Second Memorandum of Understanding Between Western Washington University And United Faculty of Western Washington University

A signed copy of the MOU can be found here

In response to the COVID-19 health crisis, UFWW and the University administration agree to temporarily modify the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) as outlined below:

NTT Contracting Deadlines

NTT contracts may come later than usual as the University assesses fall enrollment numbers, but NTT contracts will be awarded by July 15, 2020. The new student confirmation date has been delayed from May 1 to June 1. Phase I registration for returning students has been delayed from May 12 (to May 19) to sometime in June. The University will have a better understanding of NTT section needs after June 15 and will proceed with NTT contracting as quickly as possible. Section 8.1.1.6 of the CBA states, “Normally, contracts for returning non-tenure-track faculty will be awarded no later than July 15. Teaching sections may be added to existing contracts after July 15.”

Compensation for Remotely-Taught Study Abroad Courses

Faculty have the option to teach study abroad courses remotely in Summer 2020, and compensation will be governed by CBA Section 22.15.3:

22.15.3 Study Abroad/Study Away:

i. Courses enrolling five or fewer students will be compensated on a per SCH basis at the rate of 70% of applicable tuition. Per SCH compensation cannot be applied to enrollments above 5 students.

ii. For courses enrolling six or more students the faculty member will be paid at the rate of AY salary per credit described in Section 22.15.1.1 above.

Option for Post-Tenure Review Extension

Upon request, tenured faculty scheduled for post-tenure review in the following academic years can opt for a one-year extension:

  • PTR scheduled for AY 2020-21 may be postponed to AY 2021-22
  • PTR scheduled for AY 2021-22 may be postponed to AY 2022-23
  • PTR scheduled for AY 2022-23 may be postponed to AY 2023-24
  • PTR scheduled for AY 2023-24 may be postponed to AY 2024-25

Tenured faculty should submit their requests for postponement to their department chair, college dean, and the Provost in the year prior to their scheduled review.

Professional Leave Awarded in AY 2019-20 to Be Taken in AY 2020-21

Faculty still intending to take their leave in AY 2020-21 may revise their professional leave plans to accommodate the present uncertainity involving COVID-19. The University administration understands that original plans may need to change and will not require faculty in this situtation to submit any formal request to revise their research/creative activity plans. If necessitated by COVID-19 and associated event cancellations/travel restrictions, faculty are encouraged to be flexible, and they will not be penalized for doing so. Faculty will be given credit in future reviews for their originally accepted proposals.

Faculty wishing to change the dates of their leave (for example from fall to spring) within the same academic year may do so by submitting a revised faculty leave request form to their department chair. The department chair will forward the leave request form to their college dean and Provost. Decisions to change the dates of a leave within the same academic year will be approved provided that the leave request form is submitted by June 30, 2020. Any request submitted after June 30 will be subject to the approval and discretion of the department chair, college dean, and Provost.

Faculty members granted professional leave in AY 2019-20 to be taken in AY 2020-21 have a one-time right to retain and defer their leave, or part of their leave, until AY 2021-22. If they’re interested, they should submit a new faculty leave request form with new leave start and end dates to their department chair by June 30, 2020. The department chair will forward the leave request form to their college dean and Provost. Decisions to defer the dates of leave will be approved provided that the leave request form is submitted by June 30, 2020. Any request submitted after June 30 will be subject to the approval and discretion of the department chair, college dean, and Provost. Given that the leaves in this case are being retained and deferred (rather than forfeited), the University will not re-award them to other applicants from the same AY 2019-20 applicant co-hort.

Signed and dated this 15 of May, 2020.