The university has officially backed down from the up-or-out threat. Your pressure forced them to respect our contract, so keep your records close and report any pushback to the union immediately.
December 5, 2016
Final supporters
Recent communications by the PSC suggest that adjuncts who apply for a three-year teaching appointment, but are turned down for that appointment by their department or the provost’s office, will no longer qualify for a one semester or one-year appointment in the department. Rather than providing adjuncts with greater security, this up or out provision diminishes it. The contract ratified by the Delegate Assembly and voted on by the members does NOT include a provision that would, in effect, prevent any adjunct who is turned down for a three-year appointment from continuing to teach in his or her department.
We, the undersigned CUNY teaching adjuncts and graduate teaching assistants, note the following:
- The proposed new contract (“Contract”) between the PSC and CUNY, as summarized in a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”), dated June 16, 2016, was voted upon and approved by PSC union members in July and August 2016.
- Included in the MOA is a Multi-Year Appointment for Teaching Adjuncts (“Multi-Year Agreement”), dated June 16, 2016, that provides that eligible adjuncts “shall be considered for a three-year appointment” (¶ 2);
- The Multi-Year Agreement further specifies that, to receive a three-year appointment:
[A]n adjunct who meets the service requirements must receive the positive recommendation of his/her department P&B committee and of the college President, or his/her designee [e.g., Provost, Dean]. The recommendations shall be based upon a comprehensive review of the adjunct's performance and the fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or the college. (¶ 3)
- Neither the Multi-Year Agreement nor MOA either provides or suggests that an adjunct who is considered, for but does not receive, a three-year appointment is no longer eligible for a one-year appointment in her department;
- Nor does the Multi-Year Agreement or MOA either provide or suggest that an adjunct who is considered for, but does not receive, a three-year appointment, cannot be rehired by her department for one semester or more semesters.
Given all of the above, any policy initiated by the PSC or CUNY that would require termination or suspension of an adjunct who is considered for but does not receive a three-year appointment would constitute a material alteration of the Contract. We did not vote, nor would we have voted, for a contract that contained such a provision.
Therefore, we call upon the PSC and CUNY to affirm that any eligible adjunct who is considered for but does not receive a three-year appointment will remain eligible for a one-year appointment in following semester, and for all subsequent one-year periods, as specified in previous contracts and agreements between the PSC and CUNY.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 26, 2016
October 26, 2016
The momentum behind this petition proves that adjuncts refuse to accept the up or out provision as a standard for our labor. Take this link and post it to your Facebook feed right now to keep the pressure on the PSC leadership. Send an email to your union representative today demanding they clarify their stance on these appointments.
Reached 100 supporters
October 23, 2016
October 21, 2016
We are approaching one hundred signatures and need to push through that threshold to get the administration's attention. Take five minutes right now to text this link to three colleagues and demand they sign on. We need this momentum to force a direct response from the PSC leadership.
94 Comments
As a chair of many,many long term adjuncts I support this petition. The PSC agenda has frequently had unintended yet deleterious consequences on adjuncts.
I qualify for the 3-year appt and even though I have an EXCELLENT reputation as a professor and never had a cancelled class in over 17 years, I will NOT be applying for the 3-year appt. and risk losing my job unless the unfair provision is removed.
It would be unfair to deny a qualified professional a three-year appointment and tgen turn around and deny tgat same professional an appointment for one year. The two shouldn't be linked.
The union didn't "miss this clause." They, or rather Barbara Bowen, wrote it. The up-or-out provision is one that she is trying to insert into an already ratified agreement. Her name is on the documents in which this unfortunate mandate has been articulated. Andrew Gottlieb
For a contract that was supposed to add to adjunct security, the confusion over the 2 vs. 3 year contracts and the hoops each would entail, have only INCREASED our insecurity. I am opting for the 3-year, largely because if I didn't, I'd worry that when I went to renew that 2-year spot, too many spaces would have been preempted.
This preposterous provision is as preposterous as the PSC. It is high time to revamp our failing union.
There is no education without adjunct labor. They should be treated in a way that reflects their importance to education.
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The university has officially backed down from the up-or-out threat. Your pressure forced them to respect our contract, so keep your records close and report any pushback to the union immediately.
