Four tenured faculty members at Wilberforce University have filed 14 complaints with the National Labor Relations Board, charging the school’s administration unlawfully placed them on sabbatical.
The complaints, which were filed Aug. 19, accuse the school of unilaterally violating its labor contract, unfairly disciplining the instructors and changing the terms and conditions of employment. All four are officers of the school’s faculty union.
Sources say that the professors involved include Richard Deering, union president and a longtime critic of several administrations. Deering referred questions to the union’s lawyer, Ted Copetas, who also declined to comment.
Sources say that the four professors were told they’d remain on leave until they met three requirements: obtaining 18 hours of coursework in the fields they teach, publishing at least one article in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal and delivering a scholarly paper at an academic conference.
The sabbaticals mean one-third of the school’s 12 tenured faculty have been placed on leave.
University officials also could not be reached for comment. But in an Aug. 3 press release, President Algeania Freeman announced a new “sabbatical program” for faculty. The release said that the program would help the school maintain its accreditation, which is in jeopardy.
According to the press release, the program will ensure faculty fulfill academic criteria set by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the agency that accredits colleges and universities in Ohio and other Midwestern and Southwestern states. The HLC requires faculty have at least 18 hours of academic courses in the discipline they’re teaching.
