To: The Illinois Community College Presidents Council/ Trustees Association, March 8 and 9, 2013
Hello: My name is Michael Dusik. I am an adjunct instructor at the College of DuPage.
Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you today regarding the Affordable Care Act. As a past President of The CODAA I have been involved in several contract negotiations. In the course of these meetings the College and our union have developed a mutual respect for one another. We have differences in our views of various subjects; however in our meetings we have the opportunity to explain the rationale for our positions. While this may not lead to a change in attitudes it does, at least, reduce the levels of distrust, and elevate the discussions from emotion to logic.
Therefore our request to you is that you also include us in your discussions. At this time our concern is that we will lose the ability to teach our present class loads due to the possibility that in doing so we would be covered by the Affordable Care Act. It would be unfortunate if the non tenured instructors who comprise 70% of the national teaching faculties in higher education were presented with a fait accompli that impacted their lives in such a negative fashion. I would also bring to your attention the fact that this issue is one that affects everyone in America who is a member of what Author Guy Standing refers to as the Precariat. This class of workers chief characteristic is its lack of labor related security,and therefore they live a marginal existence based on the lack of connectivity with their managers/employers
What I am suggesting is that you lead by example, demonstrate that in Illinois we have a vibrant progressive education system that deals with the present and future challenges not by executive fiat, but by a collegiate inclusive process. One that listens to all of its stakeholders, and that is empathetic with the basic freedoms inherent in our democratic republic. One that leads, and why not lead?, the country in demonstrating that we can develop initiatives and solutions to our shared problems, not in an autocratic fashion, but rather in the spirit of a democracy that embraces all of our community.
Mike Dusik