Caryl
Schiff-Greatorex
Director of Member Services
As Director of Member Services, Caryl is
primarily responsible for contract administration and implementation of the
grievance procedures, including determination of how grievances should be
managed to obtain the best end result. Caryl is also the primary liaison with
the CSU-AAUP Attorney, Gregg Adler, regarding all legal matters pertaining to
the organization. In addition, she serves as office manager and assists the
CCSU-AAUP Executive Committee, the CSU-AAUP Council and the standing committees
of both organizations.
Caryl had the unique opportunity to grow into her current position over
thirty-two years of service to CSU-AAUP. In 1975 Caryl was a Central student,
who worked part-time on the campaign for and election of CSU-AAUP as the
bargaining agent for the faculty at the four state colleges. Upon graduating
with a B.A. in Education in 1976, Caryl began working full-time for AAUP as a
staff representative, responsible for processing member dues, duplicating and
distributing newsletters, and maintaining membership rosters. As her knowledge
grew with experience, Caryl received several promotions and was granted
increasing responsibilities. Her longevity of service and dedication to CSU-AAUP
has provided the organization with continuity and institutional memory.
Caryl has been involved in every contract negotiation since the first contract
in 1977. Prior to collective bargaining, the faculty was subject to the impulses
of the administration and state government when it came to salary increases and
benefits. Over the past 30 years, CSU-AAUP has negotiated ten contracts. The
current contract is one of the most comprehensive faculty contracts in the
country, guaranteeing such benefits for faculty as health care, pension
benefits, travel funds, and the approximate number of sabbatical leaves that
should be awarded each year. Our contract also guarantees Academic Freedom and
faculty governance on many issues. The CSU-AAUP Contract is often used as a
model contract by National AAUP.
It has been crucial that Caryl remain current in the field of labor relations,
which she has done by attending classes, workshops, seminars and conferences.
Most notably, she attends both the National AAUP meeting in June and the
Semi-annual Collective Bargaining Congress Meetings in June and December, which
provide information on important issues in higher education as well as training
in specific areas. Caryl has also attended three National AAUP Summer Institutes
where she has participated in extensive training in contract negotiations,
grievance handling and research on higher education issues. She has also
attended the International COCAL conference, where she gained extensive
information on issues relating to representation of part-time faculty in the
United States, Canada, and Mexico. Caryl has also gained invaluable information
on national trends in higher education legislation, contracts, and benefits at
annual meetings of the National Center for Collective Bargaining in Higher
Education and the Professions (formerly the Baruch Conference).
Caryl is one of the founders of the AAUP Field Staff Association, an
organization comprised of and representing AAUP Chapter and Conference Staff
across the country. Caryl is currently serving as Chairperson of the
organization and has served in that capacity several times over the past thirty
years. In addition, she is currently working towards completion of a Master’s
Degree in Professional Counseling with a Mental Health & Rehabilitation
Concentration at CCSU.
