News & Information Archive

Union Election Results (05/05/2010)
Results were announced at the General Union Meeting on Wednesday May 5th.
[Click for results]
Higher Education Press Conference (03/03/2010)
Statements made at the NJ State House by Nick Yovnello (CNJSCL), Dr. Judith Johnston (NJ AAUP), and Dr. Patrice Mareschal (Rutgers AAUP-AFT). [Read statement]
Faculty Promotions Workshop (03/01/2010)
The following was distributed at the Faculty Promotions Workshop sponsored by AFT 1904 on Wednesday, January 20, 2010. We hope this material is helpful to you. [Workshop Handout]

If you have any questions that we can help you with, please feel free to contact your union at: [Union Office] or [Aditya Adarkar, Acting Internal VP]

General Union Meeting Canceled (02/09/2010)
Due to the approaching snow storm the General Union Meeting scheduled
for Wednesday February 10th has been canceled.

The Union office will be closed as well and should reopen on Thursday.

The meeting has been rescheduled for:
February 24th, 12-1:30pm. Location: Student Center Room 417.
Professional Staff Luncheon (12/03/2009)
February 18, 2010 - 12-2pm
Student Center 419
Flu Update (10/13/09)
In early September the presidents of three union locals on campus requested a meeting with President Cole to discuss among other things the implications of a flu epidemic on campus. The request to meet as a group was refused with no explanation. The letter sent to President Cole and the reply are below:
[Joint Letter to President Cole] | [Reply from Judy Hain]
Furlough Request Form (09/15/2009)
Human Resources has posted the form that should be used to request furlough days. Please remember that you need to take seven furlough days, including the day after Thanksgiving, prior to June 30, 2010. [access the form]
Members Ratify Agreement (08/18/2009)
The votes on the agreement with the state are in and the results have been certified by the American Arbitration Association. [voting results] | [the agreement]
Regarding Managerial Salaries (07/24/09)
A letter has been sent from the Office of the State Treasurer to the Presidents of the state colleges and universities informing them that they must achieve equivalent personnel cost savings from managerial and non-aligned employees. [read the letter]
Agreement reached with State (07/08/09)
After several weeks of talks the Council has come to an agreement with the State regarding wage freezes and furloughs. A ratification vote will be held as soon as possible. [about the agreement]
Update on Furloughs (04/01/09)
The Council's Executive Committee met this past Friday. Council President Nick Yovnello brought us up to date on furloughs. What he had to say indicated that we might be out of the line of fire for the moment on furloughs. [read E-bulletin]
Tentative Agreements Ratified (04/17/09) At the April 15, 2009 General Union Meeting, the Tentative Agreements reached with the MSU administration were ratified by the membership. [learn more]
Update on Furloughs (04/01/09) The Council's Executive Committee met this past Friday. Council President Nick Yovnello brought us up to date on furloughs. What he had to say indicated that we might be out of the line of fire for the moment on furloughs [read E-bulletin]
Growth of "Contingent" Faculty (04/01/09) There are 391,000 part-time or adjunct faculty at community colleges and public universities, positions that have increasingly replaced full-time, tenure-track jobs. Despite being the source of most of the teaching at colleges, these short-term appointments pay only about a fourth as much per course as tenure-track positions, seldom come with benefits, and offer little job security or possibility of advancement [learn more]
Corzine's Budget Address (03/10/09) Governor Corzine presented the 2010 proposed budget which includes controversial tax increases and work furloughs and wage freezes for state employees. Video, audio and text archives of the address are accessible online [learn more]
Need help with tax prep? The Union Plus online tax preparation service provides AFT members and their families with an online tax tool to prepare and file their taxes. This service is available for about half the cost of similar services from H&R Block and Quicken. For more information, or to access the service [click here].
Becker Keenen Moore Uhia & Waller Scholarship Endowment Fund (2/14/09) (application window March 1-31) Six $500 Scholarships available to Qualifying MSU Students from all majors of study. [learn more]
The Marco Lacatena/Albert Shanker Scholarship Endowment Fund (2/14/09) (application window March 1-31) One $500 Scholarship available to Qualifying MSU Students from all majors of study [learn more]
Essex-West Hudson Labor Council Scholarship (application window closes April 20) Available to eligible dependents of the Essex-West Hudson labor Council affiliates. Eight $500 awards and two $250 awards available. Scholarship forms may be obtained by contacting Kevin Frey at 973-244-5814
Porter Scholarship Applications Available Online (1/29/09) March 31 is the application deadline for the AFT's 2009 Robert G. Porter Scholars Program. The program offers two types of scholarships: four-year, $8,000 postsecondary scholarships for graduating high school seniors who are dependents of an AFT member, and one-time, $1,000 grants for AFT members to pursue courses related to their field of work. The scholarship program was established by the AFT executive council in 1992 to honor the contributions of Porter, the union's longtime secretary-treasurer, who died in 1991. Applications and information are available on the AFT Web site.
Corzine details emergency state budget cuts (1/05/09) Gov. Jon Corzine released details of $812 million in emergency spending cuts he is proposing to close a gaping hole in the current state budget, including reducing pension payments and aid to schools and towns. The list of specific cuts follows Corzine's Friday announcement that New Jersey has a $2.1 billion shortfall caused by the national economic meltdown. [learn more].

