It's that time again! We are offering Spring Mini-Grants for Professional Development!

If you are attending a workshop, a conference, a seminar to learn new skills, or are presenting at a conference, RAFO has a Professional Development Mini-Grant available to help with expenses.

The application form is available here (click the download button in the upper right hand corner to download and edit the form), and the application deadline is March 16.

Review the application form and fill out the information requested. All proposals will be reviewed by the professional development committee, and you will be notified if it is approved and the amount that will be provided.

If you have any questions about the form or the grant itself, please do not hesitate to Ami Hicks at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Due to preparations of Roosevelt University's merger with Robert Morris University, our adjunct faculty office has changed locations to AUD 244. 

Currently, the RAFO office will also be housed in AUD 244. We have already notified Physical Resources about the signage outside of the office, the physical space, and the doors to the office suite. New doors have been ordered and a key code will be used for the office as soon as they are installed. They are considering options for signage to make it easier for the students to find our new office.  

While the university continues to transition, please have understanding with the changes and the modifications of the physical spaces. If anyone has questions, suggestions, or requests for the adjunct faculty union, contact Jen Wilson, RAFO President, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Joseph Fedorko, RAFO Membership Chair, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

RAFO will continue to update the union membership with changes or announcements from the university as the merger unfolds over the Spring 2020 semester.  

In solidarity,  

RAFO Executive Committee

Adjunct to Adjunct
April 3,2020
Adjunct Involvement and Survival
Request for Proposals

Go from ordinary to extraordinary and present at RAFO’s 2nd Adjunct to Adjunct Professional Development Program. 

What do you do that is worth sharing? Here are some requests from last year’s conference attendees:

  • Online teaching tips
  • Writing for publication
  • Engaged learning
  • Teach with Mindfulness
  • Peer Coaching
  • Managing multimedia in your classes
  • Student anxiety
  • Other topics you want to share

Why would you want to present to your colleagues?
Share your knowledge and add to your resume while participating at a professional development conference.
Examine the following thoughts on being an adjunct faculty.

  • What we know
  • What we need to know
  • What we want to know

Your proposal should include: 

The title of your presentation
Summary of your topic
Goal of your presentation
Your name, college/department, e-mail, and phone.


Submit your proposal to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by March 1, 2020.

Stipends available
$150 for presenters
$50 for facilitating discussion groups

If you are unable to be a presenter, consider attending this conference as a participant and network with your colleagues.  A continental breakfast and lunch are included. There is no registration fee.

Mark your calendars – Adjunct to Adjunct Conference, April 3, 2020.  

Burroughs Education Scholarship: $2,500 for college! Jan. 31 is the application deadline.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1.      Be a graduating high school senior heading to college

2.      Have at least one parent or legal guardian who is a school employee

Additionally, the scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement, career goals, and character. Apply online.

Subcategories

RAFO Members:

As lead negotiator for the 2020-2024 contract, I am pleased to announce that your negotiating team and Roosevelt University have come to an agreement. RAFO is extremely pleased with the final outcome and we believe you will be, too. The University was adamant on 0% for the first year, but as an offset for that 0%, we negotiated a signing bonus of $150 for each bargaining unit member that taught either in Spring 2020 or will teach in the upcoming Fall 2020 semester. That then takes us into the final three years of the contract where adjuncts will receive a 2% increase for each of those years.

As I hope you can see from the above, RAFO worked hard to ensure that you are rewarded for the professionalism and integrity all have shown during these unusual and trying times. We are attaching a copy of the final contract for you to review and eventually ratify. The areas that appear in green are changes that were made to the verbiage in the contract that will support RAFO during the upcoming 4 years.  Appendix A reflects the 2% increase for each step in the final three years.

A link with the time will be sent next week for all to join this a zoom meeting, where we can answer your questions about the contract.

In closing, we hope you will be as excited as we are regarding the new contract.

In solidarity,

Don Wlodarski and the RAFO team:

Jen Wilson, Joseph Fedorko, Amelia Hicks, Stan Traywick, Mike Pinsoff and Dennis Tucker