Dear Colleagues,

This January Dr. Barbara Jones will be stepping down from her role as Contract Implementation Officer (CIO) for Academic Staff after 20 years of service to the union. She will also be retiring from her position as a Wayne State University Financial Aid Officer.

I am deeply grateful to Dr. Jones for her wisdom, her patience in sharing her knowledge with me over the last several years, and for her many years of work for the union. Dr. Jones began her career at WSU in 1972, and in her more than 50 years at the university she has been a champion for academic staff. In fact, it was Dr. Jones who fought for academic staff representation in contract enforcement work, and in 2003 she became the first person to fill the newly-created role of CIO for Academic Staff.

In her time as CIO, Dr. Jones secured the first comp time and flex time policies for academic staff, served on multiple contract negotiations teams, and defended countless academic staff against Article 24 violations (changes in duties). She knows the contract inside and out and has been a fierce advocate for the colleagues she represents. Her advice to anyone running into a workplace issue is almost, “Take notes. Write everything down.” Grievance Coordinator for Academic Staff Kristen Chinery, who has worked closely with Dr. Jones on the Contract Enforcement Team, reports: “I’ve heard many people compare her to the Oracle in The Matrix movies. At first glance she looks like the sweetest lady who would bake you cookies, but she knows everything you’re going to say before you do, and the admin never sees her right hook coming.”

We are privileged to have worked alongside and learned from the formidable Barbara Jones over many years. She will be succeeded on the Contract Enforcement Team by Anglesia Brown and Heather Sandlin, who will be sharing the role of Contract Implementation Officer for Academic Staff. Kristen Chinery will remain in her position as Grievance Coordinator for Academic Staff.

Sincerely,

Danielle Aubert
President, WAU