NEW! ● Change of plan WF prescription provider replaced larıon PAGE 8 CNEWSPAPER OF THE PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONGRESS / CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK DECEMBER 2015 Erik McGregor Erik PSC POWER GROWS WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED In its fight for a fair contract, PSC is ratcheting up the pressure with a series disorderly conduct. Plans for the action resulted in contract offer from CUNY of escalating tactics. In the scene above, members engaged in a planned civil management – one described as ‘unacceptable’ by PSC President Barbara disobedience action on November 4, blocking the entrance to CUNY head- Bowen. On November 19, members packed The Great Hall at the Cooper quarters in Midtown, risking arrest. Fifty-three members were charged with Union to begin preparations for a strike authorization vote. PAGES 3 & 6

FIGHT FOR $15 CHURCH & STATE DETERMINATION POWER & ART CUNY’s low- Friedrichs Ready for Irony meets wage workers plaintiffs action idealism The University employs Pressing the anti-union Su- At a union-wide meeting, 900 PSC member and MacAr- 7,000 workers at less than preme Court case is a little- PSC members gathered to thur Fellow Ben Lerner talks the rate set by activists known group that seeks to prepare for a strike autho- to Clarion about the rela- calling for a raise in the bring religion into public rization vote – the next big tionship between poetry and minimum wage. Read schools, making missionar- step in the union’s campaign politics, and the beauty of their stories.​ PAGE 5 ies of teachers.​ PAGE 9 for a fair contract.​ PAGE 3 imperfect collectivity.​ PAGE 12

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS ● AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS ● NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ● NYC CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL ● NYS AFL-CIO ● NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS 2 NEWS & LETTERS Clarion | December 2015

IN BRIEF LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | WRITE TO: CLARION/PSC, 61 BROADWAY, 15TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10006. EMAIL: [email protected]. Working Families Party backs Sanders for president The union-backed national Working Families Party (WFP) overwhelm- ingly endorsed US Senator Bernie Sanders for president. It is the first Exploitation at CUNY hurts all time the party has endorsed in a presidential contest. ● CUNY’s reliance on an adjunct from 2011 to 2016. If the PSC claims tory of student organizing. The The PSC is affiliated with the workforce easily replaced by newly Dignity at stake to struggle for racial and economic PSC leadership agrees completely WFP. In the past week, the New York minted graduates of the very sys- ● The PSC’s Midtown demonstra- justice for the working class, then that the only force strong enough State leadership group voted to bind tem that exploits them represents tion demanding a contract brought it should refuse to let CUNY fund to reverse the national attacks on its two delegates attending the WFP a loss of civilization. This system our message where it belongs – into faculty raises with student tuition public higher education is a coali- endorsement convention to the out- employs the majority of the CUNY the heart of this great city. Let us increases. tion of faculty, staff, students — come of a national membership plebi- workforce; 75 percent of classes in embrace and cheer the 53 fellow ● True movement toward pay and the communities of which they scite on the three Democratic Party the CUNY system are taught by union members, including our own equity for adjunct faculty, i.e., are a part. We are actively build- presidential candidates. The PSC adjuncts. Even more, the support- Assistant Professor Felipe Piment- $7,000 per course. Within the last ing such a coalition for CUNY right voted with the majority of the NYS ive staff (secretaries who fill out el, who endured arrest on our behalf few years, the Modern Language As- now, working to deepen our bonds WFP leadership regarding a binding mountains of new hire paperwork, and in defense of our union. sociation (MLA), Coalition of Contin- with student activists and orga- plebiscite but was not a part of the employees in the duplicating center, The PSC belongs to its members. gent Academic Labor (COCAL) and nizations, showing how students national convention that endorsed department chairs who organize co- We built it and nurtured it. The CUNY Doctoral Students’ Council have a stake in the PSC contract Bernie Sanders. lossal class schedules, tenured fac- contempt for the PSC shown by (DSC) have advocated a $7,000 start- fight. That work could be among The online membership vote was ulty who observe adjuncts) have not the CUNY Board of Trustees par- ing salary for 3-credit courses. By re- the most important we do. open to all WFP members who af- had an increase in pay for almost six allels its contempt for faculty gov- fusing pay disparity between CUNY On the issue probably most impor- firmed support for WFP values, and years. That lack of support taxes the ernance, which was clearly shown adjuncts and other faculty, the PSC tant to students – tuition increases – the was combined with a vote of WFP’s whole CUNY system and compro- by the board’s ignoring the 92 per- can end the reliance on adjuncts as PSC opposes the current proposal national advisory board that includ- mises its effectiveness as a vehicle cent “No” vote against Pathways. cheap exploitable labor, the practice for another increase and has con- ed representatives from the party’s for social betterment. I suggest that we begin collecting of which harms our whole union. sistently opposed shifting the cost of state organizations. Sanders took It has been documented by many pledges from other faculty and staff ● Adjunct job security. Create a CUNY education onto the backs of 87.4 percent of the vote and former news outlets that creatives and in- willing to be arrested for this just real and comprehensive job pro- our students. The shift of cost is a Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tellectuals are leaving New York cause. What’s at stake is our dignity tection for all through a seniority failed strategy. won 11.5 percent. City because of the high cost of liv- as workers in a democratic society