Academic Staff Steering Committee (ASSC) Election
Co-chair: Sean O’Brien
Sean O’Brien is an Academic Services Officer II at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan for Labor@Wayne and the Department of History. His dissertation research was on labor organizing in the comic book industry. Throughout his academic career, he has served in three different unions at Wayne and led two contract negotiations. The highlight of these negotiations was the equivalent of a 16.5% raise for graduate workers over three years. This was the largest percentage raise in the state of Michigan that bargaining cycle. Sean started working with the Higher Ed Labor United coalition in the summer of 2021 as it formed, serving as staff and volunteering on numerous committees. He now sits on HELU’s Steering Committee, serves as Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee and as Co-Chair of the Outreach Committee.
Sean’s family served in unions for three generations, including members in IUEC, CWA, and the UAW. His partner’s family are multi-generational members of Ironworkers Local 25. He currently serves on his community’s City Commission. Outside of academia, Sean regularly travels to Japan for martial arts training and translates as a hobby.
He has served on the Academic Staff Steering Committee (ASSC) for WAU for one year. At his core, Sean believes we need to be the intersection of labor and social movements and draw our power from coalition building.
Secretary: Amber Harrison
Amber Harrison (they/she) is an Academic Services Officer and the Inclusion & Belonging Coordinator for the School of Information Sciences (SIS) in the University Library System. They are currently a WAU Council representative for SIS, ASSC member-at-large, 2N Healthcare Committee member, a representative for SIS on the university’s DEI Council, and active in QWSU, Wayne State’s employee engagement group for queer faculty and staff. Harrison was also a member of the Academic Staff Contract Negotiations Subcommittee during the last contract negotiations. They are also active on the national higher ed labor front with HELU’s Politics & Policy Committee.
As head of the DEI Programming Committee at SIS, Harrison has coordinated several programs, including coordinating the school’s annual Beyond Barriers: Conversations on Equity in Information Conference and the school's DEIA Syllabus Statement Workshop. Harrison has been a part of the Wayne State community for over 15 years. This fall, they will begin their journey in the educational leadership and policy studies PhD program here at Wayne State, joining the program’s higher education cohort.
With over ten years of experience working at Wayne State, I understand the ins and outs of being a staff member (and student) here and have participated in numerous committees and initiatives for the betterment of our school. I can provide key insight on the different levels of employment and experiences here at Wayne State, sharing perspectives that others may not have access to. I am passionate about ensuring everyone has knowledge of and access to everything we have a right to and fighting for what we have earned and deserve. If elected, I hope to help craft programming and professional development opportunities that are holistic and inclusive of all academic staff. Knowledge is power, and we are at our strongest when we work together for the common good.
Member-at-Large: Colleen McKenney
I am an Academic Advisor III in the Department of Computer Science with 13 years of experience supporting undergraduate students in one of the university’s largest and most dynamic STEM programs. My background includes a Bachelor of Science in Vehicle Design and professional experience as a design engineer before transitioning into higher education. This technical foundation gives me a unique perspective on the needs of students pursuing engineering and computer science degrees, as well as the faculty and staff who support them.
In addition to my advising experience, I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with a Master’s degree in Counseling. This combination of technical and counseling expertise allows me to guide students through complex academic and personal challenges, and it strengthens my ability to advocate for policies that prioritize both academic excellence and student well-being.
I am interested in serving as a Member-at-Large on the AAUP Academic Staff Steering Committee because I believe strongly in the collective voice of academic staff. Our experiences and insights are essential to shaping fair policies, equitable workloads, and sustainable support systems for both staff and students. I hope to bring an inclusive, collaborative approach to the committee and represent the interests of advisors and other academic staff who are deeply involved in student success yet often underrepresented in institutional decision-making.
I am committed to fostering transparency, equity, and communication between administration and academic staff, and I look forward to contributing to the important work of the Steering Committee.
Member-at-Large: John Edwartowski
John is currently wrapping up his first year as the Academic Advisor II for the Department of Music, where he earned a BA in Music (2005) and an MM in Music Theory/Composition (2013), and prior to his work in this role as an advisor, John was an adjunct professor within the department, teaching music theory at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Occupying three roles within the same department has afforded John a unique perspective, and he hopes to bring that perspective to his role as a Member-At-Large on the Academic Staff Steering Committee.
Member-at-Large: Mike Dutkewych
I have served as an Academic Services Officer II in the School of Information Sciences for nearly three years. In that time, I have also held several seats on the WAU Academic Staff Steering Committee (Secretary as well as Co-Chair and Chair for abbreviated terms). Having recently cycled out of my position as Chair, I am interested in continuing my contributions to the committee in the role of Member-At-Large.
I hold two degrees from WSU (a bachelor’s in English and a master’s in Library & Information Science), and have been employed at the university for the past 11 years. My first represented position was as a Graduate Student Assistant (GEOC), after which I was hired by Wayne State University Libraries as a Multimedia Specialist (represented by P&A). I held that position for six years before transitioning into my current role as ASO in the School of Information Sciences. I have deep respect for the important work done by labor unions on campus, having been represented by three of them while at WSU. It’s been a privilege to contribute to these e.orts through the ASSC, and I hope to have the opportunity to carry on as an elected Member-At-Large.
