“Part-timers suffer low wages, have no job security and little opportunity for advancement... despite union representation, adjuncts have for decades remained by far the lowest paid employees within the bargaining unit.”

The CCF is a vibrant new advocacy and networking group working for equity for the part-time faculty of the State University of New York. The Coalition was founded by members of United University Professions (UUP), the nation's largest higher education union, which represents some 30,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 State University of New York campuses. UUP is affiliated with the New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

The CCF's first open meeting was held on April 21, 2006, at the UUP's Spring Delegate Assembly. About thirty-five people were in attendance, representing a dozen campuses. Subsequently, more than a hundred faculty have joined the CCF. Many have participated in the development of the CCF's specific proposals to address salary inequities, increase job security and expand opportunities for advancement. The CCF needs your support as we work to improve the situation of contingent faculty in the months and years ahead.

As a result of the steady erosion of tenure-track positions within SUNY, we have witnessed the emergence of an academic underclass. Part-timers suffer low wages, have no job security and little opportunity for advancement. Despite the hard work, dedication and loyalty of SUNY contingent faculty, and despite union representation, adjuncts have for decades remained by far the lowest paid employees within the bargaining unit. Now, with both the UUP and SUNY committed to working toward creating more tenure-track positions, the CCF will advocate strongly for the interests of contingent faculty.

The CCF enthusiastically supports the UUP's goals of better wages and working conditions for contingent academic and professional faculty throughout the SUNY system. Since part-time faculty tend to be underrepresented at all levels by the very nature of their contingency, the CCF urges all part-timers to join the UUP in greater numbers, to let their diverse voices be heard and to actively participate at all levels of the union.

Among the specific proposals that CCF has put forward are nine proposals that were unanimously endorsed on September 30, 2006, by the UUP’s statewide Part-Time Concerns Committee and by the union’s full Delegate Assembly.

"Be it resolved, that the Part-Time Concerns Committee recommends the following to the Negotiations Committee for inclusion in the package of demands for the next Agreement between UUP and the State of New York:

1. Include a system of statewide salary minima for all part-time employees based on the negotiated minima for full-time employees.

2. Establish a wage step system for all employees, applicable to part-time as well as full-time employees.

3. Ensure greater opportunities for qualified part-time faculty to obtain full-time employment by providing for the conversion of part-time into full-time positions and by giving priority consideration in new positions to current personnel.

4. Ensure that professional obligations are addressed concerning course load, service and scholarship.

5. Allow more flexibility for contingent faculty to receive benefits, so that, for example, they continue to receive health insurance even if a planned course fails to materialize.

6. Provide equal access to all negotiated benefits, including, but not limited to, Labor-Management funds and programs.

7. Provide that all part-time employees eligible for term appointment be given no less than one-year contracts, and that their relationship with the University be maintained, even if an assignment is not available within the tenure of the appointment.

8. Provide that part-time employees who have taught six semesters shall receive recall rights and two-year contracts.

9. Provide that after two consecutive two-year contracts part-time employees shall receive three-year contracts."