Dr. Susanna Tardi | American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

In New Jersey, oversight of higher education is up in the air

August 21, 2011

Matt Katz, Inquirer Trenton Bureau

Unions representing employees at colleges and universities say Christie has ignored the law that empowered the commission.

“What we considered to be the practice of democracy seems to be breaking down,” Susanna Tardi, a professor at William Paterson University and executive vice president of the American Federation of Teachers in New Jersey, which represents faculty and other staff.

Christie has assembled a panel of advisers to replace the commission – the Governor’s Higher Education Council.

Unlike the more diverse commission, which required a faculty representative and OKs from the Senate and Assembly on most appointments, the council’s members are chosen by the governor alone.

Christie has selected four business executives and a law professor. The most recent commission, by contrast, included not just representatives from businesses and law firms but also a member of the state’s financial-aid authority and leaders of universities and colleges.

“You cannot use a strict corporate mentality to solve university issues,” Tardi warned.

She said the commission was needed for oversight – to monitor whether tuition money is used for real estate purchases instead of academic programs, for example.

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AFTNJ Leadership Changes

August 09, 2011

Perth Amboy Federation’s Chiera New AFTNJ President; Skeete-Carey and Tardi EVPs

Moving up to a new challenge is always exciting. In late June Perth Amboy teacher Donna M. Chiera had her hands full being elected President of AFTNJ while serving as chair of the legislative crisis team battling in Trenton to protect collective bargaining. Chiera is a recently-retired classroom teacher with more than 30 years in the district, 22 years as local President and had been AFTNJ Prekindergarten through 12 Executive Vice President. She currently sits on the AFT national Program and Policy Committee and recently served on the Governor’s New Jersey Educator Effectiveness Task Force.

The AFTNJ Executive Committee elected Chiera to complete the term of former President William Lipkin, which expires in June, 2012 after elections at the next AFTNJ convention.

The AFTNJ Delegate Assembly elected Prekindergarten through 12 Vice President Cheryl Skeete-Carey to fill Chiera’s vacated Executive Vice Presidency. Subsequently, Skeete-Carey’s election created a vacancy for a Prekindergarten through 12 Vice President to which Chiera appointed Margaret Roberts from North Bergen Federation of Teachers pending confirmation at August’s Delegate Assembly.

The Delegate Assembly also filled the Higher Education Executive Vice President position, electing William Paterson University Professor Susanna Tardi, a nine-year AFT WPU Local President.

Contracts for presidents of N.J.’s public colleges packed with lucrative bonuses and perks

July 24, 2011

But students facing steep tuition hikes and professors dealing with pay freezes and budget cuts are angered their presidents — whose annual base salaries range from $134,990 to $570,000 — don’t seem to be sharing the pain.

“It’s outrageous. It’s insulting,” said Susanna Tardi, a William Paterson University sociology professor and executive vice president of a statewide faculty union. “Who is ultimately impacted by this? The students.”

July 24, 2011. Kelly Heyboer. The Star-Ledger
Read full article at http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/despite_hard_times_contracts_f.html

Classroom and Campus Professionals Call for Public Hearings In Wake of Higher Education Cuts

July 12, 2011

Stakeholder Input Needed Before Considering Kean Task Force Recommendations, Bonding and Mergers
TRENTON…Governor Christie’s last‐minute higher education budget vetoes will force many New Jersey students out of school and limit opportunities for others to start. New Jersey educators have a better plan than increasing college and university tuition while bonding instead of budgeting. A working group of unions representing more than 30,000 public and private higher education faculty and staff are calling for controls on tuition, more public oversight and stakeholder representation on governing boards to improve accountability from executives. These recommendations stand in stark contrast to this year’s Tom Kean‐led Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education, which seeks more unchecked power for university and college Presidents without rallying significant opposition to the continued decline in state support.