Adjuncts across the university are reporting to PSUFA that they recently received paychecks in error from PSU, followed by demands from HR to pay back the issued amounts by the end of this month to avoid incurring interest. This comes after a large number of adjuncts were issued non-renewal notices beginning in Spring 2024 (the exact number is still unclear as PSU continues to withhold critical data from PSUFA and other unions), effectively terminating them from the institution’s payroll. However, it seems the administration was unable to properly handle their own hasty mass layoffs, leaving out-of-work adjuncts to clean up their mess for them so they can save face before the state’s higher ed funding bodies.
Below is a screen grab of one of these emails (edited to protect the anonymity of the adjunct who shared it with our team):
Many of the affected were terminated in the middle of two-year contracts, in violation of our Collective Bargaining Agreement, and were included in a group grievance filed by PSUFA. The grievance has since been moved to arbitration due to admin’s continued failure to respond in accordance with the official grievance process timeline.
These developments suggest PSU can’t manage the practical administrative side of their controversial budget cuts, on top of their failure to address the many questions faculty, students, and the wider community have voiced about the impacts of these cuts on the critical educational mission of our institution. The bottom line: Hasty executive actions and the resulting administrative mess they leave end up putting additional burden on wrongfully terminated adjuncts, and are unlikely to inspire confidence in Pres. Ann Cudd’s ability to lead PSU into the future.
Did you receive a letter from HR demanding repayment of a paycheck issued to you in error? How do you think PSU is managing Pres. Cudd’s agenda of cuts? Tell us what you think! Email PSUFA.martha (at) gmail.com and share your view.