The Texas A&M University Faculty Senate has sent an emergency resolution to the interim president calling on restoration of vacation benefits to some professors in the College of Engineering.
The resolution, which passed unanimously, states in part:
“…Faculty Senate calls on interim president Hussey to continue vacation accrual for the 2014-2015 fiscal year for all faculty who accrued vacation in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, except as mutually agreed by a faculty member and his or her college without change to the announced payout of the past accrued vacation in order to provide adequate time for the necessary appropriate consultation regarding any changes in terms and conditions of their appointments that may be needed.”
Engineering associate professor Dr. Angie Hill-Price says those on 12 month appointments were given two days notice and no opportunity to respond to changing to two contracts, one for nine months and another for three months, which eliminated their accrued vacation benefit.
Dr. Walter Daugherity of the department of Computer Science and Engineering says that violated university policy.
Dean of Faculties Dr. Michael Benedik, who said he would not get into why the engineering school was singled out, says it’s a matter of moving about 40 percent of the colleges away from a practice where state law is not always followed.
Benedik says during this academic year there will be discussion among the remaining colleges…except for the engineering school…on professors switching from 12 month to nine plus three appointments.
Click below to hear the resolution as read by Dr. Angie Hill-Price: