Board of Trustees responds to request for voluntary recognition of teaching faculty union

The Earlham College Board of Trustees has declined a request for voluntary recognition of a teaching faculty union, Board Chair Tom Thornburg said in an email to the campus community on Monday, Feb. 3.

The decision was preceded by months of deliberations by an ad hoc committee of trustees charged with making a recommendation to the Board.

“During its meetings, the committee focused on Earlham’s special strengths, especially the excellence of Earlham’s teaching faculty, the strong relationship between students and teaching faculty members, and Earlham’s distinctive approach to governance, which comes directly from our Quaker values,” he said. “Ultimately, the committee concluded that recognition of a union would diminish rather than enhance these strengths. Consistent with this conclusion and the committee’s recommendation, the Board declines to recognize the faculty union.”

The committee engaged extensively with the campus community and sought guidance from legal counsel, ensuring a thoughtful and inclusive process to deeply understand the issue. This groundwork allowed the committee to present a well-informed recommendation to the full Board, which ultimately reached its decision through a shared sense of purpose and consensus.

“Teaching faculty and other Earlham community members supportive of a union raised concerns about compensation, support for families with children, and respect in the workplace,” Thornburg wrote in his email. “We recognize the significance of these concerns, both for our community members and for Earlham as an institution.”

Addressing employee concerns regarding compensation and respect are at the forefront of the Board’s fiduciary obligations to the College, Thornburg notes.

“We do not have the capacity to address these issues adequately at present, but we will continue to evaluate all options as we seek to assure Earlham’s financial health for the future,” he wrote. “Working together to address these challenges must remain our highest priority, and the Board is fully committed to that endeavor.

“The Board also recognizes that respect in the workplace is essential to Earlham’s success,” he said. “As articulated in Earlham’s Principles and Practices, governance at Earlham is structured to engage members of our community, in fair and appropriate ways, in decisions that affect them.”

Earlham’s past President Anne Houtman, who retired in July 2024, and current President Paul Sniegowski, were kept apprised of discussions but did not attend the sessions or contribute to the decision-making process, Thornburg said.

Board members will meet virtually with teaching faculty and other employees to answer questions in a forum later this week.

“We believe deeply in Earlham’s mission and values,” Thornburg said. “We support our new president and provost and look forward to taking the steps necessary with them to preserve and improve what is excellent about Earlham. We all have high expectations for Earlham, and we know our community can, and will, work together to reach them.”

For more information, read the FAQ and full Board statement below.

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Full statement from Board Chair Tom Thornburg

To: Non-Student Employees of Earlham College

From: Thomas H. Thornburg, Chair, on behalf of the Earlham Board of Trustees

Subject: Request for voluntary recognition of a union to represent Earlham teaching faculty

Date: Feb. 3, 2025

The Earlham Board of Trustees is grateful to members of the Earlham community for sharing information with us and for their patience with our response as to whether Earlham would voluntarily recognize a union to represent teaching faculty.

Teaching faculty and other Earlham community members supportive of a union raised concerns about compensation, support for families with children, and respect in the workplace. We recognize the significance of these concerns, both for our community members and for Earlham as an institution.

An ad hoc committee of trustees, charged with making a recommendation to the Board regarding voluntary union recognition, considered the question carefully and deeply together for many months. Earlham’s outgoing president and its new president were kept informed about meetings and deliberations of the ad hoc committee; neither contributed to the decision-making process nor attended the committee’s deliberations. During its meetings, the committee focused on Earlham’s special strengths, especially the excellence of Earlham’s teaching faculty, the strong relationship between students and teaching faculty members, and Earlham’s distinctive approach to governance, which comes directly from our Quaker values. Ultimately, the committee concluded that recognition of a union would diminish rather than enhance these strengths. Consistent with this conclusion and the committee’s recommendation, the Board declines to recognize the faculty union.

The Board understands that improving faculty salary and benefits is important for Earlham’s success. We do not have the capacity to address these issues adequately at present, but we will continue to evaluate all options as we seek to assure Earlham’s financial health for the future. Working together to address these challenges must remain our highest priority, and the Board is fully committed to that endeavor.

The Board also recognizes that respect in the workplace is essential to Earlham’s success. As articulated in Earlham’s Principles and Practices, governance at Earlham is structured to engage members of our community, in fair and appropriate ways, in decisions that affect them. The Board was saddened to learn, in exploring this issue, that many community members feel that the respect and trust necessary for effective governance have broken down at Earlham in recent years. While the Board declines to voluntarily recognize a faculty union, we nonetheless are committed to reinvigorating the trust, mutual respect and sense of shared mission central to Earlham’s governance.

We believe deeply in Earlham’s mission and values. We support our new president and provost and look forward to taking the steps necessary with them to preserve and improve what is excellent about Earlham. We all have high expectations for Earlham, and we know our community can, and will, work together to reach them.

Frequently asked questions

What was the board’s process of exploring this issue?

Earlham President Anne Houtman first received the request for union recognition on January 24, 2024. The board and much of Earlham was deeply engaged in an accreditation review that spring, as well as the process of finding and successfully recruiting Paul Sniegowski as Anne’s successor.

Earlham gathered information about campus views on unionization through a confidential survey and campus listening/threshing sessions. The board chair appointed an ad hoc committee to explore the union recognition request more fully on April 16.

The board ad hoc committee carefully and deeply considered the unionization request over many months in a consensus process. Then, the committee’s recommendation came to the full board for discernment and decision in a consensus process.

This discernment took place during a time in which College was preparing for and carrying out a leadership transition of both the president and provost and engaging in new efforts related to enrollment and Earlham’s financial future that had uncertain outcomes.

Did Earlham’s previous president or current president play any role in the board’s decision?

Both presidents were kept informed about meetings and deliberations of the ad hoc committee; neither contributed to the decision-making process nor attended the committee’s deliberations.

Does the decision not to voluntarily recognize the union represent the consensus of the board?

The ad hoc committee made its recommendation by consensus, and the full board reached its conclusion by consensus as well.

How will the Board address teaching, faculty-student relationships, and governance in the absence of a teaching faculty union?

The Board is confident that a strengthening of trust, respect and cooperation among faculty, staff and the administration of the College is ongoing under the College’s new leadership. The Board has made its decision in the matter of unionization with its fiduciary role in College governance firmly in mind.

How is Earlham working to improve salary and benefits for employees?

The Board recognizes the importance of improving faculty compensation and childcare benefits. While financial challenges limit salary increases at this time — a 2 percent raise has been budgeted for all employees at the end of the 2024-25 fiscal year — the administration is exploring childcare options within budget constraints. Addressing these issues remains a priority despite current limitations.

What actions are being taken to improve Earlham’s financial future?

Increasing enrollment is the top priority. A new program is personalizing the campus visit experience by pairing teaching faculty with admitted students who have a shared interest in their academic scholarship or co-curricular programming. Alumni donors are also funding a campus “Fly-In” program to eliminate barriers for future Earlhamites to visit campus from long distances. Donor-funded mileage reimbursement for campus visits is also being offered to future students living in Indiana and bordering states. These strategies aim to attract and retain more students needed to assure the financial health of the College for the future.