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Wright State Staff Members Continue To Fill In For Professors During Strike's Second Day

Faculty members picket at the entrance to Wright State University's campus Tuesday, January 22.
April Laissle
/
WYSO
Faculty members picket at the entrance to Wright State University's campus Tuesday, January 22.

In the past two and a half years, staff members at Wright State, who are not unionized, have experienced major budget cuts, changes to their benefits, and several rounds of layoffs. Now, as the faculty union strike enters its second day, the university is relying on them to cover for striking professors.

In an interview last week, Wright State President Cheryl Schrader said university administrators and staff members with master’s degrees would be tapped to teach classes during the faculty strike. Schrader said administrators would not be paid for the extra work.

"For other people, it becomes overload or overwork," said Schrader. "And they have the ability to be paid for that work. They can choose to take that or not."

Schrader, a former electrical engineering professor, has been teaching classes during the walkout.

One staff member who did not want to be identified told WYSO she’s been teaching three classes during the strike on top of her regular job. She says she’s been preparing lesson plans at home after work.

University officials maintain that all classes will continue as scheduled. But social media reports from students indicate at least two classes were cancelled Wednesday.

Other students said some classes Tuesday and Wednesday convened without substitute instructors.

Copyright 2019 WYSO

April Laissle is a graduate of Ohio University and comes to WYSO from WOUB Public Media in Athens, Ohio where she worked as a weekend host and reporter. There, she reported on everything from food insecurity to 4-H chicken competitions. April interned at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she focused on health reporting. She also worked on The Broad Experience, a New-York based podcast about women and workplace issues. In her spare time, April loves traveling, trying new recipes and binge-listening to podcasts. April is a Florida native and has been adjusting to Ohio weather since 2011.