Faculty Promotions Workshop: Jan 14th 12-2pm Come join MSUFT Executive Board Members to learn how to submit a successful promotions application (due to DPACs by January 30th). Topics to be addressed include: Relevant MSU documents and criteria; understanding the process; following the MSU administrative calendar; presenting a strong case for yourself; and exercising your right to respond. [Learn more]
Presidents' Pay Rises Faster at Public Universities Than Private Ones, Survey Finds (11/18/08) While seven-figure pay packages had been limited mostly to prominent private research universities, some presidents of public institutions like Ohio State and Delaware, or private universities like Suffolk that offer few doctoral degrees, are also topping $1 million in pay and benefits [learn more].
Thanksgiving: The Day After (11/18/08) For professional staff and librarians in New Jersey, Friday November 28th is an optional holiday.That means if you decide to take it as a holiday at MSU, you will have to compensate for it. You can learn more by reading the tentative agreement.
Denied Overload? (11/4/08) A professional staff member brought to the Union's attention that MSU policy on overload teaching(as presented in an email to professional staff and librarians on September 4, 2008) violated both the state contract agreement and a local settlement agreement that was a result of a grievance. The Local 1904 pursued it and the University changed it's policy.[view Employee Handbook].
College Tuition Just Keeps Climbing (10/29/08) As families are squeezed, public colleges look more attractive—but beleaguered state governments may need to hike tuition even further. Tuition and fees at four-year public colleges and universities rose faster than those of private schools, yet again outpacing the rate of inflation, the College Board said in a report released Oct. 29. [learn more]
A Sobering Lesson in Fiscal Irresponsibility (10/20/08) New Jersey higher education isn't just beset by scandals. It is a scandal. And that state of affairs will continue without state oversight. Despite annual spending of $2.2 billion in public funds, colleges are free of public policing.[learn more]
Debating Merit Pay at Two Universities (10/10/2008)
After a faculty dispute, Towson University (Towson, MD) compromises on how to distribute raises, while Temple University (Philadelphia, PA) attempts to shift entirely to "pay per performance."[learn more]
Rutgers U Probing Allegations of Discrimination from Female Faculty (10/08/2008)
Rutgers University is investigating complaints of discrimination from female faculty in its political science department, including allegations of pay inequities and charges that male senior faculty members have held long-standing, decision-making dinners that exclude women.[learn more]
Employee Free Choice Act (10/07/2008) America's workers are putting in more hours than ever and still struggling to make ends meet. Meanwhile, corporate CEOs enjoy salaries 180 times higher than their average employees. How do we level the playing field and get our economy back on track? Good union jobs are the place to start. The Employee Free Choice Act makes it easier for workers to form unions. Support this bill and help reach 1 million signatures! [learn more]
Who owns my email?(10/01/2008) Campus email belongs to the University and the Administration has a legally constituted right to review all email communications that come through its server. In addition, downloading materials from questionable or illegal sites and spending time surfing the web on the "company time" are also very risky.[learn more].
Stalled over parking?(9/29/2008) In response to our members' concerns over the continuous and increasing problem of parking on campus, MSUFT Local 1904 has written the University's administration seeking answers to the questions we have received from many of you. [read entire letter].
NJ colleges form alliance (9/26/2008) Nine of New Jersey's state colleges and universities are joining forces to try to push higher education to the top of the state's political agenda in the face of state budget cuts. Among the goals of the alliance are improving programs and strengthening private sector ties. [read more]
When does my pay raise kick in?(9/18/2008) Due to membership concern, the MSUFT Local 1904 inquired of the CNJSCL concerning the effective date of pay increases. Due to new language in the state contract, annual salary pay periods have shifted. [read more]
