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About three-quarters of surveyed APSCUF faculty members do not believe they can safely teach face-to-face in the fall semester, according to our survey conducted last week. Click here to read today’s release.

Thank you to the thousands of faculty who completed the survey. APSCUF based its questions on Purdue University Senate’s reopening survey.

The faculty and coaches of Pennsylvania 14 state-owned universities do incredible work every day. Here are just a few of the achievements that our members have accomplished this past year in their communities and their fields.

Bloomsburg University men’s and women’s swimming Head Coach Stu Marvin was named to the Pennsylvania Aquatics Hall of Fame.

California University professor Sean Madden helped deliver food across Pittsburgh amidst the pandemic.

Cheyney University turned to former basketball great Leon Bell to take over as head coach and “revive” the program.

Faculty members Marc Sanko and Jeffrey Diamond of Clarion University started a history podcast about the Pennsylvania Wilds region.

East Stroudsburg University Professor Bonnie Green explored how to prevent critical remarks of students from discouraging their pursuit of education.

Professor Victoria Hedderick was named Edinboro University’s 2020 Faculty Member of the Year.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Associate Professor Kenneth Coles won the 2020 Prose award in cosmology and astronomy for his book, “The Atlas of Mars: Mapping its Geography.”

Ann Lemon and Megan O’Byrne won Kutztown University’s Faculty Excellence Awards for their work in communications. Lemon coordinates large-scale New York City design, and O’Byrne does work in general education and assessment.

Professor Robert Myers, director of environmental studies at Lock Haven University, published “Reconciling Nature: Literacy Representation of the Natural, 1876-1945.”

Kristen Long, assistant professor of biology at Mansfield University, presented research on pancreatic cancer with one of her students at the 2019 American Association of Cancer Research’s Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care conference.

Millersville University Professor Mark Snyder received the Paul T. Hiser Exemplary Publication Award for his article published in The Journal of Technology Studies titled “A Century of Perspectives that influenced the Consideration of Technology as a Critical Component of STEM Education in the United States.”

Alison Dagnes, professor of political science at Shippensburg University, gave a TED Talk at a Harrisburg TEDx event on outrage-based political media.

Slippery Rock University cross-country head coach John Papa was awarded his 21st Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award.

Don McCown, associate professor of health at West Chester University, began offering free daily online meditation and dialogue sessions.

We are thankful to all of the faculty members across our 14 campuses for the work that they do. If you have any accomplishments, accolades, or achievements that you would like to see shared with our followers, we’d love to hear them. Share them with us on social media, or email us at .

—Kyle Bower,
APSCUF intern

APSCUF today addressed the opportunities and obligations educators have to confront issues of systemic racism. Click here to read the full statement released through APSCUF’s executive council.

Dr. Jamie Martin began her presidential term June 1, as the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties faces a public health crisis and looming uncertainties about the state of higher education in the Commonwealth. In her eventful first week, she said she wishes her transition were “a bit more boring.”

Dr. Kenneth M. Mash, left, and Dr. Jamie Martin, visit the Pennsylvania Capitol in summer 2019, when they were APSCUF president and vice president, respectively. Martin’s presidential term began June 1. APSCUF file photo

An APSCUF member since her first day as a faculty member at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Martin has since served in numerous roles in the organization — from grievance chair at IUP to state vice president with immediate-past President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash. In April, delegates voted in Martin as APSCUF’s second elected woman president. Martin said after her election that she has “big shoes to fill” in replacing Mash, but the former president expressed confidence in the future of APSCUF and the new leadership, offering a bit of advice.

“The thing that gives me most faith in the future of our union is the strong tradition of involvement and the great people,” Mash said. “Dr. Martin is a great APSCUF leader. She is talented, wise, and as tough as nails. My advice to her would be to have confidence in her abilities.”

In her years at APSCUF, Martin has fought for fair contracts as part of negotiations teams and for lower costs for students. As a professor, she has heard the testimonies of students who struggle with finances, work multiple jobs, and still are unable to afford necessities such as food and school books.