December 5, 2016
Final supporters
Recent communications by the PSC suggest that adjuncts who apply for a three-year teaching appointment, but are turned down for that appointment by their department or the provost’s office, will no longer qualify for a one semester or one-year appointment in the department. Rather than providing adjuncts with greater security, this up or out provision diminishes it. The contract ratified by the Delegate Assembly and voted on by the members does NOT include a provision that would, in effect, prevent any adjunct who is turned down for a three-year appointment from continuing to teach in his or her department.
We, the undersigned CUNY teaching adjuncts and graduate teaching assistants, note the following:
- The proposed new contract (“Contract”) between the PSC and CUNY, as summarized in a Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”), dated June 16, 2016, was voted upon and approved by PSC union members in July and August 2016.
- Included in the MOA is a Multi-Year Appointment for Teaching Adjuncts (“Multi-Year Agreement”), dated June 16, 2016, that provides that eligible adjuncts “shall be considered for a three-year appointment” (¶ 2);
- The Multi-Year Agreement further specifies that, to receive a three-year appointment:
[A]n adjunct who meets the service requirements must receive the positive recommendation of his/her department P&B committee and of the college President, or his/her designee [e.g., Provost, Dean]. The recommendations shall be based upon a comprehensive review of the adjunct's performance and the fiscal and programmatic needs of the department and/or the college. (¶ 3)
- Neither the Multi-Year Agreement nor MOA either provides or suggests that an adjunct who is considered, for but does not receive, a three-year appointment is no longer eligible for a one-year appointment in her department;
- Nor does the Multi-Year Agreement or MOA either provide or suggest that an adjunct who is considered for, but does not receive, a three-year appointment, cannot be rehired by her department for one semester or more semesters.
Given all of the above, any policy initiated by the PSC or CUNY that would require termination or suspension of an adjunct who is considered for but does not receive a three-year appointment would constitute a material alteration of the Contract. We did not vote, nor would we have voted, for a contract that contained such a provision.
Therefore, we call upon the PSC and CUNY to affirm that any eligible adjunct who is considered for but does not receive a three-year appointment will remain eligible for a one-year appointment in following semester, and for all subsequent one-year periods, as specified in previous contracts and agreements between the PSC and CUNY.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 26, 2016
October 26, 2016
The momentum behind this petition proves that adjuncts refuse to accept the up or out provision as a standard for our labor. Take this link and post it to your Facebook feed right now to keep the pressure on the PSC leadership. Send an email to your union representative today demanding they clarify their stance on these appointments.
Reached 100 supporters
October 23, 2016
October 21, 2016
We are approaching one hundred signatures and need to push through that threshold to get the administration's attention. Take five minutes right now to text this link to three colleagues and demand they sign on. We need this momentum to force a direct response from the PSC leadership.
94 Comments
I had this same concern when I was told about this new contract offering that it would be used by the department as an excuse to bring in newer adjuncts at a lower pay scale.
As a chair of many,many long term adjuncts I support this petition. The PSC agenda has frequently had unintended yet deleterious consequences on adjuncts.
I qualify for the 3-year appt and even though I have an EXCELLENT reputation as a professor and never had a cancelled class in over 17 years, I will NOT be applying for the 3-year appt. and risk losing my job unless the unfair provision is removed.
It would be unfair to deny a qualified professional a three-year appointment and tgen turn around and deny tgat same professional an appointment for one year. The two shouldn't be linked.
The union didn't "miss this clause." They, or rather Barbara Bowen, wrote it. The up-or-out provision is one that she is trying to insert into an already ratified agreement. Her name is on the documents in which this unfortunate mandate has been articulated. Andrew Gottlieb
For a contract that was supposed to add to adjunct security, the confusion over the 2 vs. 3 year contracts and the hoops each would entail, have only INCREASED our insecurity. I am opting for the 3-year, largely because if I didn't, I'd worry that when I went to renew that 2-year spot, too many spaces would have been preempted.
This preposterous provision is as preposterous as the PSC. It is high time to revamp our failing union.
There is no education without adjunct labor. They should be treated in a way that reflects their importance to education.
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I had this same concern when I was told about this new contract offering that it would be used by the department as an excuse to bring in newer adjuncts at a lower pay scale.