● HIRING 450 new hires CUNY community colleges will see a wave of new faculty CNEWSPAPER OF THE PROFESSIONALlarıon STAFF CONGRESS / CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK NOVEMBER 2003 and staff. PAGE 5

ENROLLMENT NEGOTIATIONS PSC contract demands IS UP... on health and safety Work should not make you sick. As contract bargaining continues this fall, the PSC demands stronger protections on construction hazards, fire safety and bad air. PAGE 3

ADJUNCTS Campus Equity Week at City University The PSC spotlights adjuncts and pushes for equity with events on Oct. 27-31. Also, deconstructing the tension between full-timers and part-timers. PAGES 6-7, 11 ANDAND THETHE

SQUEEZESQUEEZE LABOR US says no to labor rights in Iraq US occupation authorities have used Saddam Hussein’s anti-labor laws to block union organizing in Iraq’s pub- ISIS ON ON lic sector. Does democracy include labor rights? PAGE 9 Lisa Quiñones CUNY student enrollment is up 2.4% this year, but overcrowding at many campuses is getting worse. With long lines, fire hazards and packed classrooms, safety and learning are threatened. PAGE 4

AMERICAN ASSN. OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS ● AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS ● N.Y.C. CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL ● N.Y.S. AFL-CIO ● N.Y. STATE UNITED TEACHERS 2 NEWS & LETTERS Clarion | November 2003 Campus equity week CALENDAR

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 3 / 1:00 pm: Re- October 27 – 31 tirees Chapter meeting. At the CUNY Graduate Center, 34th St. MONDAY 10/27, 3:30–5:00 pm: Informational picket at CUNY Board and 5th Ave., Room 9204. of Trustees meeting. Demand equity for part-timers. Hunter College School of Social Work, 129 E. 79th St. [Note the location] TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4: Meet with a TIAA-CREF representative to dis- FRIDAY 10/31, 10:00–1:00 pm: Forum on applying for new full-time cuss asset allocation, retirement jobs at CUNY. Panel and workshops on applications and interviews. and tax deferred annuity. At the Grad Center, Segal Theater. PSC office, 25 West 43rd St. Call Lin- da Slifkin at 212-354-1252 to schedule FRIDAY 10/31, 2:00–4:30 pm: Film Festival on contingent academ- an appointment. ic labor and reception. Grad Center, Segal Theater. THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 / 6:00 pm: PSC Solidarity Committee meeting. Contact your chapter chair to find out about local events. Peter Hogness At the PSC office. For more info, call Participants in the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride from Las Vegas, NV, at Jim Perlstein at 212-354-1252. the October 4 rally in Queens to mark the end of the cross-country trek. PSC members joined tens of thousands demanding justice for immigrant workers. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7 / 3:00 pm: “First Nov. 14 health plan deadline Fridays” Adjunct Affairs meeting. At the PSC office. For more info, call November 14 is the end of the an- The four plans are Aetna, CIGNA, Marcia Newfield at 212-354-1252. Have you moved? nual transfer period for CUNY em- HIP-POS (not HIP-HMO) and GHI- ployees who want to change health HMO (not the more common GHI- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14: Deadline for If you’ve changed your home ad- phone, e-mail address, college, title plans. Get forms and details from CBP). annual transfer period for CUNY dress, or if you’ve moved to a differ- and department. Write to PSC Mem- your campus personnel office. If you purchase an optional drug employees to change health plans. ent department or campus, please bership Department, 25 W. 43rd St., For four of the plans, members rider, the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund More information at left. notify the PSC Membership Depart- 5th Fl., NY, NY 10036, or fax the in- have two options for prescription will cover part of the cost instead of ment. We’d like to make sure you formation to 212-302-7815 (“Atten- drug coverage: either stay with giving you a Medco card. This reim- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14 / 6:00 pm: Labor get your copy of Clarion! tion: Membership”). You can print Medco, or purchase an optional drug bursement is $700 for families, $300 Goes to the Movies, PSC film series. Please include your full name, the form from the PSC Web site, at rider (in addition to any co-insur- if single. Drug rider costs range “Harlan County, USA,” a dynamic home address, home and school tele- www.psc-cuny.org/update.htm. ance payments for the plan itself). from $16.02 to $86.99 per paycheck. documentary about striking miners from rural Kentucky. At the CCNY Center for Worker Education, 99 Hudson St. | WRITE TO: CLARION/PSC, 25 W. 43RD STREET, FIFTH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10036. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR E-MAIL: [email protected]. FAX: 212-302-7815. SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16 / 9:30 am – 12:30 pm: PSC International Com- mittee meeting. For location or oth- er information, e-mail Tony O’Brien at [email protected].

Fix law on undocumented student tuition TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18 / 6:00 pm: PSC Women’s Committee meeting. At ● After the attacks on September HEOs and 9/11 at BMCC just our colleagues in the faculty. contract that has reduced the teach- the PSC office. For more info, call 11, 2001, CUNY decided to charge all We are all in this together. ing load of new hires (12 credits in Norah Chase at 212-354-1252. undocumented applicants the out- ● I was troubled by the lack of in- John Gallagher three years). of-state tuition rate. After protests clusion of Higher Education Offi- BMCC This will provide me with addi- FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 / 9:30 am: “The by a broad coalition of students, fac- cers in your article, “BMCC and tional time to develop a new re- Patriot Act and the University.” ulty and staff, community and labor 9/11 Fallout.” Their contributions search area on immigrant health UFS conference on provisions of the organizations, a bill was passed that were crucial to the recovery of the Go directly to jail and alternative healing (with Dr. act, implications for faculty, partic- granted in-state status to many un- college. They also were the PSC ● This morning I attended the inau- Freudenberg and the support of ular concerns of scientists and li- documented students. The law gives members most exposed to health guration of the Queens College Cen- Dean Sherwen). In the short run, we brarians, immigration issues and NY State status to students who at- and safety problems throughout ter Fall Labor breakfast series. It will be conducting ethnographic historical context. Speakers include tended a NY high school for at least this period. featured City Council Speaker Gif- projects on Latino immigrants’ folk Ellen Schrecker (Yeshiva), Joan two years (or earned a GED) and ap- Many HEOs at BMCC not only re- ford Miller, who is virtually running healing practices, and we will be Scott (AAUP), Allan Wernick, (Hos- plied to CUNY or SUNY within five mained on campus throughout the for mayor and was there to speak on training research fellows as well. tos), Donna Lieberman (NYCLU). years of getting their diploma, or day on September 11, but also re- the theme, “New York 2010: Envi- We will also organize a CUNY work- At Hunter College School of Social were enrolled in SUNY or CUNY in turned before power, telephones sioning a New City.” ing group oriented toward a re- Work, 129 East 79th St. (at Lexing- Fall 2001 and paid resident tuition. and water were restored to bring I asked Miller about his position search and “think tank” agenda. ton Ave). Advance registration re- While this is terrific for a large back e-mail, distance learning and on the 1967 Rockefeller-inspired These projects will hopefully attract quired: e-mail William.Phipps@mail. number of students, too many appli- telecommunications infrastructure. Taylor Law, and whether as mayor the interests of the growing body of cuny.edu or call 212-794-5538. cants are still left out. Any undocu- Others set up command posts and he would jail municipal or state em- faculty and students at CUNY work- mented applicant who only has a call centers on 125th Street and 57th ployees who went on strike. Speak- ing on immigrant issues. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21: Deadline to en- high school diploma from abroad is Street. HEOs phoned students day er Miller responded quickly and en- For those of us who believe that roll in the Health Care Flexible still required to pay the out-of-state after day to see how they were do- thusiastically, “The law is the law. teaching is a serious enterprise that Spending Account program for rate. ing and keep them informed on As mayor I am sworn to uphold the should elicit the best of our intellec- 2004. For more info see September At the City College Center for plans to reopen. Many HEOs work- law.” He made no criticism of the tual energies, the temporary reduc- Clarion, page 9 (online at www.psc- Worker Education, we have had to ed without a day off, straight Taylor Law whatsoever. I wondered tion of the teaching load will work as cuny.org/communications. htm) or deny admission to many older ap- through to October 1. Special men- if he would have had the same re- a sort of “head start,” which not on- visit your campus personnel office. plicants who do not meet the re- tion must be given to the University sponse to the laws on segregation ly will result in our better teaching, quirements of the new law and can- architects who worked under stress- fifty years ago. but will also allow us to accomplish MONDAY, DECEMBER 1: Deadline for not afford out-of-state tuition. Many ful conditions to replace the 50 class- Tony Gronowicz the stipulated steps toward tenure Belle Zeller Scholarship applica- are older women from the Carib- rooms lost at Fiterman Hall. The City College in an efficient and timely manner. tions. Established in 1979 to honor bean who are working in service contribution of HEOs in returning Congratulations to all of you who the PSC’s founding president for her sector positions. We need new legis- our colleagues and 16,500 students made the new contract a reality! scholarship and social concern. Pro- lation to allow all undocumented ap- back to the classroom cannot be un- Research & the contract Anahi Viladrich vides continuing payment of (in- plicants who can prove one year of derestimated. ● I am a new assistant professor at Hunter School of Health Sciences state) tuition. Do you know students NY State residence to be admitted at I urge you to make a better effort the Urban Public Health Program, who should apply? Requirements the in-state rate. to include not only HEOs in future School of Health Sciences at Hunter Editor’s note: Thanks for this letter, and application forms on the Web at Jean Weisman articles, but also CLTs. The PSC is College, and want to express my which helped suggest the topic of this www.psc-cuny.org/psc-currents.htm, City College one union representing all of us, not deepest satisfaction with the new issue’s Roving Reporter, on page 8. or call 212-354-1252 to request. Clarion | November 2003 NEWS 3

