Campus talks facilitate gains for part-timers

Gains on behalf of SUNY part-timers was the topic at the first-ever meeting of the Campus Joint New York State/UUP Labor/Management Committee on Part-time Issues, held in mid-June in Albany.

The meeting was an outgrowth of Appendix A30 in UUP’s last contract with the state, establishing labor/management committees on part-time issues on each campus, said UUP Secretary Eileen Landy, who chaired the meeting.

“Although UUP has negotiated more contractual benefits for part-timers than other unions, it was important to win the right to campus-based discussions on part-time issues because many of the things we wish to address need to be worked out locally,” Landy said. “Issues vary from campus to campus and needs vary; these campus committees enable us to deal with them.”

UUPers attending the meeting were enthusiastic and eager to share information.

“The strategies were critical,” Landy said. “We found that great strides have been made using these committees.”

Among the achievements noted during a panel discussion at the meeting:

• SUNY Albany published guidelines for the appointment of part-time faculty;
• SUNY Cortland agreed to a memorandum of understanding that converts specific academic positions from part-time to full-time lectureships;
• SUNY Farmingdale achieved a written promotions policy for part-timers, made casual employees part-timers and got discretionary salary increases for every adjunct who has a term appointment; and
• SUNY Plattsburgh established five lectureships for part-timers, with two more to be added each year.

-- Darryl McGrath