VERMONT LEGISLATORS had a gratifying "say what?" reaction when they heard testimony on how a Faculty and College Excellence (FACE) bill could address the academic staffing crisis in Vermont colleges and universities. Though they're holding off on action until the next legislative session, the legislators didn't wait to write a letter to the University of Vermont president, urging him to correct how the university defines part-time and full-time work.

The Vermont Senate Committee on Economic Development and General Affairs held a hearing in February on Senate Bill 198, the FACE bill that committee chair Vincent Illuzzi sponsored and introduced last year.

Committee members were most surprised when they heard testimony from United Academics/AAUP/AFT executive committee member Elizabeth Haggart, who described how it is possible for a University of Vermont faculty member to teach a full-time load and yet not receive benefits or be in the full-time faculty bargaining unit. Haggart recounted how she frequently teaches more courses than her full-time colleagues in the art department but still is assigned to the part-time faculty bargaining unit. That's beause she receives her course assignments through two different divisions—the university's continuing education division and the art department. When this occurs, the courses cannot be added together to make a full-time load, which would put the instructor in the full-time unit.

The university's lobbyist tried to justify this practice by pointing to an existing university policy that predates the establishment of both the full-time and part-time faculty unions.

However, members of the committee seemed unconvinced. They called the situation unfair. Later, all the members of the committee signed a letter to the university president, objecting strongly to the practice and urging the university to make the necessary changes during the current round of bargaining for the full-time faculty unit.

While the FACE bill will not progress further during the current legislative session, the committee was favorably disposed toward it. One member characterized the working conditions for part-time faculty in Vermont as "slave labor."

Besides Haggart, others testifying for the bill included Jay Moore, a part-time faculty member at both the University of Vermont and Champlain College; Allison Fisher, a full-time tenured faculty member at Norwich University; Craig Smith, AFT deputy director for higher education; and Steve Finner, lobbyist for the state federation.

Faculty leaders in Vermont are optimistic that the bill will come to a vote in the next legislative session.