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Dennis Jones, president emeritus of National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, presents initial findings of NCHEMS’ review of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education at the Wednesday, July 12, Board of Governor’s meeting. Photo/Kathryn Morton

Consultants for Pennsylvania’s state-owned universities today presented their initial findings from a systemwide review. Click here to read APSCUF’s response.

Last summer, APSCUF went behind the scenes to show how faculty members and coaches continue to devote themselves to affordable, quality education even when class is not in session. This post is a continuation of that series.

After working as a certified public accountant, I got into teaching 17 years ago. In nearly two decades, I’ve learned that education doesn’t begin at the start of class — nor does it end when students leave the room. I continue to facilitate learning during my office hours, extracurricular activities, and whenever I advise students.

I use my experiences as an accountant to help students understand how things really work in business. Passing the CPA exam was one of my greatest professional accomplishments to date, and I share both insights about the professional work of CPAs and what it takes to pass the CPA exam with my students.

One way our students at Lock Haven University are gaining awareness about the work of CPAs and CPA candidates (individuals working toward passing the exam) is through our student-run CPA Prep Club. During our meetings, local CPAs discuss their work, and we conduct mini mock CPA exams. As the faculty mentor for this club, I have seen how this time spent with students outside of class has allowed students to connect with each other more, with other CPAs, and with me.

We live in a global economy, so it is rewarding to see that a number of students at Lock Haven University take advantage of study-abroad programs. To encourage more interactions with students in other countries, I partnered one of my upper-level accounting students with former students from my term as a guest lecturer in Germany. These interactions and insights proved to be valuable for all students involved in this pilot assignment.

Students today expect more from faculty than ever before, in part, due to use of technology. I welcome students to reach out to me over the weekend with questions or concerns that cannot wait to be addressed until the regular workweek. In addition, on some Sunday afternoons, I offer help sessions for the introductory-level classes, and many students take advantage of this informal way to interact with me and to learn the material more thoroughly.

I also feel compelled to accept some students’ requests to redo exams under certain circumstances and/or take an incomplete over the summer so that they can successfully complete some missed assignments. Their success in learning and applying the course material is important.

Regan Garey is an associate professor at Lock Haven University.

Last summer, APSCUF went behind the scenes to show how faculty members and coaches continue to devote themselves to affordable, quality education even when class is not in session. This post is a continuation of that series.

I’m often told “It must be great being a professor … you get the whole summer off!” Those of us who teach most likely don’t have many colleagues who have the “whole summer” off. Indeed.

As someone who has taught in higher education for 15+ years, I cannot remember one summer where I was able to spend every day with a cool drink and my feet up, lounging on the patio with nary a care on my mind. And I like it that way. Here’s what summer looks like for this social-work faculty member at Millersville University.

Once the spring semester ends, we enter grades, then a day or so after graduation, those of us who teach summer classes are back in the classroom. In my case, at Millersville University, summer session starts in early May and ends in mid-August. While I don’t carry a teaching load of five classes, as I do in the fall and spring, I teach two social-work courses at the graduate level, and along with them, the attendant grading, discussion, and planning take place. I’m also one of those instructors who, when monitoring and teaching an online class, likes to craft individual responses to each of my students on discussion boards. Time consuming, yes; a great deal of reading, yes; but I hope it enhances and enriches the learning experience for our students. Further, the learning experience is heightened for me, as I absorb a great deal about our students through their posts.

Two courses? Piece o’ cake, right? Sure. But it doesn’t end there. This is my promotion-and-tenure year, so I have to write my P&T application narrative. I have to collate, collect, and search through all of my documents from the past five years. Each day I am not teaching is spent writing and compiling information for the application packet. Remember those days writing your dissertation? Completing the P&T packet is similar to those days, only now I am also teaching, conducting a research study, completing two journal articles, presenting at conferences and working on task forces for the Council on Social Work Education, and meeting with peers to discuss departmental matters and programmatic issues. At least during the summer, I loosen up a bit and allow myself to wear Hawaiian shirts on a more regular basis.

The School of Social Work started a Doctor of Social Work program along with Kutztown University several years ago. So, here at Millersville, we are involved throughout the year with monitoring our advisees’ progress on their comprehensive papers, assisting with their Institutional Review Board applications, and meeting students regularly to provide advice and guidance throughout the DSW process. Did I mention we meet with students throughout the summer as well? BSW, MSW, DSW … our doors are open for all of our students.

Maybe the teaching load is a bit lighter in the summer, but the workload remains constant. That’s a good thing for me because I love what I do, and I love my school and my department. It also helps that I don’t like the beach, but that’s another story. I do have a few more minutes to walk my dog in the morning during the summer, though. Don’t think I am complaining. I’m merely illustrating what all of us in APSCUF do for our departments and schools, and most important, our students. I came to academia late, after spending a number of years in the business world and as a practicing social worker. Fortunately for me, I knew and was well aware that higher education is a calling, and thus there are no 37.5-hour weeks or eight-hour days or summers off. I have found that effective teachers, when they are not teaching, are thinking about teaching.

I appreciate this great profession of ours, and I find myself saying, “I can’t believe I do this for a living now” — even in the summer.

Dr. Marc Felizzi is an assistant professor of social work at Millersville University.

Cassandra Reyes is no stranger to leadership roles as she takes the reins of one of APSCUF’s faculty officer-at-large positions. Prior, Reyes’ service work has ranged from president of the Northeastern Association of Criminal Justice Sciences to the executive treasurer of the Camden County Fraternal Order of Police Bicentennial 76 Lodge, where she now is vice president.

Reyes is a professor in West Chester University’s criminal-justice department. This is not her first experience in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education: She received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Between her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Reyes worked as a New Jersey state probation officer-bilingual and senior parole officer-bilingual for 10 years.

On top of service roles in graduate school, such as the Student Cooperative Association board of directors, Reyes worked alongside members of APSCUF.

“This background gave me a strong desire to become a faculty officer-at-large member this year, as the timing in regard to my teaching, scholarship, and service was right to run for the position,” Reyes said.

The new faculty officer-at-large member is excited to gain more insight into APSCUF and to get to know the staff, she said.

“I am looking forward to contributing my time, hard work, and dedication to assisting the faculty and staff as much as I can through my role,” she said.

APSCUF’s work is particularly important now due to the climate of public higher education in Pennsylvania, Reyes said.

“It is important for APSCUF to continue fighting for faculties’ rights,” she said.

Despite her busy schedule and continuous dedication to teaching, scholarship, and leadership roles, Reyes said she always makes time for her husband, cats, and dog.

—Lindsey Newton,
APSCUF intern

APSCUF members and State APSCUF staff joined the Pennsylvania Conference of Teamsters, other unions, Gov. Tom Wolf, and legislators Tuesday, June 20, on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg. They protested the so-called “right-to-work” bills that have been introduced in this legislative session. Click here to view additional photos from the event on APSCUF’s Facebook page.