system by date of hire that doesn’t The union is also working with Clinton, however, has garnered ing. When bonuses for Wall Street and the right of our students to a introduce additional evaluations activist organizations that advo- the endorsements of major unions, executives were threatened, the re- quality higher education. into the process. cate for the communities in which including the American Federation sponse was a fear of driving away Gerald Meyer ● Workload flexibility. Lift the our students live. Many are eager to of Teachers (of which PSC-CUNY is a the best, the most talented. Professor of History, emeritus cap on the number of courses that coalesce around a defense of qual- local). (PSC President Barbara Bow- The shame I feel as an under- Hostos Community College adjuncts can teach at any single ity education at CUNY. en was among three AFT leaders paid adjunct is palpable and often CUNY campus. Finally, on your suggestions for who voted against the endorsement; compounded by those who believe The addition of these demands demands: there has been much dis- see the September Clarion.) Earlier I should simply reject a system that Solidarity with students will strengthen the PSC’s ability to cussion of the union’s demands in this month, Sanders supported PSC’s relies so much on employee exploita- and adjuncts negotiate, fight and win. Right now our policy-making body, the Del- contract campaign, tweeting, “We tion. The belittlement, by the lack ● A joint effort among CUNY stu- most students and adjuncts don’t egate Assembly. The DA voted not must invest in our public institu- of a fair labor contract, of our edu- dents, faculty and staff is necessary see any reason to take action – let to include the demand you propose tions! We stand with @PSC_CUNY cational institutions and those who to reverse continued attacks on pub- alone strike – in support of a con- for “workload flexibility” because in their fight for a fair contract.” support them affects our communi- lic higher education. We encourage tract that doesn’t yet express all our that demand is in the interest of ty, our economy and our democracy. the PSC to adopt the following as interests. This situation will change management. Management al- Journal explores adjunct An environment that tolerates and central demands in its contract when we stand united. ways wants to multiply the number encourages the employment of un- campaign. By doing so, the union Conor Tomás Reed of courses taught for substandard labor organizing dervalued, underpaid workers only will show that its commitment to Graduate Writing Fellow pay; the union works to increase The most recent issue of the compounds opportunities for the the most exploited members of Kingsborough Community College the pay and create meaningful academic journal WorkingUSA exploitation of other workers. CUNY, students and adjuncts goes job security. We have already ac- (published by Wiley-Blackwell), ex- A system that does not reward beyond lip service to become genu- PSC President Barbara Bowen complished a landmark benefit amines contingent academic work workers on the basis of merit, edu- ine solidarity. responds: in this round of bargaining: fully with articles exploring organizing, cational attainment or talent is dam- ● An immediate tuition freeze Thank you for your letter, Conor; funded health insurance for eligible tactics and collective bargaining. aging to all. and rollback of the tuition hikes I know it comes out of a long his- adjuncts. This issue, “Contingent Aca- Elisabeth von Uhl demic Labor: The Way Forward,” Adjunct Lecturer is edited by PSC bargaining team Bronx Community College member Marcia Newfield; Polina 40,000 postcards to Gov. Cuomo Kroik, adjunct assistant professor at York College; and Joe Berry, one Tuition is our business of the founders of The Coalition of ● Having been to all of the last Contingent Academic Labor, which several demonstrations for a good convenes biennial conferences, the contract, I am increasingly upset most recent one hosted by PSC- by one aspect of these demonstra- CUNY in 2014. tions: Since several of our last Newfield introduces the issue contract improvements were par- by tracing the evolution of adjunct tially financed by students’ tuition organizing. Anthony Prato, an increases, we must make central instructor with the CUNY Lan- to our contractual demands that guage Immersion Program (CLIP) there be no student tuition increas- at Queensborough Community es for the duration of the contract. College, addresses organizing ef- Considering how loudly and ef- forts for CLIP and CUNY Start fectively the students support us instructors, who are “mislabeled – particularly wonderful are the as part-time [workers.]” PSC staff students from Hostos – we can do organizer Eric Paul outlines steps no less for them. Management will that activists can take to build col- tell us this is none of our business; lective power at the grassroots we should tell them and our CUNY level. students that we just made it our

This issue of WorkingUSA is avail- business. Gary Schoichet able for $12 and can be obtained by Gerald Sider BMCC students Khadijah Warner (right) and Sekou Sacko are among the more than 40,000 CUNY and SUNY students who emailing Marcia Newfield at mnew- Professor of Anthropology, emeritus signed postcards urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign the “maintenance of effort” bill. On November 20, a coalition [email protected]. The College of Staten Island and of groups, including the Professional Staff Congress, CUNY University Student Senate and the New York Public Interest Shomial Ahmad the CUNY Graduate Center Research Group delivered the postcards to the governor’s office at the state capitol in Albany. Clarion | December 2015 NEWS 3 Organizing for strike authorization vote

