As the possibility of working without a contract becomes more likely, faculty members are increasingly concerned about their recourses and preserving their rights.

Faculty members gathered at the University Union Folsom Room noon on Wednesday to learn about the faculty grievance process and how it will work in absence of a contract.

“There’s a good chance we won’t be under contract next week,” California Faculty Association field representative for Sacramento State Jason Conwell told the faculty members who attended the forum.

Conwell and CFA Northern California representation specialist Kathy Sheffield informed faculty members about a part of the California Senate Bill 1212, which secures grievance and due process rights for faculty members, even in absence of a contract.

However, criminal justice professor and CFA faculty rights chairman for Sac State Ernest Uwazie said the forum was organized from the beginning of the academic year as an effort to give faculty members general education about their rights and the process in how to uphold them.

“(The forum) was an opportunity to apprise faculty members of the grievance process and let them ask questions,” Uwazie said.

Uwazie said most of the 25 to 30 faculty members asked about specifics of how the CFA determines which grievances should be processed and what could be easily resolved personally and how to handle grievance outside of a contract.

However, many also expressed dissatisfaction with the current grievance process.

English lecturer Pamela Kitching said she was upset that a group claim regarding contracts for lecturers was being delayed with the reason that the California State University system has few arbitrators who have to handle many claims.

“It’s a very lengthy and disturbing process. It’s very demoralizing to faculty,” Kitching said.

Uwazie mirrored her sentiments and was delighted that a major point of contention with contract negotiations is the establishment of a more expedient grievance process.

“It something that needs to change because justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

Marilen Bugarin can be reached at [email protected]