MEMBERSHIP MEETING
OCTOBER 15 & 17, 2018
Our Fall 2018 membership meetings were held on October 15, 2018 at the Main Campus of Essex County College and October 17, 2018 at the West Essex Campus, where the agenda was repeated.
Some of the highlights discussed at the meetings were as follows:
· Essex County College is requiring completion of the Safe Colleges Online Training, which includes Title IX and FERPA. Our members were encouraged to complete the training and print out the Completion Certificates and send the Certificates to Human Resources to be filed.
· The Chairman of the College’s Professional Development Advisory Committee asked that our members submit suggestions of Professional Development activities they would be interested in attending.
· We discussed the issue of 504 accommodations that students present to classroom teachers. Suggestions were made to make the process more confidential, secure and timely. Those suggestions were passed along to the Director of Student Development and Career Counseling.
· Unemployment Insurance (UI) for Adjunct Faculty is an ongoing concern. The matter is still an important project with AFT. Members were asked to submit to us, in writing, any stories they have of trying to get UI.
· The benefits of membership were discussed in addition to the latest attempts at “union busting” taking place in the country. Members were warned of what to be aware of and to let us know if they are approached by some of those organizations.
· In order to enhance our organizing efforts, we are offering $10 to each member who signs up a new, eligible, member.
· The new contract was distributed. We asked that everyone be familiar with it. To that end, members made suggestions of proposals for the next round of contract negotiations.
· The AFT’s benefit of Accidental Death and Dismemberment was explained and the Beneficiary Forms were distributed and completed. This benefit is of no additional cost to the members.
· Emphasis was made for adjunct faculty to come to the officers with any concerns or problems they are facing before going to ECC Administration. We have been able to successfully intervene on our member’s behalf.
· The two retroactive payments that adjunct faculty received on June 8 and 22 was explained. The College paid a total amount of $936,442
· Our dues structure to AFT national, AFTNJ and Local 2222 was outlined.
· The College is looking forward to the 50thanniversary of its first graduation. Activities are planned throughout the year to commemorate this event. There will be a Gala on May 2, 2019.
· Our members were made aware that the scholarship applications for Adjunct Faculty and students are currently on our website. We also announced that we would like to honor those adjunct faculty who have taught at ECC for 30 or more years. Last year we honored Terry Benjamin, Ngari Ngunjiri, and Joseph Nwokwo at our scholarship luncheon. This year a few more names are coming forward.
· The meeting ended with a prominent reminder to be sure to VOTE on November 6, 2018