LABOR Your health and the contract IN BRIEF Farm worker bill moving By PETER HOGNESS PSC demands a safe workplace A bill that would allow the esti- The PSC’s contract proposals on mated 500,000 undocumented farm health and safety have a simple NY. “The work in our labs workers easier temporary legal theme: going to work shouldn’t generates volatile com- status and a path to green cards is make you sick. The union’s de- pounds, and on a number moving forward in Congress. The mands target problems such as air of occasions we’ve had Agricultural Job Opportunity, quality, fire safety, dangerous con- fumes backing up into the Benefits and Security Act, or struction and more. labs and even the corri- “AgJOBS Act,” would allow work- “North Hall is in serious violation dor.” ers to apply for temporary resi- of the fire code,” says Francis Shee- Fume hoods at John dent status after working 100 days han, chair of the John Jay PSC chap- Jay have been a constant in agricultural jobs since Febru- ter’s health and safety committee. problem to which man- ary 2001. Workers could also be- “The building occupancy is almost agement has been slow to come permanent residents if they double NYC’s limit.” Why is CUNY respond, until now. “With commit to 360 days of farm work not in compliance? “The University several of these fume in the six years ending August 31, says it has ‘sovereign immunity,’ hoods, you hit a switch 2009. The bill, which has biparti- since CUNY is a part of State gov- and nothing happens,” san support in the House and Sen- ernment, and therefore doesn’t have Sheehan explains. “One ate, is a version of a similar bill to comply with NYC codes,” Shee- had no motor and no belt that had momentum two years han explains. – but it was listed as being ago, prior to being put on hold The fire safety violations at John in working order! I had to after September 11. The United Jay’s North Hall are numerous and take a picture of it to con- Farm Workers union is encourag- long-standing – and ironically, it is vince management there ing supporters to contact their the one CUNY college that special- was a problem.” representatives and senators to izes in firefighter training. “Our col- But IAQ is not just a urge passage of the bill. The bill is leagues in Fire Science mention how problem in laboratories. one of a number of immigration embarrassing it is to have a seminar “What has come to be bills recently gaining support as or conference in the building,” Shee- known as ‘sick building the presidential election nears. han says “What some of them do is syndrome’ arose in the assign North Hall as a semester pro- wake of the 1970s energy A crane collapse smashed a construction shed at Queens College in August 2001. LA strikes for health care ject to their students, asking them to crisis, with sealed build- go around and document all the fire ings [and] windows…designed and that you have to argue against pro- doing the work on evenings and halt buses, trains code violations!” built to cut costs in the amount of air viding air, light and water?” he asks weekends, but work was happening Two separate major Los Angeles The reason the law specifies occu- taken in and recirculated,” Green- with a smile. “What would you say? when it wasn’t supposed to be.” unions—grocery workers and pancy limits, Sheehan explains, is so baum and PSC Health and Safety Of- ‘Well, I don’t think we can give you While working in these conditions, transit workers—went on strike in that the building can be evacuated ficer David Kotelchuck write in the that light or air – you can’t have both she and a co-worker found that October. At Clarion press time, promptly in case of fire or other Fall 2003 issue of Working USA. everything!’” their breathing difficulties devel- 70,000 workers represented by the emergency. “If you have twice as A related problem is old buildings oped into asthma, an illness that United Food and Commercial many people as you’re supposed to,” with poorly designed ventilation sys- CONSTRUCTION both now live with. Workers at three grocery chains, he points out, “then the number of tems, or renovations that impede the Construction projects are a major PSC contract demand #62 insists Albertons, Ralph’s and Vons, were stairways is insufficient, doorways movement of air. “Rooms tend to be source of problems for those who that CUNY ensure that construction in the second week of their strike aren’t wide enough, and so subdivided into smaller of- work at CUNY. In late August 2001, does not “interfere with the working for affordable health care after vot- on.” Besides the danger of be- Should fices without regard to ven- a construction crane collapsed and learning environment.” It would ing 97% for the strike. ing caught in a fire, there is a work tilation,” observes Jean across a pathway at Queens College. require that construction areas be Most customers are honoring risk that a rush toward crowd- Grassman, assistant profes- Fortunately, classes were not yet in isolated to prevent dust and fumes the picket lines, according to press ed exits might cause some to make you sor of health and nutrition session and the normally busy path- from affecting PSC members while accounts. Meanwhile, the 2,000 bus be trampled. “Few people take sick? at Brooklyn College. “In way was empty. The crane operator they work, and would require ad- mechanics represented by Amalga- these things seriously until Boylan Hall I’ve seen some had started up the crane without vance notice of construction sched- mated Transit Union Local 1277 they have a real emergency,” Shee- offices that are essentially dead ar- checking the machine’s stabilizers, ules. And it would give campus went on strike on October 14. The han says, “and then they wonder, eas in terms of air flow.” and contractor Nu-Way Crane Ser- health and safety personnel the strike was honored by drivers, su- ‘Why weren’t we prepared?’” Reactions to “sick building syn- vice was blamed for hiring danger- right to issue a stop-work order if pervisors and clerks for buses, sub- PSC contract demand #63 states, drome” can include headaches, irri- ously inexperienced workers. hazards or noise interfere with PSC ways and light rail lines, crippling “the University shall provide a tated eyes, breathing problems or Less dramatic construction prob- members’ ability to do their jobs. transportation in the Los Angeles workplace that meets City and State rashes. Poor air flow can also cause lems can still cause serious health area. Private Teamster contract MENTAL HEALTH requirements for fire safety and excess concentrations of CO2 – hazards. “When we moved in, they workers whom the MTA had hired emergency evacuation.” which can be dangerous to learning. weren’t finished at all,” says a PSC Other demands would improve to drive limited service buses also Management at John Jay has tak- “It can lead to difficulty concentrat- member who works in the new the grievance procedure to promote decided to strike. The MTA wants en the issue seriously in the last ing and even make people feel building at Baruch. “The contrac- faster resolution of problems at the more control of the union’s health year or so, said Sheehan. But the col- sleepy,” says Greenbaum. “This can tors were continuing to work all college level, and require University benefit fund and wants workers to lege has been in violation of the fire be frustrating for both students and around us.” The terrazzo floors had reporting on the ratio of faculty coun- contribute more money. code for at least a decade. teachers, but they are often un- not yet been poured – and when selors to students at each campus. “All we’re asking is that CUNY aware of the cause.” they were, strong fumes spread “The PSC has mounted an active Subway tunnels are comply with City and State occu- PSC contract demand #61 calls throughout the building. “They response to CUNY’s serious health pancy limits – before someone gets for CUNY to provide ventilation that were wearing those gas-mask-style and safety problems,” says Debbie dark as coal hurt,” says PSC Health and Safety meets the only recognized standard respirators, but we were wearing Bell, the union’s executive director. West Virginia coal mines are bet- Officer Joan Greenbaum. for air circulation in indoor environ- nothing,” she recalls. “We’ve organized direct action on ter lit than NYC subway tunnels, ments, developed by the American Temperature was also a major campuses, built chapter health and according to a union delegation GOT AIR? Society of Heating, Refrigerating problem in the unfinished building. safety committees, pressed the issue that went 1,000 feet down to inves- Indoor air quality (IAQ) is one of and Air Conditioning Engineers “We had no heat for a couple of in labor-management meetings, tigate. A former Clinton adminis- the main health and safety problems (ASHRAE). Besides clean air, this months,” says the union member, campaigned for capital funding to tration Labor Department official faced by CUNY employees. Some of demand also calls for the University who asked to remain anonymous. replace buildings like John Jay’s said in a recent TWU-sponsored the most dramatic examples come to provide “access to safe drinking “We were freezing, we just walked North Hall. New contract language report that NYC subway lighting from CUNY science labs, where water, cleanliness, temperature, around in our coats all the time.” will bring stronger leverage to all does not meet federal or State illu- fume hoods that are supposed to pro- light and noise control.” Constant construction dust our organizing efforts.” mination standards. The union is vide ventilation often do not work. This is not an extravagant de- caused breathing problems. “The “Health and safety is serious busi- pushing the lighting issue because “It’s clear that the air exchange in mand, notes Sheehan. “Could you dust was really out of control,” the ness,” says Greenbaum. “The aim of 21 transit workers have died in the our science building is inadequate,” imagine being on the other side of member says, and she was severely our contract demands is to ensure system in the past 20 years, 4 of says biologist Jonathan Levitt of CC- the bargaining table, and being told affected. “They were supposed to be that management treats it that way.” them since 2001. 4 NEWS Clarion | November 2003

HIGHER ED IN BRIEF CUNY enrollment up by 2.4% Color-blind colleges in Iraq? By TOMIO GERON The Bush administration appointed Concerns on overcrowding also rise John Agresto, a former Reagan ad- Enrollment at CUNY is up this year ministration official and outspoken for the fourth straight year, rising dent-counselor ratio as a health and affirmative action opponent, to 2.4% from last year to 213,952. safety issue (see page 3). oversee rebuilding higher educa- While the enrollment increase CUNY management maintains tion in Iraq. The former president was welcomed across the Universi- that CUNY’s enrollment increase of 900-student St. John’s College in ty, CUNY campuses are now more shows that last summer’s tuition New Mexico will now oversee 18 crowded than ever. The influx has hike has not priced anyone out of universities, two dozen technical sparked concerns over how packed college. But the tuition increase was colleges and a number of two-year classrooms and hallways affect both substantial: 25% ($800) at senior col- colleges in the Iraqi ministry of health and learning. leges and 12% ($300) at community higher education. “This is of a mag- “It’s great that more students are colleges, much more for out-of-state nitude greater than anything I’ve coming to CUNY,” said PSC First and international students. Has it ever done,” he told the Associated Vice President Steve London. “We really had no effect? Press. When Agresto, deputy need to make sure that we have the Student advocates argue that the chairman of the NEH under Ronald resources to meet their needs. enrollment increase would have Reagan, was nominated by Reagan More students means we need been bigger if not for the tuition to head the National Archives, 16 more full-time faculty and more hike. Last year CUNY enrollment major scholarly groups opposed State support.” grew twice as much, going up 5%. him, arguing that he was not quali- Enrollment at Bronx Community “Enrollment went up, but actually fied, and he was not appointed. College grew 10%. “The numbers there are many students who have