By ADELE M. STAN rhetorically. “Because, as a member Motivated members pack The Great Hall of the bargaining team, I’ve been sit- At a union-wide meeting at the Coo- ting across from CUNY for a year and per Union’s Great Hall on November a half now. We’ve introduced CUNY 19, PSC President Barbara Bowen to our real part-time and full-time fac- called on Governor Andrew Cuomo ulty, to our real professional staff and to fund the PSC contract, and laid librarians, college lab technicians, out a five-point plan for winning the and CLIP (CUNY Language Im- union’s fight for a fair contract. In Oc- mersion Program) and CUNY Start tober, the union’s Executive Council teachers, to our doctoral students…. announced that the union would hold After presenting issues of importance a vote among members for authori- to all of us, despite some progress at zation to call a strike, if necessary, the table, they still don’t get it.” and the membership meeting kicked PSC Treasurer Sharon Persinger off the organizing process for the brought members to their feet by ask- vote. The PSC’s contract with CUNY ing people who had participated in im- expired in 2010. portant actions, such as the sit-in at Although public employees are CUNY headquarters and the Wake- barred from striking in New York Up Call protest in front of Milliken’s under the Taylor Law, it is legal to luxury apartment building, to raise conduct a strike authorization vote. their hands and stand up. Then she “We are holding Governor Cuomo asked attendees to show their com- accountable for his refusal to put mitment to organizing activities by money in this contract,” Bowen told standing. “Stand up!” Persinger said. the lively crowd of 900 members who “Stand up and let us know that you’re packed the hall. “Governor Cuomo, going to be part of the effort to orga- you cannot present yourself as a nize our strike authorization vote to

progressive if you are not progres- SandersDave make sure that we get a vote that will sive on CUNY. You cannot be a (L-R)​ Executive Council members Glenn Kissack, retiree from Hunter Campus High School; Blanca Vásquez, adjunct lecturer be useful to us in our contract nego- progressive and pursue austerity at Hunter College, and David Hatchett, lecturer, Medgar Evers College stand in commitment to organize for the coming tiations.” The crowd stood, cheering, economics on the higher education strike authorization vote. and before the night’s end, filled bas- system of this city and state. We will kets with signed pledge cards bearing not let you do that.” the union countered with a proposal tem. Introducing the video messages, Dexter Roberts, vice chair of the members’ promises to attend train- CUNY Chancellor James B. Mil- for a package of salary increases that Secretary Nivedita Majumdar noted University’s Student Senate, declared ing sessions for conducting one-on- liken – until now the focus of PSC would total 14 percent. Negotiations that Lewis is presently battling brain student solidarity with the PSC in the one conversations with colleagues in pressure – has failed to secure ade- are still ongoing. cancer, but nonetheless recorded a union’s contract fight. “If there is no preparation for the vote, for which a quate funding from the state, Bowen message to PSC. (“Tell the truth!” you, and there is no me, there is no date has not yet been set. said, leaving the union no choice but FIVE-POINT PLAN Lewis said in her message. “Just let CUNY,” he said. Roberts also remind- to take its demands directly to the The plan Bowen put forward at us teach.”) The video messages can ed the crowd of the Student Senate’s REAL CONCERNS governor. the union-wide meeting includes be seen at tinyurl.com/PSCallies. resolution passed in September that Yet, during the question-and- Under the Cuomo administra- the following steps: “Our colleagues, like us, are fight- called on CUNY to “prioritize the answer session that followed the tion, the level of state investment 1. Taking the demand for fund- ing not just for salary raises, but for needs of the adjunct professors.” program, a number of adjuncts in CUNY has continued to shrink, ing a fair contract directly to the a quality education accessible to all Those who attended the mass expressed fear of management re- with the state not funding such governor. students,” Majumdar said. “For man- meeting were treated to a clip from taliation should they take part in a mandatory cost increases as build- 2. Enlarging the fight by building agement, the phrase ‘student suc- an upcoming documentary by Rehad strike, while others indicated that ing leases, utility fees and raises and strengthening alliances with cess’ is usually nothing more than a Desai about a successful struggle at they felt the PSC was not demand - for CUNY employees, who have not students, community groups Getting rhetorical ploy to further their South African universities in which ing enough on their behalf, in terms seen a salary increase since 2009. and other unions. agenda of neoliberal education students and faculty came together to of job security and other issues, at (As Clarion went to press, the gov- 3. Amplifying the union’s ready reforms.” stop the outsourcing of campus labor. the bargaining table. ernor had yet to take action on a bill message through increasingly for Also expressing solidarity Bowen responded to a question passed by the state legislature this aggressive efforts in both tradi- with the PSC via video were UNITING CONSTITUENCIES from Ruth Wanger, an adjunct at the summer that would cover such costs tional and social media. action Phyllis Campano, president of Michael Batson, an adjunct lectur- College of Staten Island, by making going forward. The deadline for his 4. Making a counteroffer to CU- the Seattle Education Association, er in history at the College of Staten the case for unity, and reminding at- decision on whether to sign the bill, NY’s 6-percent offer, which is below Tim Killikelly, president of AFT Lo- Island and Kingsborough Commu- tendees that the PSC won health in- known as a “maintenance of effort” the rate of inflation for the period cal 2121 (which represents faculty at nity College, acknowledged the risk surance for adjuncts in 2012 because measure, was December 11.) covered. the City College of San Francisco) and adjuncts feel in considering the “full-timers stood up for part-timers.” 