WCCFT News & Updates – WWW.SUNYWCCFT.ORG

_{ADJUNCT COMMITTEE}

_{Chair Eric De Sena has launched a new FTConnect column titled Adjunct Matters/Adjuncts Matter. Please send related news, announcements, and comments to ericdwccft@gmail.com.}

_{CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS COMMITTEE}

_{Chair Joyce Cassidy reports that the committee has made progress on revisions and will integrate those revisions into the monthly Executive Committee meetings before bringing them to the entire membership. The work on Article II (Objectives) is complete; Article III (Membership) is almost done; Article IV (Structure) was the topic of the February 23 committee meeting. Anyone who is interested in joining the discussion regarding our foundational documents is welcome and should contact Joyce at}_{joycecwccft@gmail.com.}

_{GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE}

_{WCCFT Vice President Deirdre Verne reports that the primary purpose of the grievance committee is to uphold the contract. This includes:} _{Grievance Investigating, writing, and submitting grievances, and working with the faculty members and the administration to resolve them;} _{Evaluating, in conjunction with our NYSUT Labor Relations Specialist, whether the grievance should move forward to arbitration, and assisting the LRS if it does.}_{The grievance committee also works to: Educate members about the contract; Track and document past practices, past grievances, and resolutions; and Use current and historical information to bring negotiation points forward.}_{To assist Deirdre in defending members’ contractual rights, WCCFT has launched a system of union shop stewards intended to gather information about and evaluate potential grievances. The new shop steward program has increased communications enormously.}_{Thank you to stewards Virginia Caputo in the English Language Institute, Eric DeSena in Humanities, Kim Mallory in the English Department, and in Counseling Jennifer Londono (adjunct counselors), Laura Milhaven (FT academic counselors), and Brian Smarsch (financial aid counselors).} _{Other members who want to serve in this capacity should contact Deirdre at}_{deirdrevwccft@gmail.com}_.

_{MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE}

_{Committee chair and WCCFT Secretary Jen Gurahian reports that she is working with President Jim Werner to get accurately updated faculty lists from the Administration. She is also working with Executive Committee members Joe Sgammato and Eric De Sena to develop materials and strategies to expand membership. This will likely include a flier and survey to be disseminated later this semester.}

_{POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE}

_{Chair Ellen Zendman writes “In these changing and challenging times, let’s remember that our voices can be heard and our actions make a difference. Please help us support those political candidates and campaign committees that support our union, our college, and public education, in general.} _{“Your voluntary contributions to Vote Cope, the non-partisan political action arm of our state affiliate NYSUT, continue to support candidates of all parties who strive to protect our incomes and careers, health and safety, retirement, and health care.}_{In the 2021 Westchester County election, for example, WCCFT support helped elect seven county legislators and Country Executive George Latimer. Following his initial election in 2017, one of Latimer’s very first orders of business was to secure speedy approval of the last WCCFT contract—a marked departure from his predecessor’s approach to collective bargaining agreements negotiated by County employees.} _{“If you have already contributed to Vote-Cope, thank you and please consider increasing your donation. If you have not not done so, please consider making a Vote-Cope contribution using this convenient form: http://wcc.votecope.org/”}

_{PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND (FORMERLY FACULTY DEVELOPMENT) COMMITTEE}

_{Committee chair Gwen Roundtree Evans reports that “WCCFT provides faculty development funds to adjunct faculty for professional activities in which you participated or conducted during each academic year. The period for which you may apply for reimbursement is from September 1, 2021, through February 28, 2022. This is the second opportunity for this academic year that is granted to adjunct faculty for reimbursement of professional activities. Please see the guidelines and application form HERE.}_{“Please send the application and supporting documentation to me by email. I am requesting you use my union email:}_{gwenrewccft@gmail.com}_{so as not to overload my college email. Also, you must have been a member of the WCCFT at the time of the activity in order to receive funds. All files must be sent as a pdf and as one document. There are free apps on smartphones that will make a pdf using your camera (e.g, Scanner, Scannable, iScanner). If you are sending small receipts, please attach them on a separate page, in order by date.}_{“Late applications are not accepted, so please make sure that your application is received well before March 31 in order to allow for any corrections to be made. I will let you know as soon as I have received your application and will check for any errors or omissions so that you will still have time to update your application before the deadline.} _{“Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would like to wish you the best as you continue this semester and I am looking forward to your participation in this opportunity.”}