are definitely up, and a lot of classes Lisa Quiñones not returned to CUNY,” said Sham- had to be added at the last minute,” Students at BMCC, shown here, face crowded classes and hallways, especially sul Haque, chair of the University Academic visa reform said Marianne Pita, chair of the PSC since September 11. Student Senate. A number of academic and labor chapter at BCC and assistant pro- The number of students leaving, groups are pushing for reforms in fessor of ESL. “There are a lot of CUNY – isn’t recruitment but reten- rollment gains include Queensbor- Haque contends, has just been out- immigration policy to allow inter- classes that are overcrowded.” tion,” Boudreau told Clarion. To ough (up 8%) and College of Staten weighed by the fact that “when the national students and scholars to Higher Education Officers at BCC make sure that students stay, he Island (up 6%). The rest had smaller economy goes down, enrollment study and work freely in the U.S. said conditions at registration were contends, CCNY needs both more increases or were essentially flat. goes up.” Economists say this is oc- Since September 11, many such worse than ever. “The staff is so full-time faculty lines and more re- City Tech went against the trend, curs in part because there are fewer students and scholars have faced busy addressing students’ issues sources for advisement. “A lot of with a 3% decrease. But even where attractive jobs, but also because in a difficulties due to visa restrictions, that phone calls cannot be adequate- students may come for two, three enrollment did not shoot up this tough job market more people de- background checks and other se- ly answered – either the students in semesters and then drop off because Fall, years of underfunding and past cide that higher education can give curity initiatives. The groups, in- line or the phone would be neglect- the tuition is higher,” he added. “So enrollment gains still leave these them an edge. cluding AAUP and the AFL-CIO, ed,” a group of HEOs stated in the I’m doing fund-raising now among campuses struggling with over- Other observers note that the and graduate student labor unions BCC chapter newsletter. “The lines alumni, trying to get money for stu- crowded conditions. City Tech fac- new “safety net” financial aid pro- at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, NYU, that form in an unventilated hallway dent scholarships. We need to keep ulty have been pressing their col- gram for community college stu- and University of California, are in the August heat are unbearable.” these students around.” lege administration on the class size dents has softened the impact of the asking supporters to sign an online BMCC, already one of CUNY’s issue for well over a year. tuition increase on CUNY’s poorest petition at www.visareform.net. UNPAID OVERTIME most crowded campuses, saw its en- students. This $4.5 million need- With so much to do and so few rollment rise another 4%. “We now LINES AT THE DOOR based program was developed by staff to do it, many BCC HEOs put in have over 19,000 students in one With enrollment at the highest the PSC and sympathetic City Coun- Pols and chickens and 30 to 60 hours of unpaid overtime building, which was built for only level University-wide since 1975, cil members during budget negotia- sheep, oh my! during the two weeks of registration. 7,000 or 8,000,” Lisa Rose, assistant many are asking how student sup- tions this summer, based on the At John Jay, enrollment is up 5% professor of social science, told port staff can serve more students union’s extensive research. The 2003 Ig Noble Prize Awards over last year. “We’ve been over- Clarion. “It causes so many air qual- when there are already long lines Council Member Charles Barron, were announced by the Journal of crowded for quite a while,” PSC ity problems – the physical plant is waiting outside their doors. who helped push through the schol- Irreproducible Results. John Chapter Chair James Cohen told really taxed.” CUNY’s own space Lehman College has arship, said that there is Trinkaus, professor emeritus at Clarion. Concerns about the issue standard calls for over a million four full-time and two part- Retention, not money for roughly 16,000 Baruch, won for documenting 80 led faculty to press for lower limits square feet for this many students, time student advisors for recruitment, is students. He cautioned annoyances and anomalies of daily on class size through the college’s but BMCC today has barely half of over 8,000 students. “We’re that the Council’s vote in life, from drivers who don’t stop at governance body last Spring (see that. very busy at Lehman,” seen as the favor of the scholarship stop signs to swimmers who swim September Clarion). “There are too many people in said Marc Ward, a HEO in problem. does not constitute an only in the shallow end to – the “We won an initial victory on class that building,” said PSC Health and the Office of Academic approval of the tuition most egregious of all – shoppers size, and we hope to keep making Safety Officer Joan Greenbaum, cit- Standards and Evaluation. “We’ve increase. “We’re still adamantly who exceed the number of items in progress,” Cohen said. “Even with ing concern over the resulting air just really been backlogged with opposed to the tuition hike,” said the express line. A study of sheep- the lower caps on class size, some re- quality (see page 3). “It’s a serious new students, especially transfers.” Barron. “We believe it needs to be dragging concluded that they drag cent physical improvements to the health and safety issue.” At CUNY’s community colleges, repealed.” better down an incline than on a building and an increase in Friday some of these backlogs will be eased “I think [the tuition increase] flat surface. Another winner: the classes, the fact is we’re still far over NEW SPACE when new support positions are most affected international stu- self-explanatory “Chickens Prefer our fire code capacity in North Hall. On September 11, 2001, BMCC lost filled as part of the community col- dents,” said Olga Murphy, a HEO Beautiful Humans.” An award was This building still has potential for 370,000 square feet of classroom lege hiring program (see page 5). who works in financial aid at Hos- also given for research irrefutably loss of life during an emergency.” space in a satellite building, Fiter- However, student support staff ad- tos. “You’re planning to spend about proving that politicians have The PSC’s contract demands on man Hall, located across from the vise on academic rules and do not $5,000 a year, but now it’s $10,000. It’s uniquely simple personalities. health and safety would require WTC site. On September 29, 2003, provide counseling. Of the commu- a big difference.” CUNY to meet City and State fire the CUNY Board of Trustees ap- nity college faculty positions that “Students on foreign visas are safety rules (see page 3). proved rental of 185,000 square feet CUNY advertised in September, having problems,” confirmed Marc Correction The number of students at City of space for BMCC at 125 Park Place. none is a counseling line. Ward of Lehman. “I’ve met a couple College is up by 6% this fall. “It’s re- The first 15 new classrooms might “We all know that so many of the who concluded that they couldn’t A photo caption in the September ally stunning,” said Vince Boudreau, be ready as soon as Spring semes- challenges our students face reach come to school. When they saw Clarion made an error of omission. chair of political science. “Virtually ter; the goal is to have 45 ready by way beyond the academic realm,” what the bill was, they just couldn’t Marcia Newfield, pictured walking every class in our department is next Fall. said Anne Friedman, PSC vice pres- do it. Others didn’t know if they the strike picket line at Long Island now filled to the gills, and we’ve en- “It’s still only half the space we ident of community colleges and were going to cut back on classes or University’s Brooklyn campus, is larged the size of several. ‘Intro to lost at Fiterman,” said Bill Fried- professor of developmental skills. “If not come at all.” not only the PSC vice president for World Politics’ used to be 25 stu- heim, the chapter’s vice chair. “But there are no counselors being hired, CUNY has not yet released data part-time personnel. She is also an dents, but now it’s over 40. clearly if we get these 45 classrooms, to whom will these advisors refer on the current number of interna- adjunct at LIU, and was on strike “The biggest problem at City – it’s going to make a big difference.” our students?” In contract negotia- tional students, nor on the race and herself at the time. and this is probably true across Other campuses with large en- tions, the PSC has raised the stu- ethnicity of the current student body. Clarion | November 2003 NEWS 5 New community college hires