5. Organizing to win a strike au - Jennifer Eagan, president of the Cali- strike authorization, but prevailed PUBLIC DISINVESTMENT thorization vote. fornia Faculty Association. The CFA, upon his colleagues to get behind CALL FOR UNITY “We fight to press the larger issue Buoyed by the successful rally and Eagan said, won its strike authoriza- the effort. “Many adjuncts live on the In the current negotiation, Bowen of disinvestment in this university, sit-in – which garnered coverage by tion vote by 94 percent. Each leader edge of poverty,” Batson said, “and said, “the union’s position in our and austerity,” First Vice President television newscasts and The New spoke of their unions’ individual all adjuncts face income insecurity bargaining demands that we took Mike Fabricant told the crowd. “We York Times, and resulted in the arrest battles for fair contracts and respect from semester to semester. This con- to the table initially was absolute fight on the question of wages, and of 53 PSC members – the boisterous for their students as part of a national tract must deal with those issues.” parity in pay and benefits. We are how that has consequences for the crowd in The Great Hall applauded fight, a point also made by Brooklyn The University’s 13,000 adjuncts, he working our way toward that, but quality of education for our students. frequently throughout speeches by College Chapter Chair James Davis in said, are “victims of CUNY’s casual- I don’t think we’re going to solve We fight for fair wages for part-time PSC officers and representatives of his speech from the podium. ization of our profession.” that in a single contract.... We will faculty and staff and full-time fac- the union’s various constituencies, Along with speakers Andrea have unity if we fight together. The ulty so they can survive and stay at and an officer of CUNY’s Student Sen- A NATIONAL FIGHT Vásquez, Iris DeLutro, James Davis more we get in this contract to work this university. And in the midst of ate. Members hoisted familiar signs While budget cuts and attacks on and the PSC officers on the stage, with, the more we get economically all this, tuition is raised to fill in the (stop the war on cuny!) and several collective bargaining are fought and Batson was among the 53 PSC mem- to work with, the more we will be hole left by disinvestment.” blew vuvezela horns. felt locally, Davis explained, they are bers arrested for participating in able to do for everyone.” On November 4, as hundreds of “fueled by national movements… the November 4th sit-in. “The consequences of breaking PSC members rallied on the street UNION SOLIDARITY that seek to delegitimize higher edu- CUNY staff represented by the the Taylor Law are severe – at least outside CUNY headquarters on 42nd Videos bearing greetings from cation as a public good, and rebrand union found colleagues at the po- on paper,” James Davis told the Street and some prepared to take part leaders of unions that either won or it as a private investment. dium in Vásquez, a higher education crowd earlier in the evening. “But in a planned civil disobedience action, were engaged in similar battles were “We have an opportunity to officer at the Graduate Center who the stakes of inaction are high. And management put forward an offer for greeted with enthusiasm, especially change that narrative, to reframe also serves on the Executive Council, I think there are real consequences if salary increases that totaled a mere 6 the appearance on the screen of Kar- higher education not only as a public and DeLutro, who is also the union’s we decline to take the steps that are percent over six years between 2010 en Lewis, president of the Chicago good, but a good for the particular cross-campus vice president. Both more militant and more public. It’s and October 2016, and while failing to Teachers Union, which waged a suc- public that we serve – working-class are on the union’s bargaining team. important to recognize the power we offer retroactive raises for four of the cessful contract battle that included students, students of color, immi- “Why did I sit down in front of CU- have and the role we play in the na- six. Within days of receiving the offer, a strike against the city’s school sys- grants and their children.” NY and risk arrest?” Vásquez asked, tional conversation about higher ed.” 4 NEWS Clarion | December 2015

has students writing on the theme “The art of protest movements.” “We went over some primary When the subject is the University source materials, like [PSC Presi- dent] Barbara Bowen’s letter on the strike authorization vote and the By SHOMIAL AHMAD At Bronx Community College, PSC-CUNY contract,” Jordan said. Lessons in struggle for justice Victor Rodriguez, acting coordi- His students, he said, saw the con- In Kathleen Offenholley’s mathemat- nator of general counseling in the nection between the workload prob- ics class at the Borough of Manhattan Division of Student Affairs, taught lems over which PSC is negotiating Community College (BMCC), students a freshman seminar on with CUNY management are getting a lesson in regression open admissions at CUNY, CUNY and the quality of their lines and equilibrium using a case a policy now restricted to becomes a education. study that hits close to home: the rate the community colleges but “They got it,” he said. “My of decrease in state aid per full-time which once applied to senior prism for pay doesn’t really impact student compared with the increase colleges, as well. classwork. them that much, but the in community college tuition over the “I’m a SEEK graduate my- workload [does],” he said, be- years. “You can see that the two lines self,” Rodriguez explained, refer- cause they consequently receive less have met and that students are now ring to the Search for Education, personalized attention, Jordan said. paying more themselves than state Elevation, and Knowledge oppor- Back at the BMCC math class, aid is paying,” she explains, showing tunity program that admits low-in- Offenholley uses graphs to give the trends on a graph. come students to the senior colleges her students a bonus lesson on the Since the 1990-91 school year, tu- who may not have received the stan- economics, of inflation and the term ition and fees have more than dou- dard level of academic preparation “real dollars.” bled as a proportion of community for acceptance. The case study is CUNY’s tuition college revenues, while state aid to and how the cost of community col- CUNY community colleges fell from A FADING OPPORTUNITY lege now compares to the cost decades 36 to 25 percent. Rodriguez teaches students how ago once consumer price index is the fight for open admissions was taken into account. “A lot of the stu- CUNY IN THE CLASSROOM won during the Civil Rights move- dents are going to be business ma- “It kind of pissed me off in a way,” ment in 1970, only to be lost at the jors, so they are interested in what

