Dear Members of the Board and Bargaining Committee,

As we all know, Howard University is a unique and beloved institution with a storied history. With high-profile new hires, the university no doubt also has a bright future. The administration has shown that it is willing to attract educators whose brilliance and gravitas will serve students and the whole community.

The trouble lies with the treatment of non-tenure-track faculty, who teach some three quarters of the university's course load at any given time. Nearly four years ago, non-tenure track faculty voted to join together as a union in order to negotiate one on one with the administration.

Sadly, the administration is refusing to return to the bargaining table to find compromises with the faculty and agree on a first contract. Faculty are asking to address some very basic concerns, such as low pay compared to universities in the area, the requirement that non-tenure track faculty must reapply for their jobs every year, and that after 7 years, they are no longer eligible to reapply for their own job.

These matters and more can all be worked out at the table. Word has spread about the issues Howard faculty face. An anonymous letter to Nikole Hannah-Jones and a Washington Post article written in reaction have been circulating on the internet. Members of the community are learning of the working conditions of faculty and seeing the need for change. All that is missing is the administration on the other side of the table.

We can all agree that we want what's best for students and the quality of education they receive. That is precisely why the administration needs to return to the bargaining table. We have no doubt that if we sit down and bargain in good faith, we will be able to reach an agreement that is workable for the whole Howard University community.

Sincerely,

The non-tenure faculty of Howard University