By TOMIO GERON 450 new positions promised In one of the largest hiring initia- tives in recent years, CUNY com- the bill to some of the poorest stu- Nonetheless, faculty at CUNY se- munity colleges plan to hire about dents in America.” More full-time nior colleges have been excited to 450 people, including 300 faculty. lines are needed at both senior and see many new colleagues on cam- This will raise the percentage of community colleges, McCall said, pus. “I believe that this is the great- instruction by full-time faculty from and it would be a mistake to fund est number of new full-time faculty 40% to about 55% at the community them through tuition as well. we have had in over 20 years,” said colleges, according to CUNY central CUNY’s community colleges have Janice Cline, PSC chapter chair at administration. already hired over 140 people on a York College. “The people I’ve had The hiring plan, funded by last substitute basis, Vice Chancellor for the privilege to meet are vibrant summer’s tuition increase, includes Academic Affairs Louis Mirrer testi- young faculty who have a lot to offer 64 faculty at BMCC, 53 at Kingsbor- fied at a September hearing of the to CUNY and York. I’m very excited ough, 41 at LaGuardia, 37 City Council’s Higher Ed- about it.” at Queensborough, 28 at The percentage ucation Committee. They There are about 23 new full-time Bronx and 17 at Hostos. of instruction will serve this Fall while faculty at York, and Cline’s depart- Another 60 faculty posi- the hiring process moves ment, English, has two new full- tions will go to “cluster by full-time forward. timers. “I wouldn’t call it a big relief, lines” – new positions in faculty There are also many but it’ll help,” she said. “It’s already Gary Schoichet fields that the CUNY Mas- new faces at CUNY’s se- making a difference.” Urmi Ghosh-Dastidar, a new faculty member at NYC Tech, signs a union card. ter Plan has targeted for will rise. nior colleges. Nearly 300 PSC chapters are busy signing up expansion, such as computer sci- new full-time faculty members be- new union members, with large “They are doing some hiring of vice president for community col- ence or teacher education. gan working at CUNY’s four-year turnouts at many new member ori- HEOs,” HEO Chapter Chair Jean leges. “All other counseling posi- Non-teaching positions include a schools this Fall, according to Mir- entations. “We want everybody to Weisman said. “But it doesn’t ap- tions are for Academic Advisors on total of 20 College Lab Technicians, rer, and new staff have begun work join,” said Petratos. “I contacted pear that they are replacing every- non-faculty lines.” plus a mix of Higher Education Offi- as well. However, these positions are them personally and by e-mail.” one who retired. We lost 14 HEOs at These advisors will only be able cers and classified staff in libraries, not necessarily new hires, noted PSC When the ERI was announced, City, and they have certainly not all to refer students to counseling, said student support and academic sup- First Vice President Steve London. 80th Street at first put a freeze on re- been replaced.” Friedman. Most counselors face a port. There is also funding for new Many are replacing the 300 faculty placing retiring HEOs or CLTs, a pol- heavy workload and have difficulty equipment and library acquisitions. and 125 HEOs and CLTs across icy that has since been relaxed. “It LIBERAL ARTS reaching all students who need as- CUNY who took last year’s Early Re- looks like in critical situations they A key goal of the faculty hiring at sistance. At BMCC, she notes for ex- TUITION INCREASE tirement Incentive (ERI). are replacing CLTs,” said CLT Chap- the community colleges, 80th Street ample, there are only 11 counselors “The hiring is a good thing,” said At College of Staten Island, “most ter Chair Shelly Mendingler, though has declared, is “building capacity in for 18,000 students. PSC Secretary Cecelia McCall. “It’s of [the new hires] are replacing re- not necessarily at the same title. So those academic departments…that Similarly, no basic skills faculty badly needed. But it’s unfortunate tired faculty so there is no great in- you may have someone doing the are essential to supporting the liber- are being hired. These positions, that the only way CUNY seems to be crease,” cautioned Vasilios Petratos, same job as a Chief CLT, but not get- al arts” – and this is borne out by the held by experts in developmental able to get the money is by handing PSC chapter chair. ting the same pay.” broad range of disciplines in which psychology, linguistics and ESL, are hiring is taking place. Some faculty, crucial to students’ success in col- however, have voiced concerns lege, said Friedman. “I am greatly about the lack of hiring in counseling concerned that there might be an ef- and basic skills positions. fort under way to eliminate basic “New faculty lines advertised at skills departments at the communi- Affirmative action concerns the community colleges include no ty colleges and to either camouflage faculty counselor tenure-track posi- – or, worse still, eliminate – key Affirmative action at CUNY will be Malone said that CUNY kicked off plaintiff in the class action lawsuit, tions,” said Anne Friedman, PSC foundational courses.” an issue this year, as the communi- the new faculty hiring with large na- told Clarion. ty colleges hire 300 new faculty. tional advertisements to ensure that CUNY students are about two- it has the largest possible pool of SEARCH COMMITTEES thirds people of color, compared to candidates of color. “We’re doing it Farrell offered two suggestions to just one-quarter of faculty (about as a University, to make sure the help in the faculty searches this 12% African American, 4% Hispanic word gets out there,” said Malone, year: participation of people of color Adjuncts & new jobs and 7% Asian American), according adding that CUNY is committed to on each search committee, and pro- to 2002 data. Most full-time CUNY its affirmative action guidelines. viding additional funds to improve As CUNY community colleges be- professor of art at John Jay. “So I faculty are men (58%) and the gen- Some are pressing for CUNY to do hiring offers to faculty who would gin to hire about 300 new full-time kept working as an adjunct. I know der disparity is even more pro- more. “The problem with CUNY’s improve CUNY’s diversity. The faculty, there is intense interest in brilliant people who are still working nounced at the full professor level, affirmative action plan is that, other PSC’s budget proposals for CUNY the jobs among the approximately as adjuncts like I was, lecturing at which is 68% male. than the ads, it does nothing to real- include a $2 million Diversity Fund 8,600 part-time faculty members. the Met or MOMA on top of teaching ly make up for past discrimination,” for this purpose. “We’d urge that adjuncts be at three or four different colleges.” HEOs AND CLTs said Samuel Farrell, a professor at McCall said that it is difficult to as- strongly considered for full-time po- “Many adjuncts have proven The numbers are different for non- LaGuardia Community College and certain the effectiveness of CUNY’s sitions, particularly those who have themselves as not only effective but teaching instructional staff. About PSC Diversity Committee chair. affirmative action plan until it yields served for a long time,” said Marcia even distinguished and committed half of HEOs are women and about “For example, here at LaGuardia tangible results. “The only way to Newfield, PSC vice president for instructors of CUNY students,” said half are people of color. A minority of we have certain departments that make a judgment is if there are re- part-time personnel. “They’ve been John Pittman, former chair of Vra- CLTs are white, while two-thirds of have had very few people of color sults,” she said. “Otherwise it’s just maintaining the integrity of CUNY – chopoulos’s department, “and that them are male. Both HEOs and CLTs for as long as they have existed,” going thorough the motions.” despite their low wages and inade- should rightly be considered one of tend to earn less than faculty. said Farrell. “And the affirmative In the current contract negotia- quate working conditions – because the crucial considerations in the hir- “Affirmative action is an impor- action plan has no effect on the com- tions, the PSC made one of its top de- of their love for their subjects and ing of full-timers.” He added that tant issue for the PSC,” said PSC position of those departments.” mands the formation of a labor-man- commitment to CUNY.” this has been widely accepted on the Treasurer John Hyland. “From edu- Twenty years ago a judge or- agement committee to address affir- Because they got their Ph.D.s dur- search committees on which he has cational and labor perspectives, dered the University to pay $7.5 mil- mative action on race, ethnicity and ing an academic job drought, they served. CUNY and the PSC need the knowl- lion for discriminating against gender. The union sought early should not be denied an opportunity The PSC is holding an October 31 edge and experience of people of col- women. “It’s disappointing that, de- agreement on the issue in one of the simply because they are older than forum for adjuncts seeking to apply or and women, and all groups that spite losing the federal court case, first bargaining sessions, in the other applicants, she said. for the positions (see page 2), to pro- have been historically discriminated CUNY has not made more progress hopes of setting up such a commit- “When I finished my Ph.D. in 1999 vide information on how the hiring against.” in hiring women and minorities at tee before the current hiring is fi- it was looking very bleak because process works. A list of the full-time At a City Council hearing in late the higher ranks,” Lilia Melani, a nalized. However, CUNY rejected there were no jobs,” said Thalia Vra- posts is on the PSC Web site at www. September, Vice Chancellor Brenda Brooklyn College professor and lead this idea. –TG chopoulos, now a full-time assistant psc-cuny.org/cchires.htm. –TG 6 NEWS Clarion | November 2003 The PSC/CUNY Federal The work th Credit Union By TOMIO GERON October 27-31 is Campus Equity Week, an international event high- Nonprofit = a better deal for your money lighting the challenges faced by part-time faculty. (See p. 2 for sched- ule.) Adjuncts in the PSC have made some recent gains, such as the new By DAVID HATCHETT plicant’s “character.” In deciding to in union headquarters. paid office hour for many part-timers in the current union contract. But Medgar Evers extend a loan, they can take into con- The PSC initially invested $100,000 fundamental inequities remain – on job security and academic free- sideration that a person’s credit rat- in the credit union to get it started. dom; health benefits, sick leave and disability; equal pay; and more. The PSC/CUNY Federal Credit ing may have suffered through no At the time the maximum loan it “CUNY could not function without the talent and experience of its ad- Union has come to the aid of literal- fault of their own – for example, if could extend was $500, says Jones. ly thousands of faculty and staff in they fell behind on bills after a layoff. Now it makes personal loans as junct faculty members, yet management refuses to treat them equitably,” its 24 years of existence, says Many of the larger private banks large as $30,000, and has grown to said PSC President Barbara Bowen. “Management pays adjuncts less, Zuzana Kelly, its manager: “People will not make certain types of loans, over 4,000 members. Its assets have stunts their benefits and denies them job security – and then uses this to come back to us and say things like, such as a personal loan for tuition or increased from $306,000 in 1980 to undercut conditions for everyone. The result is that, until recently, a ‘You saved us. With that education a car loan, Kelly says. They feel that over $30 million today. shrinking pool of full-time faculty saw workloads escalate and real wages loan, I could pay my child’s tuition.’” these loans are too much trouble A key goal of the credit union to- decline. We’ve begun to turn that around, but the fight has to begin again It makes no sense for people to do and yield too little profit. But day, Kelly tells Clarion, is with this contract. The key is seeing our common cause.” their banking with a for-profit finan- such loans are a specialty of The Credit to strengthen its relation- “The PSC is demanding fair pay and benefits for adjuncts in our con- cial institution when they can get the PSC/CUNY Federal Cred- Union can ship with CUNY’s adjunct tract negotiations,” said Marcia Newfield, PSC vice president for part- better rates and better services it Union. population. Few of its time personnel. “We’re demanding job security, seniority, due process from a nonprofit credit union, Kelly “The fact that we are non- provide members are part-time rights and support for professional development. It’s time for CUNY to contends. profit is a key reason that we faculty, Kelly says, de- user- show respect for the work we do.” can provide better rates and spite the fact that they are NO FEE more user-friendly services,” friendly the majority of instructors In this issue Clarion looks at a small number of the many CUNY part- “You can open a savings account Kelly explains. Credit unions services. in the CUNY system. “Ad- time faculty on whose labor the University depends. for $25,” Kelly says. “We only ask have no stockholders to juncts are some of the you for $100 to open a checking ac- whom dividends must be paid. In- people who could benefit the most YOUNGMIN SEO count. There is no fee, and the first stead, they are accountable only to from being credit union members,” Youngmin Seo, who teaches 3 to 4 150 checks are free.” Overdraft pro- their members. Credit unions are Kelly says. “If you don’t make as courses per semester, says that his tection is available with no extra democratically run, with a volunteer much money, the financial advan- teaching load comes with a few charges. Once you apply for it, if board of directors elected by the tages of joining could be especially small perks – like the potluck food you do bounce a check all you must members. Accounts are federally helpful.” festival he’ll have in November with pay is interest on the overdraft insured for up to $100,000, and no Kelly says the credit union would his cultural anthropology class at amount. member of a federally insured cred- like to invite adjuncts not only to be- LaGuardia Community College. Credit union members are given it union has ever lost money be- come members, but also to consider “Thanksgiving is all about shar- debit cards, compatible with STAR, cause it went under. becoming active on one of the cred- ing, having dinner with friends, fam- Cirrus and other ATM systems, so it union’s committees. “Our commit- ily or even strangers. The first time they can access their money any- CLOSER, MORE PERSONAL tees are very important in deciding I did this, two years ago, I expected where, at any time. And if you join Before the PSC credit union was what services we should offer, based them to bring some small dishes – the PSC credit union, you can main- formed, PSC members had access to on what’s most important to our but instead they brought huge big tain your accounts even if you the Municipal Credit Union (MCU). members,” Kelly says. “And ad- ones,” he says, laughing. Seo likes switch jobs, move or retire. “Once a But “those were the days before juncts will have the best ideas about the potato dishes from Poland, the Tomio Geron member, always a member,” Kelly cash machines,” recalls Howard what adjuncts need.” sushi and tempura from Japan and Youngmin Seo says. Jones, one of the original members For more information on the the Dominican beet salad. PSC credit union loans have lower of the credit union’s board of direc- PSC/CUNY Federal Credit Union, The event is a way for students to conference at LaGuardia in May for interest rates than loans from most tors and later its president. Jones see www.psccunyfcu.org on the learn about other cultures, up close the merchants to learn about im- private financial institutions, and it says that PSC members often had to Web, call 212-354-2238 – or stop by and hands-on. Students are delight- pending changes in State environ- is often easier for members to get wait in long lines at the MCU and the office, at 25 W. 43rd Street in ed to have Seo as their teacher: La- mental laws. What they learned will them. The reason is that credit felt they would benefit from a “clos- Manhattan (Monday to Friday, 10 Guardia’s Student Government se- contribute both to their businesses unions put more weight on a loan ap- er, more personal” facility situated am to 3:00 pm). lected him for the Professor of the and to a cleaner environment. Year Award in 2001. He also teaches Urban Anthropology and Introduc- experience. In 1909 Jay organized tion to Sociology at LaGuardia, and MONICA SHIE hearings that led to the first state a medical anthropology class at Monica Shie’s students at BMCC Credit union history law giving credit unions a clear le- Lehman. learn quickly. “It’s extremely re- gal framework. In addition to being a star teacher, warding because it is a language im- Credit unions are financial co-oper- many court cases involving loan New York passed such a law in Seo is also an active scholar. He is mersion program, so their improve- atives, and their origins lie in the co- sharks and was deeply concerned at 1913, sponsored by a young state currently completing his disserta- ment happens very quickly,” she operative movement of the mid- how workers’ lack of access to cred- senator named Franklin D. Roo- tion at the Graduate Center on street said. “For them it’s very surprising nineteenth century. it left them open to exploitation sevelt. It grew out of studies spon- peddler and housing movements in and also sometimes very emotional.” After crop failures led to wide- At turn of the century, workers sored by the Russell Sage Founda- South Korea in the mid-1990s. In her third year as a Continuing spread hunger in Germany in 1846, in Massachusetts were forming tion, which had shown how the “The organizing by the street ped- Education Teacher in the CUNY Hermann Schulze-Delitzsch worked unauthorized savings and loan onerous terms of loans from either dlers and people who lost their Language Immersion Program with farmers to found a cooperative loan sharks or employers conspired homes because of redevelopment (CLIP), Shie teaches academic read- mill and bakery, which sold bread to to leave workers in poverty. By 1930, projects, that was truly resistance ing and writing, listening and speak- its members at low prices. Schulze- 32 states had passed credit union from below,” he says. “My interest ing to the students through use of a Delitzsch soon moved to apply co- laws, and FDR signed a federal bill lies always in poverty and peoples’ different theme each semester. This operative principles to the financial in 1934. way of life – obviously as a scholar, term’s theme is war through the sphere. Around 1850 he launched In the 1970s, credit unions over- not an activist. We have limited twentieth century. the first “people’s bank,” which gave came opposition from commercial power to do something meaningful, “Students are very interested be- its members access to credit on fa- banks and expanded their services but we can be a voice with them.” cause they hear about Iraq, Israel vorable terms. to include checking accounts and But Seo’s modesty about the prac- and Palestine and they don’t know The first credit union in North groups to meet their credit needs. home mortgages. This kicked off a tical effects of his scholarship is be- about the sources of these conflicts,” America was La Caisse Populaire in In response to this grassroots boom in membership that has con- lied by his current project, a study of Shie says. It’s a topic that motivates Levis, Quebec, organized in 1900 by trend, Massachusetts Banking tinued through today, with US cred- Korean dry cleaners in New York students to learn how to express a court reporter named Alphonse Commissioner Pierre Jay wrote to it unions now at 84 million members. City. While researching this small- themselves precisely in their new Desjardins. Desjardins had seen too Desjardins to ask about the Quebec – PH business industry, he put together a language, and the five-hour per day Clarion | November 2003 NEWS 7 at adjuncts do From nuclear medicine to the vibraphone

Republic with those in the Domini- ing mental cognition, the immune can community in New York City. system, even our sense of smell.” Their research examines how His current course at CWE, on en- transnational migration affects the vironmental imperialism, looks at epidemic in the two areas. topics such as global warming, the Lisa Quiñones “When Dominicans move to New politics of oil and HIV. Sherman Heller York City, they typically live in “We grapple with how humans neighborhoods where people from got to the point of affecting the very composer who was previously an goals for college, in their sense of their hometowns have settled,” Wal- geology of the planet,” he said. adjunct at LaGuardia and City Tech. themselves and the way they see lace notes. “In a way, we’re trying to “That involves coming to grips with their place in the community and see if HIV does the same thing.” the history of humans and the poli- the city.” Wallace, who finished his Ph.D. in tics involved in environmental ANN DAVISON Davison is also active in her union biology at the Graduate Center last choices.” Last semester he taught a Ann Davison has been an adjunct chapter. An elected PSC delegate, year, studied in its Ecology, Evolu- course on HIV and the global city; at Queens for 18 years, and she has she is a member of the union’s work- tionary Biology and Behavior pro- next semester’s class is on the ecol- responsibilities that go beyond her ing committee on academic freedom