BMCC student Alex Atkinson, who Gary Schoichet senior colleges in 1999, during the real dollars and adjusting for inflation works full-time in a restaurant and Kathleen Offenholley demonstrates a math concept with a graph showing the administration of Mayor Rudolph Gi- means,” Offenholley told Clarion. pays her own tuition, told Clarion. rate of CUNY’s tuition increases. uliani. “I’ve been connecting recent “They’re raising tuition and they’re struggles around tuition hikes and MAKING CONNECTIONS not offering more.” In political science classes, stu- Teaching a sociology class at Ba- contract negotiations” to the loss of Offenholley also shared with Offenholley’s CUNY-focused les- dents learned about the legislative ruch, Luke Elliott-Negri engaged the university-wide open admissions students her plans to participate in son plan is part of “Teach CUNY,” a process by which the maintenance- students in a discussion of current policy, said Rodriguez, who gradu- the PSC’s civil disobedience action, PSC initiative to make the Univer - of-effort bill (which was awaiting ac- political conversations about mak- ated from City College in 1981. which took place on November 4. (See sity itself a subject of investigation tion by the governor as Clarion went ing higher education tuition-free. “Some students have really emo- pages 6-7, “Militant action highlights with students. Teach CUNY was to press) was passed by the State As- “When you link it to the fact that tional reactions. One recently told contract fight.”) introduced in 2001, during another sembly and Senate, and learned the for generations working class immi- me that he felt like crying,” Ro- “‘Why?’ they ask. I tell them, ‘Your period of budget cuts, and was re- language of legislation. Elsewhere, a grants in the city could get a bach- driguez said. “I guess it was going tuition money is not supposed to go launched this fall as part of escalat- group of first-year students were giv- elor’s degree free [at CUNY] and through the history, the struggle to keeping the lights on,’” says Of- ing contract and budget campaigns. en a lesson on the history of CUNY now they and their parents are pay- and having the realization that the fenholly. “‘The state is supposed to Faculty across the University held by their counselor. Students in one ing for it, I think that makes it much opportunity is fading.” be paying money so that I can have teach-ins and developed curricula English class wrote about the roles more real,” said Elliott-Negri, who is Chet Jordan teaches a research- a decent salary and so that you guys around the topic appropriate to their of faculty and students in seeking a graduate employee and chairs the based English composition course can have an increased quality of edu- courses. justice within the college community. PSC Graduate Center chapter. at Guttman Community College and cation. That’s not what’s happening.’”

Missing from CUNY’s budget request, however, is an explicit line-item amount to fund a new PSC- PSC and students resist tuition hikes CUNY contract; instead the projected costs for collective bargaining were By SHOMIAL AHMAD “The governor needs to make an labeled “TBD” (to be determined). CUNY budget request at issue investment in CUNY. That invest- “CUNY chose to request an ex- Another round of tuition hikes ment translates into a quality edu- tension of the tuition hike instead could take place next year now that ita Majumdar, testifying at the No- required CUNY to cover the gap cation for working-class and poor of requesting greater state funding, the CUNY Board of Trustees over- vember 19 budget hearing. “Raising between the maximum TAP award students across the city,” PSC First [confirming] that the university is whelmingly approved, at a Novem- tuition becomes an excuse for public and tuition costs for students en- Vice President Mike Fabricant told consenting to inadequate public ber 23 meeting, a budget request disinvestment,” she said. rolled through TAP. In this fiscal Clarion. funding,” said Joseph Awadjie, that allows for a rise in tuition at In-state tuition for the current year, the cost to the University for chair of CUNY’s University Student CUNY’s senior colleges. Any move academic year at CUNY’s senior col- covering that gap is estimated at MORE TUITION INCREASES Senate and a voting member of the to increase tuition would not be leges is $6,330, more than four times $49 million. The University should not “ef- board. “I know that I speak for the decided, CUNY officials said, until the amount charged New York resi- SUNY officials are also seeking fectively be kept afloat” by tuition vast majority of students when I say they are more certain of the level dents in the 1990-91 academic year. permission to raise tuition at the increases on students “who can that we are frustrated and disap- of state funding the University will In 2011, state lawmak- state colleges. SUNY Chan- least afford [them],” Fabricant said. pointed at the budget request.” The receive in 2016. ers passed a measure called Tuition has cellor Nancy Zimpher is “The state can afford a necessary University Student Senate has voted The Professional Staff Congress SUNY 2020, which allows quadrupled lobbying to extend SUNY investment to sustain and improve twice this year to reject the plan has long opposed funding CUNY CUNY and SUNY to increase 2020, which would allow an CUNY,” he added. known as “rational tuition,” which through tuition increases, which tuition by $300 per year, per in the past additional round of tuition At the November 23 Board of has effectively regularized tuition have been used since the early student, over the course of 25 years. increases at SUNY, where Trustees meeting, CUNY Chan- increases via SUNY 2020. 