the Department Head (or other appropriate administrative representative) must present the reasons for denial of the grievance in writing to the grievant(s), with a copy to the Union, the Dean and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, within five (5) working days following the Step I meeting.

GREVIENCE STEP II

If the grievance is not resolved at Step I, the Union may, within ten (10) working days of the Step I response, appeal the grievance to the Dean of the College in which the grievant(s) is employed (or other appropriate administrative representative) with a copy to the grievant(s)’s Department Head (or other appropriate administrative representative), and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources. Such appeal shall be made in writing, and shall set forth the Union’s objections to the Step I response.

The Dean (or other appropriate administrative representative) will schedule a meeting with the Union to discuss the grievance with the grievant(s), the grievance officer, Department Head and other such person(s) the Dean (or other appropriate administrative representative) deems appropriate. This meeting shall be completed within ten (10) working days after the grievance is appealed to Step II.

If a mutually agreeable resolution is reached at this Step, the resolution shall be reduced to writing and a copy provided to the grievant(s), the Union, the Department Head, and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources.

If no mutually agreeable resolution is reached, the Dean (or other appropriate administrative representative) must present the reasons for denial of the grievance in writing to the grievant(s), with a copy to the Union, the Department Head and the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources, within five (5) working days following the Step II meeting.

GREVIENCE STEP III

If the grievance is not resolved at Step II, the Union may, within ten (10) working days of the Step II response, appeal the grievance to the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources with a copy to the Dean and the Department Head (or other appropriate administrative representative(s)). Such an appeal shall be made in writing, and shall set forth the Union’s objections to the Step II response.

The Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources (or their designee) will schedule a meeting with the Union to discuss the grievance with the grievant(s), the grievance officer, the Department Head, the Dean and other such persons the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources deems appropriate. This meeting shall be completed within ten (10) working days after the grievance is appealed to Step III.

If a mutually agreeable resolution is reached at this Step, the resolution shall be reduced to writing and a copy provided to the grievant(s), the Union, the Department Head, the Dean and other appropriate administrative representative(s).

If no mutually agreeable resolution is reached, the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources (or their designee) must present the reasons for denial of the grievance in writing to the grievant(s) with a copy to the Union, the Department Head and the Dean (or other appropriate administrative representative(s)) within five (5) working days following the Step III meeting.

GREVIENCE STEP IV - arbritration

If the grievance is not resolved at Step III, the Union may submit the grievance to final and binding arbitration. Within ten (10) working days of the Step III response, the Union shall provide written notice to the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources of its intention to submit the dispute to arbitration. No new claims may be submitted to arbitration.

The Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources (or their designee) and the Union’s grievance officer will first attempt to select a mutually agreeable neutral person to arbitrate the dispute. The Union shall notify the mutually agreeable neutral person within thirty (30) calendar days after selection and provide a copy of the notice to the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources. If not notified and copied within thirty (30) calendar days after the selection the grievance shall be barred.

If the parties are unable to agree upon a neutral person, the selection shall be made in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA). Submission to the American Arbitration Association shall be written and filed by the Union, with simultaneous written notice to the Associate Vice President for Academic Human Resources. If not filed and noticed within thirty (30) calendar days after the receipt of the Step III disposition, the grievance shall be barred.

The Arbitration Hearing and the Arbitrator’s Decision and Award
Procedural issues not otherwise covered by this Agreement with respect to the conduct of the hearing, subpoenas, adjournments, etc., shall be referred to the Arbitrator who shall decide same based upon the then current rules of the American Arbitration Association.

The Arbitrator shall have no power to add to, subtract from, or modify the terms of this Agreement, nor shall they exercise any responsibility or function of the Employer or the Union. This is not intended to restrict the authority of the Arbitrator to the determination of issues of procedural compliance only, and they shall have the authority to determine substantive questions properly presented in accordance with the terms of the Grievance Procedure. The decision of the Arbitrator shall be final and binding on both parties and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction. The parties shall bear their own expenses individually and share the Arbitrator’s fee and expenses equally.

