Dr. Jodi Whitted, assistant professor educator at the School of Social Work, has been a member of UC since fall 2022 and a member of AAUP from her start of joining the faculty. Whitted recently took a leave of absence to serve as the State Representative for District 28 for an 8-month term. She was unable to seek election into the position permanently due to gerrymandering of districts but continues to be involved in politics. She will begin a term on Madeira City Council on December 1st.
When asked about her decision to join AAUP, Whitted cites her family’s history, stating that “my grandparents frequently discussed… working in the coal mines. My great grandparents immigrated to this country and took those jobs, even with poor pay and poor access to healthcare. Hearing their stories and thinking about the conditions faced by working class people are some of my first memories identifying social injustice,” Whitted stated. “The right to unionize is a cornerstone of our democracy and crucial in the protection of workers’ rights.” Whitted said that her grandparents’ discussions about unions led her to study the history of the social work profession’s attempts to unionize and to her academic interest in political social work. During the past year, we have seen the impact of politics on academia and Whitted states, “At a time when political vitriol is a real threat to so many in academia, AAUP has led the charge in opposing this legislation. We will continue to see attacks on higher education and union membership and protections are important now more than ever.” Additionally, Whitted adds that “As an AAUP member, you are afforded protections under the collective bargaining agreement that you might not otherwise have.”
Whitted observed that the union movement can be mysterious for faculty who did not grow up in a union-supportive environment as she did. She suggests that faculty who are unsure about joining AAUP do some quick and simple research or reach out to their associate to find out more about the benefits of joining. She approached the UC AAUP office herself last fall when she was struggling to understand her own rights and found the staff supportive, responsive, and knowledgeable. “I am forever grateful to them,” she said. “If it weren’t for my involvement with AAUP and the collective bargaining agreement, I don’t know if I would be in my position today.”