Some faculty members are thinking twice about participating in uncompensated activities outside the classroom.

Two weeks ago, Garth Amundson, Western tenured art professor, said he is no longer going to be involved in student activities outside the classroom until he is compensated for these activities.

“You meet a breaking point when you are asked to do extra work, and you are not compensated for it,” Amundson said. “I used to think if I just do a little bit more work, maybe I'll be recognized. But that's not happening.”

If he decides to stop doing extra, uncompensated work, he will have more time to devote to the classroom and his research, Amundson said.

Amundson has more than 16 years of university-level teaching experience and earns the same salary as a Ferndale kindergarten teacher, he said. He may leave Western if faculty salaries don’t increase, Amundson said.

Scholars Week is one event Amundson dropped out of. Scholars Week is an opportunity for undergraduates to showcase their work.

Amundson selected several of his photography students to give presentations during Scholars Week, which begins May 19.

However, Amundson resigned from the activities before meeting with students outside of class to help prepare their presentations.

Western senior David Wall said he and four other students will give a presentation showing their photography during Scholars Week.

Amundson was going to be the adviser for their presentation, but Wall had to find other faculty members to help.

“I like promoting students and seeing them succeed,” Amundson said. “This entire process [of resigning from activities] has been a struggle.”

Wall said although he supports Amundson and other faculty who want salary increases, faculty will deprive students of learning opportunities by declining to participate in extra activities.

Students are becoming frustrated with having limited interaction with the faculty, Wall said. Faculty encourage students to contact the administration with their displeasure, as tools in salary negotiations, he said.

The administration realizes some faculty members have declined to participate in events such as Discovery Days and Scholars Week, said Eileen Coughlin, spokesperson for the administration’s bargaining team and vice president for student affairs and academic support services.

“[The administration values] faculty involvement in these events and will miss their presence and I am sure students will miss their presence as well.”

Amundson cancelled a photography field trip scheduled for May 13 to limit the amount of activities beyond his basic responsibilities.

The field trip would have been an opportunity for students to visit art galleries and museums in Vancouver, British Columbia, Wall said.

Wall said Amundson should have found an alternative method to reach his goal for higher faculty salaries that didn’t affect students’ education.

“I want to support the professors as much as I can, but if the students are to support the faculty, the professors need to stand by the students,” Wall said.

Two types of faculty can be hired at Western: tenure-track and non-tenure-track.

Tenure-track faculty members have a more permanent position at Western with titles such as associate professor or professor.

Non-tenure track, limited-term, faculty have contracts that can be renewed on a quarterly or annual basis with positions that include lecturer or instructor.

Tenured faculty have three types of responsibilities: teaching, researching and service work.

Besides teaching, tenured faculty are paid to conduct research within their field and write and publish articles. Non-tenure track faculty are paid only to teach.

Three psychology professors said they will not participate in PsychFest if progress isn’t made for the faculty contract.

PsychFest is an event for psychology undergraduates and graduates to present their research on the last Friday of each spring quarter.

“The faculty contribute to many programs and events as a part of their commitment to students, the university and the larger community,” Coughlin said. “Some of these activities are part of their service to the university.”

Rosemary Vohs, elementary education lecturer, said she has been working at Western for 23 years and has organized many campus events she was not compensated for.

Vohs said she brought speakers for a Wilson Library speaker series and Turning Points faculty lecture series, and she organized annual storytelling performances featuring nationally acclaimed performers.

Vohs said she continues to organize events for students because she considers it to be her responsibility as an educator— even without compensation.

“Many faculty volunteer their time to service students because they are committed to students, our field and the university,” Vohs said.

She said she can understand why tenured and non-tenured faculty are thinking about not continuing to do extra work they are not paid for.

Faculty have a difficult time including time-consuming activities into their busy schedules, Vohs said.

“If I teach more, I don’t have enough time to work on scholarship and creative activities,” Vohs said. “If I teach less, I can’t make a living.”

Vernon Johnson, political science professor, said faculty are the core of Western and deserve to be compensated for their extra efforts to educate students.

Johnson said he is planning a research trip with Western students in South Africa this summer and is planning a conference for the Pacific Northwest Political Science Association in November.

Johnson said he will not be compensated for the arrangements he made for summer trip or the conference.

The average teaching load for faculty in the political science department is two classes, Johnson said. Faculty receive little compensation for teaching extra classes, he said.

Johnson said he teaches four classes in addition to his positions as president and program chair for the Associated Students Political Science Association.

“I may have the heaviest workload this quarter,” Johnson said. “I may have brought this on myself for helping students.”  

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