Fringe benefits

General Information

The Employer will provide each Employee a summary description of the Employee’s fringe benefits within sixty (60) calendar days of the commencement of the Employee’s regular full-time employment with Eastern Michigan University.

Eligibility
Employees will be eligible for benefits as specified in this Article based on their appointment as a Full-Time Lecturer or Part-Time Lecturer.

Parking

The Employer will provide, without cost to Employees, a parking permit for semesters they are assigned work.

Tuition Waiver Program

A tuition waiver program providing for a waiver of the full cost of tuition for up to six (6) credit hours per Fall/Winter semester at Eastern Michigan University will be available to eligible Employees. The full cost of tuition for up to six (6) credit hours will be available to eligible Part-Time Lecturers and twelve (12) credit hours will be available to eligible Full-Time Lecturers in the Summer session at Eastern Michigan University. This program applies to tuition only; registration and other incidental fees which may be charged shall be borne by the Employee.

Full-Time Lecturer Eligibility
A Full-Time Lecturer will be eligible for a tuition waiver if satisfying the following terms and conditions:

A Full-Time Lecturer must have completed two (2) semesters on a regular full-time, one hundred percent (100%) appointment prior to the first day of classes of the term or semester for which they plan to register. Subject to the other provisions of this Agreement, Employees whose loads are reduced to not less than 60% of a full-time load shall remain eligible for the full tuition waiver benefit provided above.
Full-Time Lecturers on full-time, one hundred percent (100%) appointments for the term or semester for which application is made will be entitled to full benefits. Employees who are appointed for the academic year, but who do not work during the Summer semester, are eligible for the tuition waiver benefit for those semesters.

Part-Time Lecturer Eligibility
A Part-Time Lecturer will be eligible for a tuition waiver if satisfying the following terms and conditions:

The Part-Time Lecturer must complete two (2) semesters of employment prior to the first day of classes of the term or semester for which the Employee plans to register.
This program is available to Part-Time Lecturers who are employed six (6) credit hours (or the equivalent for those who are not calculated in credit hours) or more in a semester during the current academic year.

Process for Waiver

A completed application for tuition waiver must be submitted to the Benefits Office for approval no later than the payment deadline for 100% drop for the applicable semester.
Failure to submit an application for approval within the required timelines may forfeit the Employee's eligibility for that term. Upon approval by the Benefits Office, the application will be mailed to the Employee.
The Employee must agree to reimburse the Employer for the cost of all tuition waiver benefits forfeited under the terms and conditions hereinafter provided. To assure prompt reimbursement of all amounts paid by the Employer for tuition waiver benefits forfeited by the Employee, the Employee shall authorize the Employer to collect such amounts through deductions from the Employee’s pay in amounts not to exceed twenty-five percent (25%) of the gross amount of the Employee’s regular paycheck every pay period (unless the Employee is terminating, in which case the entire amount may be deducted) or through other appropriate means.

Requirements of Waiver
The Employee must take courses during times the Employee in not working (scheduled to teach, hold office hours, or other assignments). An eligible Employee shall forfeit tuition waiver benefits and must reimburse the full cost of such benefits to the Employer if:

A grade of “pass,” or “C” or above (“B” for graduate courses), is not achieved in any course for which tuition waiver is obtained. (Grades of “C-” in undergraduate courses and “B-” in graduate courses are (unacceptable).
A mark of “Incomplete” (I) is received and not converted to a passing grade within one (1) year following the end of the semester in which the course was taken, or the date the Employee’s employment terminates, whichever is earlier.
The Employee withdraws from a course after the date specified in the course bulletin for tuition refund. Exceptions may be made upon a showing of appropriate cause by the Employee (e.g., prolonged incapacitating illness, unanticipated conflict between a course in which the Employee is required to teach and the one in which they are enrolled, etc.).

Appeals for exception shall be made through the regularly established appeal process in the Student Business Services.

Tuition Waiver Program for Employee Spouses and Dependent Children

A tuition waiver program providing a waiver of one-half (1/2) the cost of undergraduate tuition at Eastern Michigan University will be available to spouses and dependent children of eligible Employees who have met the eligibility requirements above. This program applies to tuition only; registration and other incidental fees which may be charged shall be borne by the spouse or dependent child. It is the intent of the Employer to provide only a fifty percent (50%) tuition waiver to any individual dependent regardless of the fact that both parents may work for the Employer.

An eligible Employee’s spouse or dependent child will be eligible for a tuition waiver if evidence is presented to the Benefits Office confirming that:

The person is the spouse or dependent child of an eligible Employee. Dependent children shall be defined as: (a) legally dependent children of an eligible Employee; and (b) children who have an eligible Employee as their legal guardian.
The spouse or dependent has satisfied all admission requirements and is eligible to enroll for courses.
A completed application for tuition waiver is approved by the Benefits Office no later than the payment deadline for 100% drop for the applicable semester.

Failure to submit an application for approval within the required timelines may forfeit the spouse or dependent's eligibility for that term. Upon approval by the Benefits Office, the application will be emailed to the Employee.

An eligible Employee’s spouse or dependent child shall be subject to all employer’s academic standards, policies and practices and may be refused admission to the University, enrollment in courses, or continued enrollment at Eastern Michigan University the same as any other student of the University.

Tuition waiver benefits eligibility for a spouse or dependent child shall cease at the end of the semester in which the eligible Employee terminates employment with the Employer. If the spouse/dependent child drops or withdraws from courses during the one hundred percent (100%) drop period, any refund applicable to the tuition waiver shall revert to the Employer. If the student drops classes after the one hundred percent (100%) drop, they shall reimburse the Employer in full for all tuition previously waived by Eastern Michigan University.

An eligible Employee’s spouse or dependent child shall forfeit tuition waiver benefits and must reimburse the full cost of such benefits to the Employer if:

A grade of “pass,” or “C” or above is not achieved in any course for which tuition waiver is obtained. (Grades of “C-” are unacceptable).
A mark of “Incomplete” (I) is received and not converted to a passing grade within one (1) year following the end of the semester in which the course was taken, or the date the Employee’s eligibility terminates, whichever is earlier.
The eligible Employee’s spouse and/or child withdraws from a course after the date specified in the course bulletin for tuition refund. Exceptions may be made upon a showing of appropriate cause by the eligible Employee (e.g. prolonged incapacitating illness, etc.). Appeals for exception shall be made through the regularly established appeal process in the Student Business Services.

Flexible Spending Account

The Employer has implemented various Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) and Healthcare FSA (HCFSA) programs. The FSA program will be available to Employees with an appointment of six (6) or more credit hours per semester.

These programs shall comply with IRS permissible guidelines. Vendor guidelines for program participation and reimbursement must be observed. The Vendor is responsible for providing various reimbursement modalities (e.g., debit card, mobile, direct bill). Employees shall be notified of the annual enrollment deadline not less than ten (10) working days prior to the deadline.

The Employer shall offer a Limited Purpose Flexible Spending Account (LPFSA) to Full-Time Lecturers who are enrolled in the BCBS High Deductible PPO health insurance plan as allowed by law.

In connection with its FSA and the LPFSA, and to the extent permissible by current laws and regulations, the Employer will adopt either (1) a carryover option that allows Employees to carry over any unused fund at the end of one plan year to the following plan year, which carry over amount shall be the maximum dollar amount allowed by law, or (2) a grace period option that allows Employees to expend funds remaining at the end of one FSA plan year during a grace period in the immediately following FSA plan year, which grace period shall be the maximum time period allowed by law.

To further facilitate each Employee’s utilization of the above FSA and LPFSA, the Employer will pay the monthly administrative fee for this program and the debit card option.

FULL-TIME LECTURER BENEFITS

To review FTL Benefits listed below, see Article XVIII of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Additional information can be obtained from the Human Resource / Benefits and Wellness website.

Full-Time Lecturer Group Medical Benefits Plan
Full-Time Lecturer Group Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
Full-Time Lecturer Dental Care Benefits
Short-Term Disability Programs
Long-Term Disability Benefits
Retirement Programs
Retirement Benefits and Emeritus Status
Full-Time Lecturer Voluntary Phased Retirement