Union standoff
Unions have been in a tense standoff with the school over contract negotiations, and they have turned some of their fire on the athletic department’s finances.
“The mission of the university, as I understand it, it is not to create a fine athletic institution. It is to create a fine academic institution,” said Christine O’Connell, president of the Union of Rutgers Administrators.…
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Budgets reflect priorities and demonstrate values. New Jersey legislators will have to decide whether to vote for a budget with a millionaires tax to help fund property tax relief for working families.
Across the country, millionaires are saving tens of billions from the President’s tax plan, while New Jersey’s working families are hampered by the cap of the State and Local Taxes deduction at $10,000.…
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“While uncertain economic times means elected leadership must make difficult decisions, New Jersey residents are already suffering at least partly because of President Trump’s elimination of the State and Local Taxes deduction as punishment for voting against him and his party.
If New Jersey’s elected leadership believes the appropriate response is to further penalize those of us who work in the public sector—including dedicated teachers, caring nurses and courageous first responders—in order to give tax breaks to millionaires, they are governing in a very irresponsible manner and leading us in the wrong direction.…
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Citrin, NJ Spotlight
Teresa Politano, president of the part-time faculty union called the contract “revolutionary” but noted that it is primarily a foundation on which they hope to build future contracts.
“We’re not just freelance employees anymore. Under this agreement we will become more integrated faculty members,” Politano said. “That’s a radical restructuring of the overall faculty system and a good foundation for future contracts.”…
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Four AFT New Jersey members are participating on working groups established to develop strategies to increase support for college students and achieve the statewide goal of 65 percent of New Jerseyans with college degrees by the year 2025, according to the Office of the Secretary Higher Education.
“We are extremely appreciative to Governor Murphy and Secretary Zakiya Smith Ellis for engaging with stakeholders who are in the classroom and on campus with students every day,” said Susanna Tardi, AFTNJ Executive VP for Higher Education.…
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Students, faculty, and staff calling for the reappointment of skilled lecturers and professional staff were illegally locked out of Monday night’s Kean Board of Trustees meeting, according to Kean Federation of Teachers president James Castiglione. While hundreds of students, faculty and staff were joined by a State Senator and the Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair rallying outside against the firings, Kean managers filled all the seats and security refused to allow students into the meeting.…
Alexandra A. Adams, Star-Ledger Guest Columnist
Although we narrowly avoided going on a teaching strike at Rutgers University, it has become clear that central administration does not recognize the tremendous value that teaching assistants like me — and graduate workers in general — actually bring to students and the future of the institution. I find it incredibly saddening that the opportunity to provide a public service in research and education is typically accompanied by incurring a tremendous amount of debt and— at least in my case — going bankrupt.…
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