Category Archives: Uncategorized

I have the opportunity to pass along some good news on a non-political issue, so I couldn’t pass it up. As you know our union is mainly visible when we are fighting for the respect that we deserve, given the important work that we do preparing future generations. In order to demonstrate that APSCUF is also a contributing member of our community we sponsor a variety of activities to promote goodwill and positive public relations. In the past we have sponsored conferences, inter-union activities, and also local sports teams.

This year two of the teams we sponsored have been very successful and we want to encourage them, and let them know we are proud of them—not just how they play, but how hard they work and their demonstration that solidarity and teamwork can make a difference.

First, the Senior Little League softball team we sponsored through the West Bradford Youth Association won their district championship and is raising money to go to Mansfield for the State championship this weekend. The team consists of 11 girls: most will be in 9th or 10th grade next year and several are looking at WCU for post-secondary school. (This team is one of three youth teams that we sponsored this year through West Bradford, though this team is unique in that it is both the regular season team and the all-star tournament team.) https://www.wepay.com/donations/wb-seniors-going-to-states; Photo: http://www.eteamz.com/westbradfordlittleleague/

Second, we sponsored the APSCUF Rams – a team of faculty, coaches, and some others – whose success in the hard-fought regular season of the Chester County Co-ed Softball League earned them a place in the play-offs. They won the first of two post-season playoff rounds: they beat another team in a best-of-3 series, and now go on to play the #1 seed in a best-of-5 series. They won their first game on Sunday and will play the remaining games locally if you are able to go to cheer them on. (Game 2: Thurs 7/19 7:45 p.m. Westtown Complex, upper field; Game 3: TBD; Game 4: Sun 7/22 6 p.m. upper field; Game 5: Wed 7/25 6:15 p.m. lower field) http://www.cccesl.com/stats.asp

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t congratulate our APSCUF coaches, whose efforts resulted in a very strong standing among Division II schools this year. Certainly their work promoting our institution and the demonstration of solidarity and teamwork is an inspiration – in spite of working without a contract! http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120613/SPORTS02/120619833/wcu-among-top-d-ii-programs-in-nation

I hope this finds you enjoying your summer and doing what you need to do to prepare for the Fall. We are a strong union and I am grateful to the many efforts of all of you that build our solidarity and teamwork.

In Solidarity,
Lisa Millhous

Many of you are aware that Upper Darby is cutting all elementary physical education, art, and music (they will retain 3 instrumental teachers – for 10 elementary schools). They are eliminating technology and foreign languages at higher levels. They cut 40 positions last year; next year looks even grimmer.

If you’d like to join a Harrisburg protest for this school district – and for public education at all levels – please show up on Weds 6/6 in Harrisburg – at the Capitol, at approximately 9:30 a.m. See “Harrisburg – Upper Darby Style” on Facebook.

Today is statewide Call to Action for Education! Please make certain you contact your state legislators to tell them that you support public education and are distressed at continuing attacks on it in the forms of defunding, anti-union rhetoric, and the push for charters and vouchers. See Education Voters of PA for more info.

Spend 10 minutes of your day on Weds 4/18 making your statement against the proposed budget cuts to West Chester University! Join the  (peaceful) budget action “mob.”

Assemble at the arch between the library & Main at approximately 12:40 tomorrow. All you’ll be asked to do is stand, listen to a recorded song, and maybe hold a sign.

Help make sure decreasing state support doesn’t continue to compromise public higher education in PA. Come demonstrate against these cuts with many other faculty and students!

The Daily Local newspaper covered both of our rallies this week.

South campus:

http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120229/NEWS01/120229563/wcu-students-faculty-members-protest-against-budget-cuts

North campus:

http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20120301/NEWS01/120309949/1006/hundreds-gather-at-wcu-to-protest-budget-cuts

Please encourage your students to attend and be vocal – there will be student speakers and, at the north campus event, a raffle of crucial supplies for students left in financial straits by the proposed budget! Faculty should attend to show our support for our students and the continuing health of affordable, high-quality public college education.

South Campus Rally – Wednesday 2/29
Sturzebecker 116A
9:45 – 10:15

North Campus Rally – Thursday 3/1
Church St & University Ave
Near bus stop & Ehinger Gym
(Rain location: Sykes Ballroom C)
12:15 – 1:15

Jen James graduated from WCU in 2011. Here are her thoughts on
the recent budget proposals:

When I was a senior in high school, I had a difficult time deciding where I wanted to go to college. I was accepted and wait-listed at several larger, private colleges, but I was also accepted at West Chester University. My older siblings had both attended private colleges and fared well in the large-scale campus environment. However, I was immediately drawn to WCU because of its smaller size. I knew that I wanted to go to a college that valued student interaction with professors through smaller class sizes.

Although finding opportunities for individualized classroom experience was my priority in selecting a college, cost of attendance was also a major factor. I came from a single-parent home; I knew that I would need additional funding just to be able to attend college. After I was accepted at West Chester, I was also offered a full-tuition Board of Governor’s Scholarship based on my high school GPA and extracurricular leadership roles. My older sister encouraged me to take advantage of the school’s in-state tuition and my scholarship opportunity. She advised me to think about these factors based on her own experience with paying off student loan debt for both private college and medical school. Based on my sister’s insight and my primary goal of having an individualized learning experience, I chose to attend West Chester University.

Now that I’ve completed my education at WCU, I’m glad that I took the time to include factors such as class size and cost.  As an English major, I had the opportunity to get individual feedback on my work from my professors and classmates in small lecture classes and workshops. My writing improved significantly through this learning environment, and I now have skills that are immediately transferrable to the real world. Additionally, thanks to the Board of Governor’s Scholarship and my reduced tuition as an in-state student, my student loan debt is significantly lower than it would’ve been in other circumstances. I now have a better handle on my finances in terms of repaying my student loans while working than most recent college graduates thanks to West Chester University.

When I heard about Governor Corbett’s state budget cuts that would reduce funding to PASSHE colleges, I immediately thought of how that would affect students like me who relied on scholarships and affordable tuition just to be able to attend college. I also became concerned that current and future students at PASSHE schools like West Chester wouldn’t have the same advantages of a smaller classroom environment that I had. I took action in writing to my PA State Representative about my concerns over the education budget cuts, but I have yet to hear back from them. I will continue to take action and stay informed on the budget process, not just for my own benefit, but for the benefit of current and future PASSHE students who may not have the same advantages of a state college education that I had.

First-year student Johnny Frederick has posted a video to Youtube that explains how he and others will be affected by Corbett’s proposed budget cuts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eCZ_4xyyd4&feature=g-hist&context=G2e3f2aeAHTzykBgAAAA

If there’s even one student who will suffer in this way, that is one too many.

Please share this link!

If you haven’t heard “Hey Mr. Corbett” by our own faculty member Mark Rimple and current student Hassan Estakhrian, here’s the link: http://www.senatordinniman.com/newsroom/audio

And here’s a great article about it in this week’s Philadelphia Weekly:

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/news/139320523.html?printView=y

Time for a state-wide sing-along!