By DIANE D’AMICO Education Writer

Danny Drake Richard Stockton College faculty with Emari DiGiorgio, of Ventnor, associate professor of writing, and Michael McGarvey, of Port Republic, professor of art, in the lead as they march and chant across the campus of the school to draw attention to stalled state contract salary negotiations. Monday, October 17, 2011.
Faculty and staff from Richard Stockton College and Rowan University joined Monday in a statewide campaign to raise awareness of what they say are unfair and illegal labor practices by the state as they work toward a new contract that also could mean no raises for four years.

“It’s not just about money,” said Nicholas Yovnello, assistant director of library administration at Rowan University and president of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, which represents faculty at the nine smaller state colleges through the American Federation of Teachers.

Yovnello said college presidents have been told to stop all sabbaticals (professional leaves of absence), tuition-reimbursement programs or career development, which Yovnello said are included in the expired contract and should continue until a new contract is ratified.

“There are a lot of components to academic life that allow faculty opportunities to do research and expand their own educations,” Yovnello said. “The state wants to do away with it all.”

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