This past summer and fall your newly elected board have been busy with a number of initiatives to strengthen the UAFP and prepare for our next contract negotiations, scheduled for just over a year from now in 2021. The current three-year contract runs July 2018–June 2021.

Pilot Project for Paid Adjunct Office Hours. First, we are in discussions with Pace University on the possibility of launching a pilot project for paid office hours for adjuncts. Pace has made a priority of initiatives directed at student retention, and a major part of this is helping freshman and transfer students to make connections with the Pace faculty early in their time at the university. Since many of our union members teach freshmen and sophomores, we are working with the administration to establish a pilot project granting paid office hours for those teaching more than six or seven credit hours per semester. The administration response has been positive thus far and we will keep you posted as we define the specific terms.

Sexual Harassment Training. Second, we followed up on concerns about the amount of time required of all university employees to take the New York state mandated sexual harassment training before the fall semester began. For a number of us, this training was redundant to training we had taken elsewhere. As a result of our request, the university agreed to accept certifications from other employers that the training had been completed. Click HERE to read an article by our labor attorney, Harvey S. Mars, explaining the background of the law, its protections and requirements.

NYSUT Affiliation. Third, we are examining our national union affiliation. Currently, we are affiliated with the New York State Union of Teachers (NYSUT), which is part of the American Federation of Teachers. As part of an exercise to assure that our dues are well spent, we are examining current contracts for adjuncts and part-timers at other metropolitan colleges and universities. We will update you as we get more information. In the meantime, please participate in a survey soon to find out more about what, if any, NYSUT and Pace University benefits the members of the Collective Bargaining Unit (CBU) currently utilize and any other insurance needs CBU members may have.

Non-Reappointment Provision. Fourth, we have overseen the successful implementation of an important new right we achieved in our last round of negotiations. Our current contract’s provision on Non-Reappointment (Article 6.2) of long-serving adjuncts and part-time instructors became effective in Fall 2019. Upon UAFP’s request, the university found that one adjunct was eligible for payments under this provision. To read the details of the contract provision please turn to our latest contract by clicking HERE.

New UAFP Office Administrator. Fifth, the new UAFP office administrator is Varise Cooper, who is a UAFP member and teaches business courses in the Lubin School. The office is at 139 Fulton Street, 7^th Floor. Varise works in the office usually on Wednesday afternoons. Contact Varise by e-mail at [email protected] or the office phone: 212-766-1600 to make an appointment to speak with him.