University Governance:
Whether we use the term co-governance or participatory governance, the fact remains that faculty should play a central role in decision-making at the University. While recently we have been given input on strategic planning and we have maintained control over many, but not all aspects of our curriculum; on decisions regarding workload, hiring, budget, salaries, supervision, travel, professional development, just to name a few of the important issues we face, we have had to rely on the good will of the Administration and Regents in control at the time. To make our voice register we must engage in collective bargaining, for it is only through this process that faculty will gain the needed leverage on issues of salary, workload, and other working conditions.

Faculty Salaries
It has been the stated goal of various administrations at NMHU for the past ten years and more to raise faculty salaries to within national/regional norms and to work to identify and eliminate discriminatory disparities. Yet we have seen little to no progress on this issue. Faculty received no raise for the 2001-02, and 2002-03 academic years. In the 2003-04 academic year the majority of faculty received only a 2.5% raise, the financial benefits of which were significantly eroded by an increase in our health insurance cost. The Faculty Senate cannot negotiate with any binding authority on issues related to salary. It is only through the leverage provided by collective bargaining that we can move toward our goal of equity and parity with national/regional salary norms.

Faculty Workload:
The Faculty Handbook contains language allowing for the adjustment ofa faculty member's teaching load for supervision of theses, graduate teaching,community and/or professional service, and/or research/scholarly activities.The current expectation of 12 credits per semester without any recognition ofour other activities (required for tenure and promotion) ignores this language.In some departments/schools, faculty members are regularly teaching 15 credithours or more. To ensure quality teaching, to allow for faculty members to conductresearch and scholarly activities, to allow for service to the community andprofession, to meet the requirements for promotion and tenure, and to meet therequirements of accrediting agencies, faculty workloads must be reduced. As withthe above issues, to have a meaningful voice, a voice with leverage, collectivebargaining is a must.