Tomio Geron gram. As part of his thesis research, ogy of infectious disease. particular class. – an issue, she says, that’s particu- Monica Shie he analyzed the incidence of HIV “[The students] are fantastic in Davison is the project coordinator larly crucial to adjuncts because of cases in Manhattan and the Bronx bringing their life experience into for Queens College’s Freshman Year their lack of job security. class allows for intense discussions. from 1993 to 1998, and how HIV the course,” he says. “In the HIV Initiative (FYI), which groups first- “One girl wrote in her essay that evolves in response to combination course there were some students year students into “learning com- they – Muslims, Arabs – teach their drug therapies. who were HIV counselors. They had munities” of 40 students each. Each SHERMAN HELLER kids to hate Americans,” she recalls. Wallace started working at CUNY more experience on some aspects of group takes two classes together Sherman Heller directs Bronx “This came up in class and I turned in 1996. Today he is an adjunct fac- this subject than I ever will.” plus a writing class; all three cours- Community College’s Nuclear Med- to one Muslim student who’s very es are linked by a common theme. icine Technology Program. The pro- nice and asked him, ‘Do you teach “The point of the program is that gram, which operates at Montefiore your kids to hate Americans?’ WILSON MOORMAN it offers them an experience of com- Medical Center, graduates students Everybody laughed. I think it was Working as a professional musi- munity that’s both social and acade- who are expert in the technical ap- the first time she connected a state- cian means stringing together one mic, and that’s hard to come by on a plications of nuclear medicine. Dif- ment like that to a human being.” gig after another, and Wilson Moor- commuter campus,” Davison says. ferent from radiology, nuclear med- Shie’s career as an ESL teacher man says so far it’s been an inter- This semester, Davison is teach- icine often involves analyzing a pa- has its roots in her stint as a Peace esting journey. ing a writing class that shares a fo- tient who has been injected with a Corps volunteer in Thailand, which A jazz and classical percussionist, cus on ancient Greece with FYI radioactive isotope. The program is sparked a long-standing interest in Moorman has played for Broadway courses in history and philosophy. completely taught by adjuncts. Southeast Asia. musicals, performed with the Santa “We’re going to have a common Students may go on to work for a After coming back to New York, Fe Opera and the Brooklyn Philhar- event where we bring all the stu- nuclear medical company, at a hos- she got a master’s degree at Teach- monic, and worked with stars rang- dents together for a classics work- pital or in research. The popular ers College, then taught ESL and ing from Marvin Gaye to Tom program, which starts each Janu- helped develop ESL programs in the Jones. He has taught music to young ary, is already filled for 2004 and is NYC public schools. She then got a people with the Jazzmobile Work- two-thirds full for 2005. Because of U.S. government grant to work as shop, now at PS 197 in Harlem, for this popularity, it may expand from an English teaching fellow at Cam- over 20 years. Today he is part of the the current 15 students per year. bodia’s Royal University of Phnom Symphony of the New World in “I think it’s a great program for Penh, and helped to develop the Tomio Geron Staten Island, the Harlem Festival students and for teachers who like English program there. Wilson Moorman Orchestra, the Richmond County to teach,” says Heller, an adjunct Orchestra – and CUNY. professor in the Physics and Tech- ulty member at the CCNY Center for City University is a good gig, says nology Department at BCC. He has ROB WALLACE Worker Education (CWE), where Moorman; he has taught here since been involved with the program Biologist Rob Wallace does re- his classes often link science to an 1991. “CUNY at this point is so since 1985 and its director since 1992. search on the ecology and evolution analysis of society. multicultural there’s nothing like it,” The program plans to expand of HIV. With Ramona Hernández, “I’m interested in the ways cul- he says with a smile. “It’s so re- its curriculum to include new tech- Tomio Geron director of the City College Domini- ture shapes things that we often freshing to work with such diver- nology. “New instrumentation is can Studies Institute, he is involved imagine as strictly biological,” Wal- sity.” Moorman teaches music Ann Davison expanding the need for nuclear in a public health study comparing lace says. “Culture has been shown theory, introduction to music and medical technologists. There’s com- the strains of HIV in the Dominican to have fundamental roles in mold- elementary percussion, and has shop, with students performing the puterized tomography, which is an also taught Caribbean, African and Greek texts,” she said. “We’ve invit- X-ray procedure,” he said, “and African American music. Currently ed other faculty – including the positron emission tomography, or at BMCC, he has also worked at provost, who happens to be Greek – PET, a new very, very popular area. LaGuardia, Medgar Evers, York and to read from the original ancient We’re expanding to take advantage John Jay. Greek. It’s great fun.” of that, to allow our students to be- Moorman, who plays the drums, In a previous year her writing stu- come certified in these new areas.” tympani, vibraphone and African dents focused on the design of Cen- In addition to coordinating the pro- drums, finds teaching helpful for his tral Park, a topic they also explored gram, Heller teaches parts of vari- performance as well. “Teaching is in courses on environmental science ous classes. very good therapy,” he explains. “A and urban studies. As coordinator of Heller got his Ph.D. at the Univer- lot of what a performer does is very FYI, Davison works with students sity of Wisconsin. Today, he runs the subconscious, but when I have to who have finished the program to BCC program, does clinical work, break it down for someone else, it act as liaisons with each learning such as thyroid therapy, and serves makes me more aware of what I’m community. “The students are as Montefiore’s radiation safety offi- doing while I’m performing.” endlessly interesting,” she says. cer. In the last post he’s responsible In October, Moorman performed “There’s such a range of diversity, for everything from equipment at BMCC with his wife, Joyce and in more ways than just the training to radiation badges, and al- Solomon Moorman. Now a full-time obvious fact of being from every so chairs the hospital’s overall safe- Tomio Geron assistant professor in the BMCC art conceivable continent. They’re also ty committee. “It’s a full-time job in Robert Wallace and music department, Joyce is a diverse in their preparation and and of itself,” he said. 8RIGHTS/BENEFITS Clarion | November 2003 How are you using your research time? Roving Reporter asks new faculty how they’re using the union contract’s 12 hours of reassigned time All photos: Ellen Balleisen

THALIA VRACHOPOULOS CHITRA RAGHAVAN ENRIQUE DESMOND ARIAS NICHOLE McDANIEL CHARLES MALITI Assistant Professor of Art Assistant Professor of Psychology Assistant Professor of Government Assistant Professor of Biology Assistant Professor of Biology John Jay College John Jay College John Jay College Bronx Community College Bronx Community College

My co-author Dr. John Angeline I’m interested in risk factors that in- When the mainstream media dis- I’ll be using the release time to con- Sixty percent of the world’s popula- and I received a contract to write a crease rates of male-to-female do- cuss the shantytowns of Rio de tinue research that I began as a tion eats rice, so it’s very important book about Hilla Rebay, founder of mestic violence. Some are more Janeiro, they make it seem that post-doc. I have a grant from the to improve rice production meth- the Guggenheim Museum. An ac- linked to the individual – drinking, drug traffickers have created a par- USDA to study a fish intestinal pro- ods. My current research looks at a complished German artist, she ad- for example. Others, like living in an allel state where the police have no tein that absorbs phosphate from strain of bacteria that appears to vised and bought art for Solomon R. awful neighborhood, are societal. I control. But I ask this question: How food. Fish must consume phosphate stimulate growth of rice plants. Guggenheim, whom she taught want to know how these factors in- can one of the most disempowered in order to grow, but they are not Right now I’m examining how these about European modernism. When teract to make it more likely that groups in the city, non-white men efficient at absorbing it, so most of bacteria work at the cellular level. she met him in 1927 while painting women will be hit by their partners. between 15 and 25 with no primary it is excreted. Downstream of fish I’m also looking at how it interacts his portrait, she convinced him to It’s exciting to be at CUNY because school education, pose such a per- farms, this is particularly problem- with rice seedlings. In the long fund abstract art purchases and there’s such a diverse student pop- sistent threat to public security? atic because the excess phosphate term, the study may help to develop later to build the museum. The doc- ulation. I encourage students to The answer: these drug traffickers causes algae to grow rapidly, then a substitute for chemical fertilizers uments prove that she not only work with me on my projects – for are linked with police officials, die. This depletes oxygen and caus- and could also improve crop yields. founded the museum but also di- instance, on a study I’m developing politicians and civic leaders. My dis- es the native wildlife to suffocate rected it and was its curator, seeing on dating violence among John Jay sertation was about how these con- and die. A better understanding of to its many needs with an infinites- students. I’m really glad the PSC ne- nections operate to the mutual ben- the regulation of this transporter By ELLEN BALLEISEN imal staff. Rebay has not been af- gotiated for this release time. I efit of both sides. I’m now expand- may help to protect aquatic wildlife. forded the credit she deserves. couldn’t do my research without it. ing it into a book. VA can help with assisted-living costs

By HUMBERTO CRUZ & DIANE LADE home, although the well spouse can Because Aid and Attendance is so Little-known benefit have $89,280. little known, even inside the VA, The Veterans Administration will Another big advantage over Med- many vets who do meet all the crite- pay for long-term care besides a The program is available to quali- person has an incapacity that re- icaid: a veteran can become eligible ria may at first be told there is no nursing home? fied veterans who require the “aid quires care or assistance on a regu- for Aid and Attendance by transfer- such benefit. Just try again; the next Florida attorney Alice Reiter Feld, and attendance” (hence the name) of lar basis” to protect them from “the ring assets to other family members person you speak with may well be board certified as an elder-law spe- another person to “avoid the haz- hazards or dangers” of their daily as little as one day before making an better informed. PSC members who cialist, was a little skeptical when environment. application. Medicaid has a three- to have persistent difficulty signing up one of her senior clients insisted Those already residing in assisted- five-year “look-back” period for for Aid and Attendance can get help that her husband’s assisted-living YOUR BENEFITS living facilities usually are automat- most assets, meaning transfers must from NYSUT Social Services, at 800- bill was being partly paid through ically presumed eligible. have occurred years before. 342-9810, x6206. his veteran’s benefits. So Feld de- ards of his or her daily life,” accord- As with Medicaid, the VA then On the income side, the threshold cided to check it out and discovered ing to Feld. Those eligible could re- looks at two different economic is set lower than for Medicaid ($1,533 PAPERWORK yes, it indeed is true. ceive a maximum of $1,328 a month, factors to determine eligibility: ap- for a couple, $1,328 if single). But un- Interested veterans and their Under a little-known provision or $1,575 a month with one depen- plicant’s net worth and income. But like Medicaid, veterans can deduct families should bring paperwork called Aid and Attendance, the VA dent, payable directly to the veteran. the requirements can be more le- non-reimbursed medical costs, such showing dates of military service, provides an extra benefit for many A veteran’s surviving spouse could nient than with Medicaid. as prescription drug costs their medical records and proof of frail or disabled veterans that’s receive up to $853 a month, as long For starters, a couple can Many even or payments for a home honorable discharge to their local enough to cover about half the tab as they were married at least one have up to $80,000 in assets, inside the VA health aide, from their in- VA office to apply. Approval can for an assisted-living facility or a year prior to the veteran’s death. excluding their residential come in order to qualify. take from four to six months, but home health aide. And no, you don’t To be eligible, veterans must home, and apply for Aid and don’t know Veterans must also be payments will be retroactive to the need to be impoverished to qualify. have served 90 days or more of ac- Attendance, according to the about it. under the VA’s overall in- first day of the month that follows tive duty, with at least one day in Broward County Division of come limits, which vary ac- the month of the application. For ex- FINANCIAL PAYOFF wartime, and have been honorably Elderly and Veterans’ Services. The cording to where you live. Funding ample, if you apply on July 28, your “It’s a nice benefit and most peo- discharged. allowable amount for a single person of veterans’ benefits continue to be payments would be retroactive to ple don’t know about it,” Feld said. Veterans must be certified as per- fluctuates according to insurance ac- cut, and the VA has been making August 1 even if the VA doesn’t ap- Even many VA staffers are un- manently and totally disabled, al- tuarial tables: it used to be around qualifying for health benefits hard- prove you until November 1. aware of Aid and Attendance, so though the condition does not have $25,000 but apparently has been er. If your income is over a certain getting signed up for it may take to be service-related. The VA usual- raised. (There is no fixed amount.) level, you may be assigned to “Pri- This is an edited version of an arti- some persistence. But the financial ly accepts a letter from a personal Medicaid allows the applicant on- ority 8,” which makes you ineligible cle published July 22 in the South payoff can be great. doctor, Feld said, that states “the ly $2,000 in assets, excluding the for all VA health benefits. Florida Sun-Sentinel. Clarion | November 2003 NEWS ANALYSIS 9

