University and Adjuncts Reach “Tentative” Contract Deal

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(ANDREA GARCIA/THE OBSERVER)

By COLIN SHEELEY

After four months of negotiations, the university and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) have come to a “tentative agreement” regarding the contracts of Fordham adjuncts and non-tenure track lecturers, according to a statement from the Office of the Provost.

University Provost Stephen M. Freedman noted that the contracts must still be approved by the Fordham Board of Trustees and members of the union.

In the days leading up to the agreement, the unofficial organization Fordham Faculty United (FFU) posted several updates from what appeared to be the final week of arbitration, which supposedly ended on Monday, June 11. On June 5, they wrote that the university had proposed a pay increase that “doesn’t even keep up with cost of living,” but by June 8 reported that the negotiation committee was “making progress on pay overall.” A day later, they announced that they had built a “framework for an agreement.”

Past statements from Freedman have made mention of proposals for instituting three-year probationary periods for adjunct professors, after which they can expect reappointment, and “a guaranteed course load after six years.” Additionally, negotiators have discussed financed access to online training, course-related materials, computers, software and office space.

“The University,” Freedman said, “believes these most recent proposals, if adopted, will provide our non-tenure track faculty with more job security.” It is unknown which, if any of these terms are included within the agreement.

Freedman declined to comment further.

 

This story will be updated when more information becomes available.


A previous version of this article identified the university provost as Stephen J. Freedman. His name is Stephen M. Freedman.