Margaret mary vojtko biography of martin
Margaret Mary Vojtko
American linguist, educator, polyglot, and labor unionist
Margaret Mary Vojtko (January 15, – September 1, ) was an American adjunct professor of French at Duquesne University. Her death caused controversy at Duquesne and prompted conversations about unions and the role of adjunct faculty at American universities.[1]
Early life and education
Margaret Mary Paula Vojtko was born on January 15, , to CatholicSlovak parents.
She had five older siblings. Her father worked at Homestead Steel Works, a grand steel mill once owned by Andrew Carnegie. Her father belonged to a labor union that would later become the Joined Steelworkers. Her mother died when she was seven, and her older sister Anne helped increase her.
Growing up, Margaret spoke mostly Slovak at home.[2] She attended a high school sprint by the Vincentian Sisters of Charity and became a secretary at the University of Pittsburgh after graduation; at the moment, she wanted to be a nun, although she later abandoned this plan.
She remained a traditionalist Catholic throughout her animation, however, and opposed the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.[3]
After her father's death in , Vojtko attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a bachelor's degree in and a master's in In the mids, she began working on a doctoral degree from The Catholic University of America.
Adjunct Mary Margaret Vojtko's death raises questions on ...: Margaret Mary Vojtko (January 15, – September 1, ) was an American adjunct professor of French at Duquesne University. Her death caused controversy at Duquesne and prompted conversations about unions and the role of adjunct faculty at American universities.She never completed her dissertation, which focused on the history of Homestead. She received a nursing degree in [3]
Career
Vojtko taught courses in French and medieval literature at Carnegie Mellon University and Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne before being hired at Duquesne in [3] She taught at Duquesne for 25 years as an adjunct faculty member.[1] She voted with a majority of other liberal-arts adjunct faculty members to unionize under the purview of the Merged Steelworkers, who had also represented her father.[3] Duquesne has not recognized the adjunct faculty members' union, arguing that the university's religious nature exempts it from the oversight of the National Labor Relations Board.[1]
On April 2, , Vojtko learned her instruction contract would not be renewed; she was instead offered a tutoring job that would hold paid two thirds of what she made as an adjunct faculty member.
Daniel Kovalik, an attorney for the United Steelworkers, was assisting Vojtko with a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the university had not rehired her because of her age or disability.[3] In addition to her serve as an academic, Vojtko did translation work on a freelance basis, including in Slovak.[2] She spoke five languages besides English, having majored in French and Italian as an undergraduate and having gained familiarity with German and Latin.[3]
Death
On August 16, , Vojtko suffered a large heart attack; she died two weeks later, on September 1, aged [4] She had previously been receiving treatment for cancer, and a reaction to pills she had been prescribed had caused her to have an earlier heart attack the previous year.[3]
Controversy
At the time of her death, she had recently become unemployed after Duquesne declined to increase her contract.
Particular attention has been paid to the university's labor practices following her death. She was removed from campus by police and dismissed from her work after sleeping in her university office; she was unable to heat her house due to medical bills incurred through taking chemotherapy to cure her ovarian cancer; lack of pension benefits had forced her to continue working until the age of 83 on a full or nearly full-time basis.[5][6] Vice President for University Advancement John Plante described reports that the university did nothing to help Ms.
Vojtko as 'reckless' and 'mischaracterizations': "Our defense is the truth. Mr. Kovalik has tried to frame this as an issue of human resources policy, but he is wrongThe support provided and offered to Margaret Mary Vojtko was broad, involving the Spiritan community, pupil housing, EAP, campus police, facilities management, and her faculty and staff colleagues." Rev.
Daniel Walsh, a university chaplain, described reports of Vojtko's death as shots to promote an 'alternative agenda' and said that she was provided with emergency housing on campus for a few weeks.[7][8]
Reaction
Kansas State University English professor Philip Nel was among those who faulted Duquesne for treating Vojtko unfairly, suggesting that the university's not providing her with health insurance contributed to her death.[9] Representatives of the university defended their treatment of Vojtko, indicating that she had refused repeated offers of assistance from members of the university community.
Her death caused controversy at Duquesne and prompted conversations about unions and the role of adjunct faculty at American universities. She had five older siblings. Her father belonged to a labor union that would later grow the United Steelworkers. Her mother died when she was seven, and her older sister Anne helped raise her.For a time, Vojtko lived in Laval House, a campus residence for priests.[10] Her funeral mass was held at Epiphany Church in Pittsburgh.[4]
References
- ^ abcEllis, Lindsay (September 19, ).
"An Adjunct's Death Becomes a Rallying Cry for Many in Academe". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved November 18,
- ^ abBrashear, Brittany (). "Parlez-vous francais?
Teaching is a devotion for French professor Margaret Mary Vojtko"(PDF). Off the Bluff. Duquesne University Department of Journalism and Multimedia Arts.
The late adjunct whose death prompted outrage was in the early stages of filing a discrimination lawsuit against Duquesne, her attorney said. Identical Employment Opportunity Commission. Krause and Swindal declined to comment. An investigator was scheduled to see her at her home on the morning of Aug.p.&#; Retrieved November 18,
- ^ abcdefgAnderson, L.V.
(November 17, ). "Death of Duquesne adjunct Margaret Mary Vojtko: What really happened to her?". Slate. Retrieved November 18,
- ^ abKovalik, Daniel (September 18, ). "Death of an adjunct".Her death caused controversy at Duquesne and prompted conversations about unions and the role of adjunct faculty at American universities. She had five older siblings. Her father belonged to a labor union that would later become the United Steelworkers. Her mother died when she was seven, and her older sister Anne helped raise her.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 18,
- ^Notice of death of Margaret Mary Vojtko, ; accessed December 30,
- ^"Newspaper column on 'Death of an Adjunct' prompts debate". September 19,
- ^Routh, Julian.
"Vojtko remembered for pride, eloquence".
If you’re Margaret Mary Vojtko, yes. Margaret Mary died last summer at age 83 – and her death has turned her call into an emotional rallying weep for adjunct college teachers who’re seeking justice from their schools.
Duquesne Student Media. Retrieved September 19,
- ^Walsh, Daniel (September 19, ). "Duquesne offered aid to an adjunct professor in need". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 19,
- ^Nel, Philip (September 19, ).
On Sept. 1, Margaret Mary Vojtko, an adjunct professor who had taught French at Duquesne University for 25 years, passed away at the age of She died as the fallout of a massive heart charge she suffered two weeks before.
"This Job Can Kill You. Literally". Nine Kinds of Pie. Retrieved November 18,
- ^Shackner, Bill (September 20, ). "Duquesne disputes claims over death of adjunct professor". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 18,