a 48-day “sit-in” – a tent encamp- ment across the street from the CPA’s gates that began on July 29. The action kept going despite 120-de- gree heat and the arrest of over 50 Labor rights in Iraq participants in early August. Those detained were released after 24 By PETER HOGNESS dals of some lesser-known firms, hours, after UN officials intervened. Union efforts are blocked such as violent strikebreaking by Occupation authorities in Iraq have Fluor Corporation in apartheid UNEMPLOYED UNREST used a law enacted by Saddam Hus- reported in May. But the CPA has to unions and trade union rights,” South Africa in a labor dispute that On October 1, Iraqi police opened sein to ban unions in Iraq’s public said this cannot be allowed. the ICFTU memo states. “They were left several workers dead. fire on a Baghdad demonstration re- sector, according to an internal According to National Public Ra- not interested in promoting social “Consistent with their anti-labor portedly organized by the UUI. The memo from the International Con- dio (NPR), “Paul Bremer, the head of dialog or the emergence of an inde- records…we expect that some US crowd was protesting corruption in federation of Free Trade Unions the US-led administration, has pendent trade union movement.” corporations now operating in Iraq hiring by police: several participants (ICFTU), the world’s largest trade banned these factory elections.” In are likely to violate the labor rights said they had paid as much as $100 union organization. June, NPR described efforts by CORPORATE INVASION of Iraqi workers,” the report con- to have their names added to a hir- US officials with the Coalition Pro- workers at a Baghdad cigarette fac- A study of 18 US corporations that cludes. (Full text available online at ing list, but never got jobs. Protest- visional Authority (CPA) have indi- tory to vote for a new manager and have been awarded contracts for re- www.uslaboragainstwar.org.) ers set fire to two cars, and at least cated that “they would on- a new director general. At construction work in Iraq – many While there have been some one demonstrator was wounded. On ly countenance organiza- Workers in Iraqi Airways, employees without competitive bidding – finds nascent union organizing efforts in the same day in Mosul, police fired tion in the private sector,” the public were angered by a notice that they are mainly non-union and post-Hussein Iraq, their scope has in the air to disperse a march of hun- the ICFTU’s August 26 from current management in many cases aggressively anti-la- been limited because most Iraqis are dreds of unemployed workers, but memo states. “Workers in sector are and US advisors to the bor. “The Corporate Invasion of unemployed. The left-wing Union of no injuries were reported. the public sector would not not allowed Transport Ministry pro- Iraq,” prepared by US Labor Against the Unemployed in Iraq (UUI) has In September the World Bank be allowed to unionize.” to unionize. hibiting such elections, ac- the War, profiles such firms as the organized a series of demonstrations urged Bremer to slow the pace of A group of Iraqi union- cording to the Boston Globe. construction giant Bechtel, scandal- to demand that the CPA provide ei- privatization plans, out of concern ists “who tried to organize in the Workers voting on managers is tarred MCI/Worldcom and Hallibur- ther work or $3 a day in unemploy- that a quick sell-off of state firms public enterprises were evicted by apparently not the kind of democra- ton, the petroleum services company ment benefits. Many of the UUI’s would aggravate Iraq’s unemploy- application of the law of 1987,” the cy that the US government has in formerly headed by Vice President protests have been held outside CPA ment crisis, and World Bank offi- memo adds, citing a representative mind for Iraq. It would certainly be Dick Cheney. It uncovers past scan- headquarters in Baghdad, including cials told the Boston Globe that Bre- of the UN’s International Labor Or- in direct conflict with Bush adminis- mer had agreed. ganization (ILO) who was in Iraq in tration privatization plans. The Wall On September 23, ICFTU General early August. This Hussein-era leg- Street Journal reported in May that Secretary Guy Ryder and AFL-CIO islation banned all public unions, officials of the US Agency for Inter- officials met with US Deputy Secre- prohibited independent unions and national Development and the Trea- tary of State Richard Armitage to ex- virtually outlawed strikes. sury Department have developed press concern over the situation of plans for a “mass privatization pro- Iraqi workers. (The AFL-CIO is one FACTORY ELECTIONS gram” that would “remake Iraq’s of the ICFTU’s 225 affiliates.) Ryder In some Iraqi enterprises – for in- economy in the US image.” Accord- said that labor rights “have been stance, at the oil refinery in Basra – ing to the August ICFTU memo, “138 marginalized in the work of the CPA workers have demanded the right to of 600 state-owned enterprises have and that decent work remains a dis- elect their managers, to replace de- been offered for privatization.” tant prospect for the great majority parted Baath Party officials who Nor will attempts to form private of the Iraqi people,” and announced previously ran the show. “Unable to sector unions get a warm welcome that the ICFTU would soon send a speak their minds for decades under from occupation officials. The ILO’s delegation to Iraq. USLAW repre- Hussein’s regime, workers in indus- representative found that “the US sentatives visited Iraq with an inter- tries such as oil want to use their authorities were focused on privati- national labor delegation in October; newfound freedom to pick their zation and they did not wish to be en- AP/Wide World/Ivan Sekretarev their report will be available at bosses,” Bloomberg financial news gaged with the ILO on issues related US troops disperse unemployed Iraqis demonstrating for jobs in Mosul. www.uslaboragainstwar.org.

up such a new option, but said he first wants to see a commitment from participants to transfer some Social Choice tops in long-term returns of their current TIAA-CREF assets to the new account. As of October, By CLARION STAFF five years before it set up a socially over $17 million had been pledged. Activists push for new fund responsible account. Its criteria in- “But we have a long way to go to By several measures, the TIAA- clude avoiding companies that earn reach the $25 million target set by CREF Social Choice Account is ket. But compared with bonds, the the Art Department at Brooklyn Col- money from tobacco products, mili- TIAA-CREF,” noted Sheridan, urg- showing the best long-term returns Social Choice Account was still a lege. “I would be willing to take a few tary weapons, or electricity genera- ing participants to visit www. man among CREF options that invest in long-term winner: in the ten years points lower – but it’s nice to see that tion from nuclear power. chester.edu/links/socialchoiceforso the stock market. As of the middle of prior to 6/30/03 it outperformed I may not have to.” “Now we’ve been lob- cialchange to find out how to pledge. this year (6/30/03), it had the best re- the CREF Bond Market Account, Some experts say that the Social bying again for a fund WORLD BANK turns over the previous one, five or earning 9% compared with the bond criteria used in social invest- investment that would not only ten years – and it was the only one account’s 7%. ment can contribute to long- avoid certain compa- TIAA-CREF recently dropped with positive returns every time: Social Choice does not have the term financial gains in sever- can contribute nies, but would invest World Bank bonds from its portfo- best performance in every time peri- al ways. “One clear example to long-term in particularly respon- lio, after a number of US unions Returns od. Since the start of this year its re- is liability issues, such as financial gain. sible ones,” said Sheri- (including the PSC) and community 1 year 5 year 10 year turns have lagged behind the other those faced by the tobacco in- dan. This approach, groups called for a boycott to protest Social Choice 6.3 % 2.4 % 9.0 % four TIAA-CREF accounts that in- dustry,” said Michael Lent of the known as “positive screening,” is World Bank policies that they Stock -0.2 % -1.9 % 8.3 % vest in the stock market, and as of New York office of Progressive As- becoming common in socially re- called environmentally and socially Global Equities -3.4 % -4.1 % 6.4 % 9/30/03 it was in last place for the pre- set Management, a socially con- sponsible investing, Sheridan said. destructive. Equity Index 0.4 % -1.3 % * vious year. But it still posted a one- scious investment firm not affiliated Proposed criteria include companies Academics and activists will press Growth 2.0 % -6.3 % * year gain of 17.9%, and remained in with TIAA-CREF. “Another factor is that build affordable housing in low- social justice issues at the CREF an- *[founded 4/94] first place over five and ten years. workplace conditions, since good income areas, those developing new nual meeting here in New York on Maximum investment return is, of conditions generally mean higher environmentally responsible prod- November 13. There will be a 9 am Much of Social Choice’s perfor- course, not the only reason why productivity.” ucts such as solar power, or those rally outside TIAA-CREF headquar- mance is attributable to its being a those in TIAA-CREF may choose the who insist that suppliers comply ters at 730 Third Avenue (at 47th St.). “balanced fund,” investing in bonds Social Choice account. “I don’t want LOBBYING with strict codes of conduct on hu- At 10 am shareholders who retain and the money market as well as to just ‘do well’ with my invest- In the 1980s, a national group of man rights. their proxies can attend the meeting. stocks, in a period when bonds ments, but to ‘do good’ for society as professors and staff, including many TIAA-CREF’s CEO has publicly More information is available at often outperformed the stock mar- well,” said Paul Sheridan, a CLT in from CUNY, lobbied TIAA-CREF for stated that he would support setting www.maketiaa-crefethical.org. 10 OPINION Clarion | November 2003

TUITION REMISSION A great plan or a shell game?