What is the state of the Union?(9/16/2008) President Dierdre Glenn Paul addressed the general union membership on September 10th. Read about the recent accomplishments and current goals of the MSUFT Local 1904.[read more]
Still haven't received your 2008-2009 AFT pocket calendar?(9/15/2008) The Council is mailing them on Friday for campus arrival the week of September 22nd. Stay tuned.
Know your contractual rights about online courses (9/9/2008) With the increased push to put courses online at MSU, the MSUFT Local 1904 encourages members to exercise caution in this area, as there are many issues that have yet to be negotiated locally. [read more]
Having problems with your health benefits?(9/6/2008) If you are experiencing problems with your health insurance, the MSUFT Local 1904 can help. Download this form and send to our VPof Personnel, Jennifer Higgins. [126k pdf file]
Where is my AFT pocket calendar?(9/4/2008) Due to a delay in distribution at the state level, you will receive your AFT pocket calendar on the 11th or 12th of this month.
The "dorm" is a hotel (9/4/2008) MSU students housed 4 miles away in La Quinta Inn may say they actually like living closer to New York City, having the luxury of someone changing their sheets, and lounging in the carpeted hallways. However, there are others who feel totally disconnected from the campus experience. [learn more]
When do I get paid? (9/2/2008) The first paycheck of the 2008-2009 AY is distributed on September 19th, the third week of the semester. Check the Human Resources web site for the list of payroll dates. [learn more]
NJ Transit offering text alerts (9/2/2008) NJ Transit bus customers can now receive up-to-the-minute travel information for their specific trip through the My Transit alert system. The service sends a text alert directly to the customers' cell phones, pagers, PDAs or e-mail whenever there is a delay affecting their designated itinerary [learn more]
Colleges confront shootings with survival training (8/26/2008) Hundreds of colleges across the nation have purchased a training program that teaches professors and students not to take campus threats lying down but to fight back with any "improvised weapon," from a backpack to a laptop computer.[learn more]
Green Efforts Improving on Campuses(8/26/2008) More campuses in the US have shifted their focus to environmental and sustainability programs, but funding and staffing issues have prevented them from implementing green initiatives on the scale campus administrators would like, according to a new report.[learn more]
Congress passes Higher Ed Bill (7/31/2008) After 7 years, Congress finally passed (with bi-partisan support) the College Opportunity and Affordability Act which reathorizes the Higher Education Act of 1965, which governs federal student aid and other important education policies.[learn more]
The end of "free" parking at MSU (7/30/2008) Beginning Sept 1st, people who work on the MSU campus but are not paid by the University (e.g., Local 1904, Sodexho) will have to pay for parking. The charges are $150/year for surface lot permit and $275/year for Red Hawk Deck permit (part-time employees) up from $250 last year. Prices for Red Hawk Deck permits are also increasing for MSU employees. See Parking Services for details.
Do you work in a sick building? (7/29/2008) Public employers MUST comply with the Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health (PEOSH) Standards [learn more] PDF download
AFT launches Higher Education Data Center (7/21/2008) The AFT's new online Higher Education Data Center is your source for volumes of information about higher education institutions, such as faculty salaries, instructional staff levels, tenure rates, and institutional revenues and expenditures�all in one place.
5 Scholarships Awarded (5/1/2008) Six $500 scholarships awarded from the Catherine A. Becker, James P. Keenen III, Joseph T. Moore, Anita E. Uhia, and Connie Waller Scholarship Endowment Fund.[learn more]
New State Health Benefits Plans (4/1/2008) Answers and information regarding the new state health benefits plans. Includes a plan comparison summary for state employees effective April 1, 2008. See a video presentation of the new Medical Plans on the State Health Benefits Plan web site. [learn more]
Full-time/part-time agreement ratified View the entire 2007-2011agreement online, including salary guides. [learn more]
©2006-2008 AFT Local 1904 • Comments, suggestions or news to share? Contact union@mail.montclair.edu
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