1990s to offset declining public five years. SUNY 2020, which the maximum number of cellor James B. Milliken said the investment. expires in July, was pitched as a way increases allowed by the law has University needed to reach “a fair STUDENT RESISTANCE to fund new initiatives; instead, the already been reached. settlement” on outdated labor con- Awadjie, along with trustee PUBLIC DISINVESTMENT majority of revenue generated by Earlier this summer, the state leg- tracts. The PSC’s contract with Charles Shorter, voted against the Just days before the Board of increased tuition has been used to islature almost unanimously passed CUNY expired in 2010. Funding budget request. Trustees meeting, nearly 50 people fund existing services and other “maintenance of effort” (MOE) legis- for those contracts, he explained, CUNY’s budget request will now lined up to speak at the board’s pub- expenses, including increased util- lation that would guarantee future comes from three sources: state and be submitted to the executive of- lic budget hearing – many of them ity costs. funding for mandatory costs increas- city appropriations, reallocations in fices of the state and city govern- to register their opposition to any Yet any revenue generated by tu- es for utilities, rent, supplies and col- the existing budget and tuition. ment for approval. In mid-January proposed increase in tuition. ition increases comes at a price for lective bargaining. As Clarion went “People can disagree about Governor Cuomo will release his “CUNY senior college students CUNY because of the high percent- to press, Governor Andrew Cuomo choices that should be made, but I executive budget; the state’s fiscal already shoulder almost half the age of students who receive subsi- was reviewing the bill, and had until don’t believe they can dispute the budget – including its appropriation cost of the senior college operating dies through the Tuition Assistance midnight on December 11 to either possible sources and availability of for CUNY – is expected to be final- budget,” said PSC Secretary Nived- Program (TAP). The SUNY 2020 law issue a veto or sign it into law. funding,” Milliken said. ized by April. Clarion | December 2015 NEWS 5

prevent any action on climate change; they’re attacking funding support for renewables like solar and wind at the same time that they’re trying to ex- Focusing on climate change pand fossil-fuel infrastructure.” Rounding out the program was By ADELE M. STAN Such a scheme could produce Sean Sweeney, director of the Inter- Call for robust social movement three gigawatts of power, she said – national Program for Labor, Climate As leaders from around the world a significant amount of the state’s and the Environment at the CUNY prepared to convene in Paris for the “I tell you it doesn’t matter how total usage – and produce tens of Murphy Institute, who described the climate talks known as COP21, the much we make the city resilient,” he thousands of “good, union jobs.” current state of global targets for the PSC Retirees Chapter called its own said. “We have so many more people She called for the work to be ad- reduction of carbon emissions as too climate-change summit of sorts at living near the coastlines that we’re ministered through the New York low, and cautioned against exuber- a lunchtime meeting at the Union still going to have a whole lot of ad- Power Authority, which has the au- ance over any agreement reached at Hall on November 1 that featured verse impacts.” thority to raise funds through the the Paris climate talks. “[The Paris three experts to address the climate One big challenge on the mitiga- issuance of bonds, and would keep agreement] will be hailed as a mas- crisis. tion and research front, he said, is the project in the public sector as sive success in the media,” he said. Reginald Blake, director of the the number of climate experts retir- “a common good.” “But I want everyone to understand City Tech Center for Remote Sens- ing from the National Oceanic and that when the administration comes ing and Earth System Sciences of Atmospheric Administration (NO- OBSTACLES TO PROGRESS out, and the New York Times, hailing the CUNY CREST Institute, kicked AA) and the National Aeronautics In opposition to public projects it as historic, historic, historic, that things off with a series of sobering and Space Administration (NASA), at such a scale, she noted, was the it’s nowhere near where it needs to slides that showed the projected and a dearth of replacements. American Legislative Exchange be.” waves of accelerating tempera- Lara Skinner speaks to PSC members. “There’s a great push by the Na- Council (ALEC), the anti-regulatory (As Clarion went to press, world tures engulfing broad swathes tional Science Foundation to put alliance of business interests that leaders had yet to release the out- of the nation, and forecast maps Blake, an associate professor of money into programs trying to get has enjoyed funding from such in- lines of a final agreement from the showing parts of Manhattan and physics and member of the Mayor’s young people interested in the geo- dustrialists as Charles and climate talks.) Brooklyn under water as rising Task Force on Resiliency, essential- sciences,” he said. David Koch, the political Accelerating All of the speakers global temperatures cause the sea ly told the audience to brace itself Lara Skinner, associate director megadonors who are prin- temperatures agreed that without the levels to rise. for more weather catastrophes on of research at the Cornell Univer- cipals in Koch Industries. and rising sea concerted efforts of ac- the order of Hurricane Sandy, which sity School of Industrial and Labor The ALEC agenda, she tivists to combat climate MORE WEATHER CATASTROPHES was described in media reports as a Relations’s Global Labor Institute, said, was all of a piece, both levels change – one built on alli- According to a New York State “100-year storm” – meaning that a addressed the climate crisis from in its anti-labor and anti-environ- ances between all stakeholders – the report on climate change, “By 2100, storm of that magnitude generally a regional policy perspective, in- mental character. actions of governments would likely scientists project sea levels 18 to 50 occurs only once in a century. But cluding the institute’s advocacy for In addition to “undermining the fall short. inches higher than today along New with the elevation of Earth’s tem- the retrofitting of all of the state’s minimum wage” and “weakening Forces such as ALEC, Skinner said, York’s coastlines and estuaries, perature and the encroaching sea, public schools, and the installation worker protections,” Skinner said, “have a lot of money on their side, so though a rise as high as 75 inches a storm like Sandy could occur 10 of solar panels on the roofs of all “they’re trying to deny that climate we’re going to need a very powerful could occur.” times in 100 years. school buildings. change even exists. They’re trying to social movement to stop them.”

