Advocate Online

On the Road
with Mark Smith

In April, just after coming on board to join Valerie Wilk, as NEA's newest higher education coordinator, I traveled to St. Louis to participate in the first annual Conference for Contingent Faculty.

More than 50 contingent academics from missouri and Illinois two-and four-year campuses attended the conference, cosponsored by NEA and other national higher education unions, whose focus was on improving the lot of contingent workers.

The gathering generated a great deal of energy, in addition to providing a forum for contingent faculty to discuss issues, formulate policy and commit to organizing to redress grievances. A follow-up meeting to launch broader coalition to support organizing in the greater St. Louis area is scheduled for early June.

This type of local activity, which is being repeated around the country, will be a major focus of another conference this summer. COCAL (The Coalition of Contingent Academic Labor) is a network of North American activist working to improve higher education through collective achievement of job security, livable wages, academic freedom, time and resources for academic research , and professional development for contingent academic laborers.

This year's conference is being held on the campus of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia. The program includes sessions on legislative actions, academic freedom, and national overviews from Canada, Mexico, and the United States. 

I will be attending this conferences along with NEA higher education leaders. Our presence will highlight NEA's commitment to organizing contingent faculty and staff throughout academe.

— Mark Smith coordinates NEA higher ed activities.