New Paltz part-timer Beth Wilson is photographed by Chapter Treasurer Alan Dunefsky. Her photo and testimonial were part of a CEW display on part-timer issues, rear.

Targeting lawmakers, the media, college administrators, the general public and their colleagues, UUP activists around the state shared their concerns that the over-reliance on and inequities faced by part-time and contingent faculty have a negative effect on all members of the campus community.

UUP’s message was delivered during Campus Equity Week (CEW), Oct. 29-Nov. 2. CEW is a national initiative designed to educate the public and policymakers on issues of fairness and quality related to part-time faculty in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. UUP joined hundreds of other higher education unions affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in seeking justice for these often-exploited employees.

“Our part-timers do a great job, but receive less pay for doing much of the same work performed by full-timers,” said UUP President William Scheuerman, an AFT vice president. “We call many of them ‘Road Scholars,’ since they often travel to work on several campuses just to cobble together a decent living. Our part-time academic and professional faculty deserve better.”

The first biennial Campus Equity Week was held in 2001, and UUP can boast a number of successes since then.

At the local level, UUP chapters have made significant progress in securing starting salary increases for part-time employees, and have successfully implemented the negotiated right for separate labor/management meetings for part-timer issues.

At the statewide level, UUP has negotiated full health, vision and dental benefits, and vacation and sick leave for part-timers; as well as the UUP tuition scholarships to dependents of part-timer members.

UUP’s negotiated gains have become a model for the higher education unions in tough contract battles across the nation.

“UUP’s goals for CEW are to raise awareness and to educate campus communities, the public and policymakers about the inequitable employment practices faced by part-timers,” said UUP statewide Part-time Concerns Committee Co-chair Jacqualine Berger of Empire State College.

“CEW is an excellent time to highlight the quality and extent of contributions made by part-timers,” added committee Co-chair Weston Kennison of Geneseo.

The committee provided UUP chapters with buttons, fliers, brochures and posters for their CEW events. Copies of the printed materials were made available for download at the union’s LeaderNet site.

UUP chapters observed CEW in diverse ways:

• At New Paltz, photos of UUP part-timer members and their written testimonials took center stage at the Jacobsen Faculty Tower.

The testimonials, with accompanying photos, were on display. UUPer Beth Wilson, an adjunct in the art history department, wrote: “I love working here. I just wish I could pay the mortgage on what I earn!”

Part-timer Lisa Woodrum stressed the importance of job security, followed by the need for equitable salaries.

“Job security is the most important issue to me,” Woodrum wrote. “I am grateful we get health benefits. However, there is always uncertainty every semester as to whether I will teach two classes and keep my benefits.”

The chapter also asked passersby to sign a petition opposing the campus policy that puts a two-course per semester cap on part-time instructors.

• At Oneonta, the centerpiece of CEW was a two-hour forum that tackled the future agenda of the local campus. The forum, “Vision for the Future: Call to Excellence,” included discourse on conditions, compensation and resources for part-time employees. Printed CEW materials and buttons were also distributed.

• At Morrisville, the union’s monthly “coffee hour” in the student center focused on part-timer concerns, and members were able to review the handouts and, if donning a UUP pin, were given a free coffee and bagel.

• At Oswego, UUPers distributed buttons and literature calling attention to the plight of part-timers.

In addition, three chapter UUP members penned a letter to the editor of the campus newspaper. In it, they cite an American Association of University Professors report stating that 65 percent of faculty in higher education institutions are now in contingent positions.

• At Geneseo, all part-time academic and professional faculty received a letter from the union along with a gift certificate to the campus Books and Bytes café. According to Chapter President Margaret Stolee, the gift certificate was a great way to mark CEW, while the letter assured Geneseo’s part-time faculty that “the union is committed to bringing attention to the disparities they face.”

“We’ve come a long way, but work remains to be done,” Scheuerman said. “Our list of accomplishments shows what can be done when the 33,000 members of UUP work together as one.”

— Karen L. Mattison