By ARTHUR REBER tive on what has been happening. the world. For Americans coming from out would call the appropriate way to train a Brooklyn College and Grad Center Previously (i.e., before the introduction of of state, the additional tuition burden only doctoral candidate. Taking a full load of the GTF lines a decade or so ago), Ph.D. stu- lasts one year, until they establish official courses and doing the research that will efore the PSC gets too carried dents who were fortunate enough to receive residency here. For foreign students, it re- lead to the successful completion of the doc- away celebrating the new tuition fellowships were typically supported on the mains for their entire tenure here. If we real- torate is full-time work. Adding what remission plan, there are a few above-mentioned Grad A and Grad B lines. ly wish to support doctoral training at amounts to the teaching burden of a full- things about it that have not These positions carried either research or CUNY, this ceiling needs to be removed. time faculty member as the means of receiv- been explicated carefully. teaching responsibilities, with most students Moreover, these new tuition support plans ing support is not pedagogically sound. BAs noted in the September Clarion, the asked to function as teaching fellows. Those are, unhappily, linked either with teaching plan only covers students in particular cate- on B-lines taught or functioned as TAs in responsibilities (GTF lines and Adjuncts) or DECLINING SUPPORT gories, specifically those holding GTFs one course per semester; those on A-lines require that programs that award them take While the PSC has heralded the tuition re- (Graduate Teaching Fellowships), Gilleece two courses. Using current pay scales, the on future financial responsibilities. In the mission plan announced by CUNY, my feel- Fellows and Science Fellows. But the union, starting salary on the A-line is about $16,500 case of the Gilleece and Science Fellows (for ings about it are, obviously, more muted. and many others, have given little attention per year. those who do not know how these operate), Our doctoral students are being provided to the fact that the new arrangement does both provide students with large first-year with declining levels of support but with no PAY CUT support packages but require individual pro- adjustment in the work we ask of them. The GTFs have the same teaching re- grams to pick up the responsibility for the Moreover, the University is making it ap- quirements as the A-lines (and, importantly, later years of support. Most programs, liter- pear as though these changes are to their with no possibility of having their responsi- ally, cannot afford to appoint such Fellows advantage when they are not. As virtually bilities defined in terms of research) but the because doing so entails “mortgaging the fu- everyone involved in these decisions has starting pay for this position is in the ture” for support of these students in later noted, tuition remission funds are a basic as- neighborhood of $12,500 a year. In years of study. Gilleece and Science Fellow- pect of the support packages that students short, the University has been slid- ships tend to be used in programs that have receive routinely as part of their training in ing students from A-lines to GTFs sufficient external support in the form of research universities throughout the coun- with no reduction in duties accom- grants and contracts. try. So it should be with CUNY. Unfortunate- panied by a $4,000 pay cut. The teaching responsibilities of the GTFs ly, this new plan simply functions as a clev- Adjunct Fellows will be in a simi- and the forthcoming Adjunct Fellows are erly disguised exploitation of our students. lar situation to GTFs – or worse. bothersome. They require graduate stu- With the same teaching duties as dents to take on what would be a full course Arthur Reber is Broeklundian Professor of GTFs (2 courses per semester) and load at almost all research universities (four Psychology, Brooklyn College and the Gradu- wages determined by the adjunct courses a year; two per semester). Such a ate Center. He is head of the Ph.D. Sub-Pro- rate, they would be end up being demand is callous and certainly not what I gram in Experimental Psychology. paid just a bit over $9,500 per year. If the entire 6-hour load is always taught on the same campus (which I haven’t yet seen promised in writ- ing), they would also get the ex- tra “office hour” compensa- A note in response tion and this would raise their income – but only to the same level as GTFs. Thus, at By MIKE FABRICANT it never exists. Union struggles always un- worst the Adjunct Fellows Hunter School of Social Work fold in a complex, muddy social circum- will be paid $6,000 less than stance, and victories rarely arrive when or someone on a Grad A line, rofessor Reber is right: the new tuition in the way that one might expect. and at best they will only lose remission plan does not give CUNY all PSC members who have worked for tu- $4,000. P that we need or deserve. Tuition re- ition remission at CUNY can be glad about Of course, the GTF lines and mission is the norm at research universities what we’ve begun to achieve. The new tu- the new Adjunct Fellows will across the country – yet even when the new ition remission plan is a major step forward, have some advantages over plan is fully implemented, it will cover only both for graduate students and for CUNY as the traditional A- and B- about half of our graduate students. a whole. lines. They have multi- That is why the union is continuing to ple years of support press the State Legislature on this issue. At Mike Fabricant is PSC vice president for se- guaranteed and a minimum, CUNY must have parity with nior colleges and head of CUNY’s graduate both will get the SUNY, which receives about $29 million a program in social welfare. www.i-rui .com tuition bonus. year in State funds for graduate student But these perks support. As Clarion reported last issue, not provide any tuition relief are, as everyone ap- CUNY receives nothing. Some legislators to the many students sup- preciates, aspects of doctoral have pledged to put member item money to- CALL FOR COMMENT ported on Graduate Assistant training that are enjoyed every- ward tuition remission at CUNY, but we still A and Graduate Assistant B where else in the country and shouldn’t be have a long way to go. Clarion would like to hear from other PSC lines, nor to those currently on adjunct lines. seen as bountiful gains (as the PSC seems to The main question, however, is one that members, particularly graduate students, on Interestingly, the contract approved in 2002 view them). The value of the support is re- Professor Reber does not address: overall, this issue. We hope to print a selection of let- did provide tuition relief to many of these duced year-by-year as students move up does the tuition remission plan announced ters in our next issue. students, and I, for one, was dismayed when from tuition Level 1 to 2 to 3. The funds lost by CUNY represent an advance? What do you think? Is the new tuition re- they were excluded from the new plan. by the reduction in salary are far greater In my estimation it is a substantial ad- mission plan an improvement or not? What While it is correct that there is a plan to than the gains provided by the tuition vance. The wider availability of tuition are the implications of the plan for your own introduce a new Adjunct Fellow position waivers. packages enables faculty to recruit stu- life at CUNY? that will carry tuition remission, this move In addition, the tuition remission package dents to CUNY in a way that simply was As noted on page 2, letters to the editor is part of a very dangerous shell game that has a built-in liability: the in-state tuition not possible before. The fact that the pack- must be under 200 words. Send them to has now been played for some time, with se- ceiling on support. This limitation is oddly ages cover a five-year period, and that the [email protected], or by regular mail rious implications for graduate education in parochial in a university that promotes itself related fellowships are also multi-year, to PSC Clarion, 25 W. 43rd St., NY, NY 10036. general and for our union in particular. A lit- as an international intellectual force that at- gives grad students an important measure Clarion’s coverage of the tuition remis- tle history here will help give some perspec- tracts students from around the country and of security. sion plan, in our September issue, is avail- Clearly there is a trade-off regarding able on the Web at www.psc-cuny.org/ teaching load and compensation. But we communications.htm. For a printed copy, Disguised exploitation of students should not look for purity in an arena where call 212-354-6231. Clarion | November 2003 OPINION 11

CAMPUS EQUITY The “Adjunct Problem”

By BARBARA BOWEN bly no other single issue on which the PSC PSC President membership is so polarized. On the one hand, I get angry calls from part-timers com- omething catastrophic and largely plaining that the union leadership hasn’t invisible has happened to CUNY done enough for them, that some teach more since 1990: the University has lost courses per semester than most full-timers almost 40% of its public funding. and are still far from a living wage, that they Maybe I should say that again: will have to work until they drop dead in the S39.3% of the funds. We are living in the fallout classroom because they have no post-retire- of that disaster, and one of its most insidious ment health benefits. On the other hand, I results is a simmering resentment between receive just as many angry comments from full-time and part-time faculty. full-time faculty, accusing the union leader- Of course not all relations between full- ship of giving away the store to adjuncts, or timers and part-timers are characterized by allegedly bankrupting the Welfare Fund to mistrust: union activism itself is a place of support adjunct benefits. Both of these ap- coming together, and hundreds of us have proaches are political dead ends: they natu- established significant professional relation- ralize the unbearable cuts to CUNY’s fund- ships across the imagined divide: teaching ing as a fact of life, and fail to understand together, developing curriculum or sharing that salaries and conditions for full-timers research. And then there’s our undeniable will improve when it becomes harder for the bond: we share students. But in many University to exploit and underpay part- places, an atmosphere of mistrust remains. timers. (And that’s leaving aside the obvious In honor of Campus Equity Week, an in- educational argument that students receive ternational initiative to focus attention on is- a far better education when their instructors www.i-rui .com sues of contingent labor in the university, I have the job security that protects academic want to use this column to take on, once and freedom as well as paid time for professional pay and conditions. The cause is the right- both full-timers and part-timers in a stronger for all, the “adjunct problem.” My point is development.) wing political lobby that has succeeded in position. that there is no adjunct problem; what we arguing that any expenditure on public For that fight, we are fortunate in the PSC really face is a funding problem, a political WELFARE FUND REVENUES goods is a waste of taxpayers’ money. And to be in a single union. At universities with problem, a labor problem, an academic free- Let me lay to rest a couple of persistent the cause is the anti-intellectual, and in separate full-timer and part-timer unions, it’s dom problem. Higher education, for all its air falsehoods. First, speaking to full-timers: CUNY’s case racist, political agenda op- up to management to decide how resources of gentility, is one of the most shocking labor the cost of health insurance for adjuncts is posed to expanding higher education. will be allocated – with the predictable result abusers in the country. Nationwide, over 60% not the cause of the Welfare Fund deficit. In Salaries for full-time faculty (and staff) at that both sides get less because they are pit- of instructional staff are on contingent or fact, in the last fiscal year the adjunct por- CUNY – like academic salaries nationally – ted against each other. Our ability to negoti- part-time lines, only a small fraction of whom tion of the Welfare Fund showed a positive are also depressed, in large part because ate together for full-time and part-time facul- are offered benefits. balance. The area running the greatest academic managers have little incentive to ty – and for other contingent workers such deficit is the fund for retirees, as is natural increase them when part-timers can be as graduate employees, substitutes and LABOR SYSTEM and as occurs in almost every other welfare hired and exploited. Full-timers at CUNY, Continuing Education faculty – allows for far The mystery is why academic managers fund. Your union dues do not support the with inordinate teaching loads, overstuffed greater control over our work lives. have gone along silently with this amazing Welfare Fund (it’s funded by employer con- classrooms and little research support, are restructuring of their workforce – and why tributions, for which the PSC negotiates); victims in a different way of the same bud- LABOR CRISIS we, an unusually well-educated group of union dues do not provide Welfare Fund getary ideology that underpays part-timers. Meanwhile, the union leadership is ex- workers, can be duped into thinking that the benefits for adjuncts or anyone else. It’s al- Everyone suffers – most of all students – in a ploring proposals to press the State and City real problem is competition between full- so worth remembering that the “speed-up” scandalous labor system. I’d argue that stu- – which are primarily responsible for our time and part-time faculty. In any industry many of us feel as our committee and advis- dents suffer in a subtler way, too, when the labor crisis – for funding to provide a living that relies heavily on underpaid part-time ing loads balloon is the direct result of re- example of labor practices offered by their wage for adjuncts, along with more funds to workers without job security or full benefits, placing full-time positions with part-time university is so much at odds with higher rebuild the full-time faculty. Finally, on our full-time workers will see their pay and ben- ones. As the total number of full-time facul- education’s self-representation as a model of own terrain, I want to risk a plea to my full- efits erode. This will come as no surprise to ty at CUNY plunged from 11,500 in 1975 to democratic, enlightened values. time colleagues. A luxury of the empowered those whose field is labor studies, but many 5,500 today, with part-timers not paid to So what’s the answer? Ultimately, it’s to group is that they are not forced to under- of us are unaccustomed to realizing that be- participate in the shared responsibilities of take back the academic labor system from stand the lives of the less empowered, while ing professors doesn’t isolate us from the departmental life (though many of them the hands of corporate managers and create those in subaltern positions have always pressures that operate in any labor system. generously do), the small cadre of full-time a system that serves the interests of stu- had to see more. (DuBois’s brilliant analysis The least productive way for workers to faculty who remain are bound to shoulder a dents and the project of generating knowl- of “double-consciousness” might help us understand the situation is in terms of com- bigger share of the work. edge. More immediately, we can make it a here.) On that principle, I’d like to ask full- petition among themselves. Only manage- Now one for part-timers: full-time faculty priority to insist that part-timers be paid timers to consider asking an adjunct you ment benefits when we see ourselves in are not the cause of your unconscionable what their labor is worth. Doing so will put know for his or her “reading” of the labor conflict with each other. situation at CUNY; I’d also like to suggest Yet competition is often the theme of com- that you take a look at the profiles of ments I hear from members. There’s proba- Roots of a national staffing crisis adjuncts on pages 6 and 7 of this month’s Clarion. The impressive histories you see there are not untypical. Together, let’s use Campus Equity Week to expose and address the labor scandal on Clarion NOVEMBER 2003 which most of American higher education is Newspaper of the Professional Staff Congress/City University of New York, collective bargaining representative of the CUNY instructional staff. Vol. 32, No. 6. PSC/CUNY is affiliated with the American built. In no other profession is nearly half Association of University Professors, the American Federation of Teachers (Local 2334), AFL-CIO, the New York City Central Labor Council and New York State United Teachers. Published by PSC/CUNY, 25 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036. Telephone: (212) 354-1252. Web site: www.psc-cuny.org. E-mail: [email protected]. All opinions expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the PSC. the work done by part-timers, most of whom PSC OFFICERS: Barbara Bowen, President; Steven London, First Vice President; Cecelia McCall, Secretary; John Hyland, Treasurer; Stanley Aronowitz, Jonathan Buchsbaum, Blanche Cook, Susan O’Mal- have no health insurance, no pensions and ley, Sheldon Weinbaum, University-wide Officers; Michael Fabricant, Vice President, Senior Colleges; Robert Cermele, Janice Cline, Nancy Romer, Senior College Officers; Anne Friedman, Vice President, no retirement benefits. If that were true of Community Colleges; Samuel E. Farrell, Andrew McInerney, Shirley Rausher, Community College Officers; Iris DeLutro, Vice President, Cross Campus Units; Steven Trimboli, Robbi Weaver, Vera Weekes, Cross Campus Officers; Marcia Newfield, Vice President, Part-Time Personnel; Susan DiRaimo, Diane Menna, Vincent Tirelli, Officers for Part-Time Personnel; Irwin H. Polishook, President Emeritus; Israel public school teachers, doctors or lawyers, it Kugler, Deputy President Emeritus; Peter I. Hoberman, Vice President Emeritus, Cross Campus Units. would rightly be considered a national STAFF: Deborah Bell, Executive Director; Mary Ann Carlese, Associate Executive Director; Faye H. Alladin, Coordinator, Financial Services; Debra L. Bergen, Director, Contract Administration & University-wide staffing crisis. Higher education in America Grievance Counselor; Mary Crystal Cage, Director, Public Relations; Barbara Gabriel, Coordinator, Office Services and Human Resources; Diana Rosato, Coordinator, Membership Department; D. Nicholas Russo, Director, Legal Affairs; Clarissa Gilbert Weiss, Director, Pension and Welfare Benefits. is in crisis, and the crisis is not going to end Editor: Peter Hogness / Assistant Editor: Tomio Geron / Designer: Margarita Aguilar until we stop the exploitation of contingent © 2003 Professional Staff Congress/CUNY academic labor. 12 NEWS Clarion | November 2003 PSC opposes nonpartisan elections

