Democratic Women's Labor Council of West Central Illinois

10/08/2024

04/07/2024

UNIT B FACULTY TESTIMONIAL: MARI AANENSON

I am the only Unit B faculty in Biological Sciences. We are short staffed as it is, and if I am not rehired then the Unit A faculty will have to teach my two Biol 100 (Gen Ed) and my Micr 200 classes. They will also have to take over the TA Coordinator position and the Biology Day Chair position. I have held the position of TA Coordinator for most of my 18 years here at WIU. I have had the Biology Day Chair position for the past four years and I have been on the committee for the past 6 - 7 years. I am on the following department committees: General Biology (Chair), Curriculum, Laboratory Manuals, Chair Advisory, and Biology Day. I have been a faculty member for so long that it is taken for granted that I will take care of things the Unit A doesn't want to. I am a member of the Council on General Education and the University Conduct Board. I am the Veteran Liaison in the department.

My duties include reviewing interviews for potential TAs, assigning labs, and supervision. I am the lab coordinator for Biol 100, Biol 101 and Micr 200. I am responsible for weekly prep meetings, supervision, supply requisition and problem solving. I intervene and resolve student disputes with lab attendance or grades. As an instructor, I care about my students and I want them to be successful in their careers. I have a strict attendance policy that many students hate because there are consequences for excessive absences. An employer would not tolerate excessive absence or tardiness to work and neither do I. I take the time out of my evening or weekend to meet with students over zoom if they need extra help with concepts. I monitor email every single night and respond to student questions within an hour. I rarely cancel class and I am always on time. I am a faithful employee, taking time off when I am too sick to come to work. Because we need additional instructors, my layoff will negatively impact the workload on the Unit A's and the research they are conducting. They have to pick up the slack and will be placed into overload every single semester. Many of the 400 level classes that we currently offer will not be offered because the Unit A's have to teach the introductory courses I teach in addition to my department committee and the two positions I am responsible for.

I am retiring at the end of the 2024-2025 academic year [ . . . ] If I am laid off, I will retire much earlier so there will be no transition time for whoever takes my place. The department will be scrambling to figure out how to complete the tasks.

04/07/2024

UNIT B TESTIMONY: MOKHTAR AOUINA

1. I would like to underline that for the 2023 fall semester, I was assigned two Math 110 and two Math 128 classes to teach. Each has a maximum of 30 or more students enrolled.

In addition, two extra classes of Math 110 were allocated to me each with 30 or more students enrolled. These extra classes of Math 110 were combined with my two original Math 110 classes to become two classes of Math 110 each with over 60 students enrolled. In reality, I taught two additional classes that were not considered overload. The same happened the 2022 fall semester. With these types of large class capacity, Unit B should not be considered for elimination. I am the only Unit B in the Department of Mathematics and Philosophy. There is a need.

2. Moreover, I have a Ph.D. in Mathematics in addition to two masters one in Applied Mathematics and the second in Applied Statistics and Decision Analytics. I believe that with my credentials the students learn and benefit more. Also, I am/will be a great assistant to the needs of our Department for all undergraduate/graduate programs in Data Sciences, Statistics, Pure and Applied Mathematics.

3. As a Unit B faculty, my assignments are not limited to teaching all levels of mathematics also, I am advising undergraduate and graduate students with their research projects and thesis.

4. I am contributing to the Department in the area of service by serving on different committees. In particular, I am the advisor for the Math Club and we are active. We involve faculties, undergraduate and graduate students in different scientific fields in giving talks and presentations, and plan fun activities such as our spring picnics. With the collaboration with the department, we have great plans in place for the next academic year to increase the number of majors and minors in Pure, Applied mathematics, and Math Club members.

Thank you so much.

04/07/2024

UNIT B FACULTY TESTIMONIAL: ANDRE DU PLESSIS

First of all I need to talk about how the non-renewal of my contract will affect me as well as my partner. I joined WIU in Sept 2022 from South Africa. Currently my immigration process is on hold due to this action by the BOT and if my contract is not renewed it will mean that I have to leave the US and I have nothing to go back to as our house and everything was sold to start a new life here at WIU. There are also no job opportunities in South Africa where there is a unemployment rate approaching 35%.

- I serve as Vice-President of Programs and Development on the Project Management Institute Quad Cities Chapter.

- I keep up to date about what is happening in the economy and business in general so that I can share my knowledge with students and bring theory and practice together. I have also done another Project Management certification as a Disciplined Agile Scrum Master this summer so as to better serve my students. I have also accompanied students during the Spring break to visit Modex in Atlanta so that they can see all of what the Supply Chain Industry can offer.

- I have represented WIU at various FBLA events as well as at DECA in Chicago for two years running. I have also volunteered for various events in Macomb, like Western Online, as well as in the Quad Cities, John Deere Classic, QC marathon etc.

- As the only full time certified Project Manager in the CBT, it will become difficult for the department as it is a mandatory course for all Supply Chain Majors. I also teach the Business Strategy Capstone simulation that all business and accounting students need to do to graduate.

- I am on the Strategic Planning committee of the CBT, I am on the Supply Chain and Management Curriculum Committees of the CBT, I am also on the Outreach committee of the CBT. I was also co-opted on the CBT Assessment committee for the AACSB reporting.

Thank you.

16/11/2023

Join us on Friday, Nov. 17, on the Broadview Village Square for a turkey giveaway! The event begins at 8 a.m. and will continue until supplies run out. More information below:

28/09/2023