that would secure future funding by the PSC who earns less than $15 for CUNY. an hour. She’s working full-time at “Mr. Cuomo doesn’t feel like CUNY, and makes around $12.50 an Fight for $15 comes to CUNY we need [a raise], evidently,” said hour. She is one of the many who are Eric Miles, a custodial assistant at not covered under the governor’s Queens College. He’s held the job for $15-per-hour plan. By SHOMIAL AHMAD more than 30 years, he told Clarion, “I am very underpaid for what Low-wage workers speak out and earns around $14 an hour. “The I do,” Perez told Clarion. She says Across the nation on November 10, pay sucks,” said Miles, a member of that a program assistant is gener- workers at the lowest end of the pay full course load is around $25,000, A statement from New York State the DC 37 Local 1597. “I mean the ally expected to do clerical tasks, scale launched a series of rallies that according to the CUNY Adjunct AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento, benefits are great, but you can’t pay but she picks up additional respon- organizers of the Fight for $15 move- Project, an advocacy group. released the same day as the gov- for anything with benefits.” Morale sibilities, such as managing the da- ment say represented their biggest Batson, a member of the PSC ernor’s announcement, lauded Cuo- in his department is low, he said, as tabase, grading tests and helping turnout yet. The union-backed cam- bargaining team, was a featured mo’s move, saying, “We thank the the college tries to make do with with Spanish translation. paign unites workers across indus- speaker at the Fight for $15 rally, governor for his leadership and for fewer workers. tries – from home health care to fast where he made the connection be- making social and economic justice “I want a raise now…for all of us, LOW PAY AT CUNY food, transportation to child tween adjunct compensa- for all workers a top priority.” not just my department,” Miles said. Perez doesn’t intend to remain in care – in an effort to increase 'Everybody tion and the low wages of But left out of the governor’s equa- “Everybody in the CUNY family this predicament; she is studying the federal minimum wage to in the CUNY other workers, and spoke tion are many who work at CUNY, needs a raise.” for a bachelor’s degree in computer $15 per hour. Counted among of the need to build solidar- and DC 37 is pressing hard to see Meleny Perez, a program assis- information at City Tech, paying for those at the New York City family ity across sectors. them included. Cuomo, at Clarion’s tant at the Adult Learning Center her tuition and her living expenses Foley Square rally were CU- needs a “Our students depend press time, had yet to sign a “main- at New York City College of Tech- with her paltry salary. Her rent NY workers represented by on CUNY to provide a top- tenance of effort” bill, passed last nology, is one of about 80 Research recently doubled due to an error DC 37, at least 7,000 of whom raise.' rate education,” he told the summer by the state legislature Foundation workers represented by her landlord, she says, but she’s make less than $15 per hour, accord- crowd. “CUNY can’t continue to pro- stuck with the increase until she ing to the union’s Public Employee vide that education without the best is granted a hearing by the NYC Press. faculty and staff.” Housing Authority. Consequently, Many of the University’s college On the day that Fight for $15 she makes ends meet, she says, by assistants and custodians earn less rallies took place throughout the juggling three credit cards. If she than $15 an hour, on top of which, state, Governor Andrew Cuomo can put together enough money to these DC 37 CUNY workers haven’t announced a phased increase in the make her spring tuition payment, seen a raise for more than seven minimum wage to $15 per hour for she should graduate this June. years. Members of the PSC, which public employees of the New York “I’m trying to find a way, pretty represents some low-wage CUNY State government. The new rate much,” Perez said. workers, have gone without a raise will benefit roughly 1,000 workers Batson, who is also a member of for six years. in New York City. According to a the PSC Executive Council, sees in press release issued by the gover- the Fight for $15 the same values A PHASED INCREASE nor’s office, it is scheduled to go into embraced by the PSC and DC 37 as Adjunct faculty members often effect citywide by the end of 2018, the unions fight for contracts that feel a kinship with the University’s and statewide by July of 2021. (A include raises that take into account low-wage workers. “The one thing CUNY spokesperson did not specify the rate of inflation and other condi- that ties us together [is] that we’re whether CUNY employees would be tions lived by the workers of New all selling our labor,” said Michael affected, but the estimate given by York City. Batson, an adjunct lecturer at the the governor’s office appears to be Cheng Ida “We all need to stick together [in College of Staten Island, in an in- too small to cover the thousands of A contingent of DC 37 members turns out for a PSC rally outside of Chancellor order] to improve both wages and terview with Clarion. The yearly CUNY employees who make less James Milliken’s apartment building. Thousands of DC 37 CUNY workers make the conditions of our labor,” he told pay for a beginning adjunct with a than $15 an hour.) less than $15 an hour. Clarion. 