By PETER HOGNESS The PSC’s state affiliate, NYSUT, Favors study of class size limits has endorsed Question 2, which On November 4, voters in New would raise the stricter debt limit York City will choose a new City now imposed on small city school Council – but the most important districts. “This change is necessary contests may not involve any can- to put small city school districts on a didates at all. Voters will also de- level playing field,” said NYSUT’s cide on Question 3, Mayor Bloom- Alan Lubin. berg’s proposal for nonpartisan city elections, and Question 6, a ballot CITY COUNCIL measure that could lead to smaller The PSC has endorsed 21 candi- class sizes in the public schools. dates for City Council (see list). “The The PSC and other New York Council has been a strong ally of unions have come out against non- CUNY and the PSC,” said Eileen partisan elections, and strongly sup- Moran of the union’s Legislative port the class size measure. Bloom- Committee. “This is in large part berg is on the other side of both is- thanks to the Higher Education sues, and at press time the mayor Committee and its Chair, Charles was still fighting to get the class size Barron, and we strongly endorse its referendum kicked off the ballot. members for re-election.” Moran also highlighted two close LESS INFORMATION races as particularly important for “Nonpartisan elections would be PSC members. bad for New York City,” said Ron In Brooklyn’s District 35 (Fort Hayduk, a member of the union’s Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Legislative Committee and PSC Heights), the PSC is backing Letitia VOTE/COPE coordinator. “Voters James, a former chief of staff for would know less about what candi- progressive Assemblyman Roger dates really stand for.” Green, who is running on the Work- The first version of the nonparti- ing Families Party line. The union’s san election proposal would have Miller Photography Legislative Committee noted that banned any reference to political UFT President Randi Weingarten speaks at a recent press conference for Question 6, which could reduce public school class size. James has far more experience than parties from the ballot. This was her rivals, and added that a WFP widely criticized as depriving voters According to Ken Sherrill, chair of stands for,” said Hayduk. “With commission appointed by the mayor, victory in this race “would help of important information, and political science at Hunter College, nonpartisan elections, we’d lose that but on October 2 a state judge found strengthen labor’s political clout.” Bloomberg’s Charter Revision Com- “Nonpartisan elections have the ef- information.” that law unconstitutional. “The In Staten Island’s District 49, the mission (CRC) then decided that fect of emphasizing candidates’ per- The Commission contends that ‘bumping’ provision gives unfettered PSC has endorsed Councilman candidates would be “allowed” to sonalities at the cost of discussing is- the change is needed to make local power to a mayor” and thus deprives Michael McMahon, who has been a cite party affiliation if they wish. But sues and ideas. This benefits candi- elections more competitive, due to “petitioner-citizens” of their rights, supporter of the PSC’s legislative other critics say that this is mean- dates who can get high name recog- Democrats’ big edge in voter regis- ruled Judge Louise Gruner Gans. agenda and is running on both the ingless – or worse, misleading. nition – which tends to be those who tration. “If that’s the case,” asked The City appealed and won an Democratic and WFP lines. His Re- Under this plan, “candidates’ list- spend the most, or those who can Hayduk, “how is it that Republican October 20 ruling, but at press time publican opponent has attacked his ed party affiliation may not reflect get the most free publicity by being candidates have won the last three the final outcome was unknown. support for the City budget that any commitment to party platforms a flamboyant demagogue.” elections for mayor?” “Educators know from firsthand raised property taxes and restored or principles,” the PSC Executive If the CRC and the mayor really experience that smaller classes can cuts to CUNY and other public Council warned in an October 2 res- RICH OR FAMOUS want to open up the system, Hayduk be critical for many kids,” said UFT services. olution. “Nonpartisan elections take Hayduk agreed: “Nonpartisan contends, they could support a host President Randi Weingarten. “Solid “These are both tough races, and away the right of rank-and-file par- elections increase the power of mon- of simple reforms. “For research shows the mer- PSC members’ votes could make the ty members to choose the candi- ey and celebrity. Candidates who example,” he said, “elec- Rank-and-file, its of small class size.” difference,” said Moran. dates in primary elections that most are already rich or famous, like tion-day voter registra- Weingarten pointed to a represent their political positions.” Arnold Schwarzenegger, are the tion exists in six US black, Latino and range of studies, includ- ones who gain the most.” states, and they have the immigrant voters ing a multi-year study of Black, Latino and immigrant vot- highest rates of voter would be hurt by students in Tennessee PSC endorsements ers are disproportionately regis- turnout. This is a proven that linked class size re- tered as Democrats, thus the prima- method to increase voter nonpartisan ductions to “greatly im- CD NAME BOROUGH ry election allows them to influence participation, whereas elections. proved student achieve- 2*Margarita Lopez Manh. who will be the leading candidates nonpartisan elections ment, particularly for 3 Christine Quinn Manh. in the general election. “Eliminating would likely do the opposite.” students in poverty.” Class size 5 Gifford Miller Manh. party primaries would make it hard- The other major ballot proposi- mandates are a growing national 15–MINUTE ACTIVIST 6*Gale Brewer Manh. er for minority candidates to win tion, Question 6, would establish a trend, Weingarten said, with legis- 7 Robert Jackson Manh. elections,” the NYC Central Labor commission to consider whether lation to reduce class size adopted in 9*Bill Perkins Manh. Council, the UFT and others noted limits on class size in the public 20 states. Follow the money 10 *Miguel Martinez Manh. in a joint statement. “David Dinkins schools should be part of the city “Certainly rich people don’t need 11 G. Oliver Koppell Bronx has said he would never have been charter. If the panel supports the to be sold on the advantages of small Do you know where the money for the 12 *Larry Seabrook Bronx elected without a party primary.” idea, a future referendum would de- classes,” NYSUT President Tom Ho- PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund comes from? 16 Helen D. Foster Bronx As most of CUNY’s student body cide the issue. bart observed in an earlier discus- Take a minute to look at the union’s is made up of immigrants and stu- sion in New York Teacher. “Many Web site, at www.psc-cuny.org/ 19 Tony Avella Queens dents of color, Hayduk noted, “it BALLOT BUMPING pay steep tuition for exactly that wfmoney.htm, and find out. 20 John Liu Queens would be bad news for CUNY and Question 6 was put on the ballot privilege” for their own children. Here’s a hint: your union dues DO 21 Hiram Monserrate Queens for our students.” by the United Federation of Teach- “Winning legislation on class size NOT go to the Welfare Fund. Not one 23 David I. Weprin Queens Nonpartisan elections would also ers with support from parent groups, in the public schools could open the penny. The Welfare Fund is financed 24 *Jim Gennaro Queens mean no more third-party endorse- education advocates and other door to winning similar legislation by contributions from the City of New 31 James Sanders Queens ments. “Third parties play a vital unions, including the PSC. After the for CUNY,” said PSC President Bar- York, and the amount is jointly negoti- 35 Letitia James Bklyn. role in New York politics,” com- coalition gathered 115,000 signa- bara Bowen. “This is an important ated by NYC’s municipal unions, in- 38 Sara Gonzalez Bklyn. mented Hayduk. “If a candidate is tures, the Bloomberg administration vote for us because it’s a step to- cluding the PSC. And that adds up to 42 *Charles Barron Bklyn. endorsed by the Conservative Par- argued in court that the proposal wards providing public school stu- an important reason for PSC members 45 Kendall Stewart Bklyn. ty, or by the pro-union Working should be bumped off the ballot. dents with the kind of learning envi- to support the struggles of other City 49 Michael McMahon S.I. Families Party, that’s an important City lawyers cited a state law that ronment to which every child should workers. When it comes to our welfare * Member of Higher Education Committee cue to voters about what he or she gives priority to any charter revision be entitled.” benefits, we’re all in this together.