Yesterday, a concrete Diag bench was lecturer Margaretha Sudarsih’s Advanced Indonesian classroom.
- Angela Cesere
- LSA senior Reme Ramadasu (left), Rackham student Adam Mele (center) and Lecturer Margaretha Sudarsih (right) share an ice cream cake on the Diag yesterday for their last Indonesian class. Some lecturers held class on Diag to tell students about their cont
Sudarsih, a lecturer in the department of Asian Languages and Cultures, is one of 55 Lecturers’ Employee Organization members who signed up to hold their regularly scheduled office hours or classes on the Diag yesterday and today to tell students about their ongoing contract negotiations.
Lecturers from LEO, a union for non-tenure track lecturers at the University’s three campuses, stationed themselves on the Diag from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., meeting with students while passing out flyers about LEO to passersby.
“We wanted to bring awareness to the fact that we’re in negotiations right now,” said Janella James, LEO’s chief organizer.
LEO, an organization of more than 1,400 lecturers, is in contact negotiations with University administrators. LEO’s contract expires at the end of June.
LEO’s bargaining position includes salary raises, improved health care, more transparency in employment reviews, a uniform title for all LEO members, more flexibility to work off-campus.
A team of bargainers led by English Lecturer Kirsten Herold began negotiations Jan. 26.
James said one goal of this week’s event was to inform students about the large number of teachers they have that are not on a tenure-track.
James also said the event can remind tenured colleagues how many lecturers are involved on campus. She said many tenured professors have been supportive of LEO previously.
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