“One thing I want students to know about APSCUF is that faculty care deeply about them and the education that they are receiving, and when we talk to legislators, we fight for them,” she said.

The biggest issue facing Pennsylvania public higher education in recent years is inadequate funding. Martin stressed the importance of unity during this and other challenges.

“Our nation is dealing with this pandemic and it has impacted all facets of our society, including higher education,” she said. “This of course leads to a lot of uncertainty and questions about the upcoming fall semester.”

Martin said she is motivated by the students, faculty, and colleagues.

“My favorite part of the job is the people,” she said. “It has been such a pleasure to meet colleagues and students at the 14 universities.”

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More about Martin

Dr. Jamie Martin graduated from IUP with bachelor’s and master’s degrees and a doctorate in criminology. Her research has focused on qualitative research, corrections, and criminal-justice ethics. She has published articles in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education and American Journal of Criminal Justice, and she has also published a book called “Looking Out: Jailed Fathers’ Perceptions about Separation from Their Children.” Additionally, she won the Center for Teaching Excellence Award in 2004 and the Outstanding Teacher Award in the College of Health and Human Services in 2008.

Outside her career work, she enjoys Civil War history and reading other academic literature. She also loves being outdoors and enjoying a glass of wine. Martin is married to her husband, Randy, with two sons, two grandchildren, a Boxer named Max, and two parrots.

—Kyle Bower,
APSCUF intern

The June 10 Board of Governors meeting took place via Zoom. Click the video above to listen to APSCUF President Dr. Jamie Martin’s comments, or read them below as prepared:

Chairwoman Shapira, Chancellor Greenstein, governors, university presidents, and guests,

Good morning. My name is Jamie Martin, I am the president of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF), which represents the faculty and coaches at our 14 great universities. As you know, I am following in the footsteps of our incredible past president, Dr. Ken Mash.

On behalf of our membership, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you for the time and energy that you put forth in trying to improve the lives of our students and for striving to fulfill the mission of our System: to provide a high-quality, affordable education for them.

As Chairwoman Shapira just eloquently stated, it goes without saying that we are amid unprecedented times as a nation and as a State System. There is great uncertainty as we grapple with a deadly virus that has taken the lives of over 110,000 of our fellow citizens, shuttered businesses and schools, and decimated our economy. There is great social unrest that can be seen in protests across our country as millions appropriately demand social justice. And, there is uncertainty at our universities as we begin to plan for the fall 2020 semester. There are questions about the structure of our classes, the protocols and policies that are needed to keep everyone healthy and safe, concerns about being able to accomplish social distancing in a variety of settings, and the accommodations that will be necessary for individuals who are — or who reside with someone who is — vulnerable to this virus. I expect that some of these topics will be discussed here today.

While uncertainty exists, I know that certainty is present in the resolve among my colleagues to provide the best educational experiences that we can for our students. The way in which faculty members quickly pivoted from face-to-face classes to remote delivery in March was remarkable and demonstrates the talent, dedication, and skills that they possess. My colleagues now stand at the ready to work in partnership with the administration at their respective universities to tackle the questions about a safe return to the fall semester. Please continue to involve them, listen to the wisdom that they have gained from years in classrooms with students, and recognize the love that they have for their schools. We all want to be back in our classrooms interacting with our students, but we recognize that the fall 2020 semester is but one semester of many others that will follow. I ask that we have a thoughtful discussion about returning to campus in a safe manner, and one that looks at the long term and not just the near.

I believe that those working so hard on vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 will be successful and our lives will return to some sort of “new normal,” but that day is not yet here. Winston Churchill said, “This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” Our hope is that, at the end, all of our students, staff, and all of our faculty will return in good health, our campuses will again have the energy and vibrance that they had in early March, that we will see our students relaxing and playing on our quads, and that we will be face-to-face in our classrooms with no need to wear masks.

I do hope that all of you and your families are safe and well.

Thank you very much for your time.