Only the Beginning . . .
Welcome back to the beginning of another academic year! New beginnings are part and parcel of our higher education universe, our perpetual cycle of renewal: each year we enjoy the promise of a new semester, a new start, a renewed opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. The optimism I always feel at this time of year brings to mind a song by the classic rock group Chicago (I know, I’m dating myself): “Only the beginning, only just the start…”
This year, we have special reason to be of good cheer: at its June 26 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the Memo of Agreement that our membership ratified last May, which concluded our most recent round of contract negotiations. This marks a victory almost five years in the making, with dozens of negotiating sessions and at least as many strategy meetings and side conferences over the course of those years. But we feel the outcome is well worth the labor, time, and thought we invested—and we hope you feel the same!
Under this new agreement, current salary and longevity compensation will increase by 13% over four years (inclusive of the coming 2024-25 academic year and the previous three years retroactively), plus bonuses for both full-time and adjunct faculty who qualify. (The contract also includes the initial increases we received in 2019 and 2020, which have already been factored into salaries.) In addition, we secured:
- Paid sick/personal leave and weather closing pay for non-teaching adjuncts;
- Clear limits set regarding faculty responsibilities outside the academic calendar;
- Increases in the College’s annual contributions to our Professional Development Fund;
- Clarified job descriptions for chairs, with limits on curriculum chair duties and with summer compensation for department chairs;
- Important protections in our online teaching policies;
- Credit towards senior adjunct status for part-time faculty left with no courses after bumping;
- Contractual language on workplace health and safety;
- New options for office hours and advising; and
- A process for filling unexpected faculty vacancies.
We also successfully fought many of the College’s demands– that all faculty contributions toward health insurance be set at 15%; that full-time faculty be required to be on campus at least four days a week; that non-teaching faculty vacation time be drastically reduced; that student course “evaluations” could be used for any purpose, rather than only for professional development; and that chairs be removed from the bargaining unit.
The strength of this contract comes directly from the amazing work of our Negotiating Team, under the stellar leadership of our chief negotiator, Labor Relations Specialist Amanda Velazquez of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT). Throughout the bargaining process, Amanda was a fierce, smart, and tireless advocate for the rights and best interests of our membership. Still, this was entirely a team effort, and our deepest gratitude goes out not only to Amanda, but to every member of our negotiating team who gave so generously of their time, insight, and hard work over the last 4+ years: faculty members Eric de Sena, Madalena Mansinho, Laura Milhaven, Sean Simpson, and of course, our incredible Vice President Deirdre Verne. Our thanks go out as well to Claudia Jacques de Moraes Cardoso, who had to step down from the team back in 2021. These dedicated colleagues brought tremendous expertise and intelligence, strength and strategy, and an abiding commitment to our Union and its members. I am deeply grateful for their exemplary work, and have been honored to sit beside them at the negotiating table.
We await the County Board of Legislators’ approval of this agreement, and final signature by the County Executive. Once this happens, the agreement becomes official, and the College will begin to enact its provisions, including increases in compensation. Rest assured that we are monitoring this process and will do all we can to push it forward.
In the meantime, we see this as “only the beginning” of what we hope to accomplish as a Union. We are already looking ahead to the next contract—negotiations recommence next August, and we want to know what YOU want to see on the table. So keep an eye out for surveys we’ll be sending out to all members, asking for ideas to include in that next round.
For now, we feel this contract is a victory eminently worth celebrating… and celebrating is exactly what we’ll be doing at our second annual Welcome Back Lunch, which will be held on Wednesday September 11 from 11-12 in the Technology Building Room 137! We hope that you’ll join us there—ALL are welcome, Union members and non-members alike, part-time and full-time, teaching and non-teaching. Bring your appetite, your energy, and your optimism for this great new beginning… and more to come!