6 NEWS Clarion | December 2015 Militant action highlights contract fight By SHOMIAL AHMAD and ADELE M. STAN into one of the police wagons that lined the curb. 53 members arrested at Midtown protest outside CUNY headquarters Participating in a civil disobedience action on November 4, more than 50 STUDENTS TURN OUT PSC members were arrested and On hand, as well, were a number loaded into police wagons as hun- of CUNY students ready to fight dreds more members and allies another proposed round of tuition cheered them on. increases as the state threatens to As night fell on East 42nd Street, decline funds for mandatory cost protesters filled the sidewalk and increases in the operation of the spilled into the street in front of university. (See “PSC and students CUNY headquarters. The union’s resist tuition hikes,” page 4.) bargaining team caucused in- “I came down here with a bunch doors, having just received an of students,” said Jonathan Buchs- economic offer from university baum, professor of media studies management that PSC President at Queens College, where he chairs Barbara Bowen character- the PSC chapter. “Everyone ized as inadequate. First Contract is concerned about the in- among the problems identi- stitution; they feel it’s being fied by the PSC bargaining offer full disserved by politicians who team in the management of zeros don’t believe in supporting proposal was its failure to public institutions with pub- include salary increases even lic money.” Around his right arm, close to the level of inflation. It also Buchsbaum wore a red ribbon. failed to provide retroactive pay “I’m ready to sit down in front of increases for four of the years in this building until I have to move,” which union members have been said Ken Estey, associate professor without a contract. of political science at Brooklyn Col- lege. In the present dynamic with INADEQUATE OFFER CUNY management, he added, “it’s It took six months for manage- only with blocking the way that you ment to respond to the economic open up the possibilities.” proposal put forward by the union George Emilio Sanchez, chair of in May. Having gone five years the PSC chapter at the College of without a contract and six years Staten Island (CSI), sported an or- without a raise, the union finally ange marshal’s vest as he walked received the offer only after an- the barricades set up by police to nouncing plans for a sit-in at the contain the crowd. He was there to entryway to the CUNY headquar- help maintain an orderly process ters building. as people took part in the civil Both in the negotiating room and disobedience action, he explained, on the street, PSC members wore and to help keep the rally going red ribbons tied around their arms strong as people were arrested. “I indicating their willingness to risk do see the membership galvaniz- arrest in order to shut down access ing,” said Sanchez, a professor of to CUNY offices until either an ad- performing and creative arts who (from left) Brooklyn College adjunct lecturer Heidi Diehl, Queensborough Community College CUNY Start program instructor Wally Rosenthal and City Tech associate professor Ben Shepard join with colleagues from equate offer was received, or they chairs his department at CSI. “I see across PSC constituencies to block the entrance of the CUNY Central Office on 42nd Street. They were among the 53 protesters arrested November 4, and charged with disorderly conduct. were carted off to jail. them coming together, I see more The New York Police Department actions taking place. And that’s As the bargaining session “No contract! No peace!” he crowd. CUNY management’s paltry turned out in force, with scores of really important because I think wrapped up inside the building, chanted, speaking through a pub- offer, she said, represents “a ges- officers at the ready, plastic hand- that’s what’s gonna tip it.” An ac- First Vice President Mike Fabri- lic address system. “Education is ture of contempt to our students cuffs dangling from their belts, ceptable offer, he said, will “come cant, wearing a red armband, ral- a right!” and to us,” because the failure of poised to walk sit-in participants from our demanding it.” lied demonstrators outside. management to offer a raise struc- ‘GESTURE OF CONTEMPT’ ture that keeps up with the rate of Inside the CUNY headquarters, inflation means that CUNY will not the bargaining team and PSC observ- be able to support its current work- ers – who together numbered around force decently, and that it will fail 35 – emerged from the elevator led to attract the faculty and staff its by Bowen, and marched through the students deserve. lobby chanting, “What do we want? The children of working-class Contract! When do we want it? Now!” New Yorkers, Bowen continued, All wore the black T-shirts that have “shouldn’t have a crappy education, come to symbolize the PSC’s contract shouldn’t have a merely adequate campaign, inscribed in block letters education, shouldn’t have a third- with the words five years with- rate education – they should have the out a union contract hurts cuny best education. And that’s what we students. are fighting for – the right of our stu- As Bowen exited the building dents to have the resources they need to take the microphone, she and to have the education they deserve.” many others who attended the ses- The crowd in the street respond- sion took their places along the bar- ed with cheers. ricade where those willing to risk arrest had lined up. “We’re lined up RAISING CONSCIOUSNESS to be civilly disobedient,” said Rob- Warren Orange, an academic ad- ert Farrell, an associate professor in viser at the Center for Worker Educa- the Library Department at Lehman tion at City College, was among those College, with a hint of irony. cheering. “CUNY is such an impor- “It has taken the threat of a sit-in tant institution in the city,” he said. Dave SandersDave and arrests to get them to put one “For the majority of people, it’s our As night fell, hundreds of PSC members rallied and marched, calling for real movement in contract talks. penny on the table,” Bowen told the opportunity to better our lives. For Clarion | December 2015 NEWS 7

strating solidarity, participating in collective actions.” IN THIS TOGETHER Dave Kotelchuck, a retired mem- ber of the Hunter faculty, explained Militant action highlights contract fight why he came out for the rally de- spite the fact that the contract fight doesn’t affect him directly. 53 members arrested at Midtown protest outside CUNY headquarters “Solidarity means to me the same thing that Social Security means for the country as a whole, that the folks in the older genera- tion have to support the folks in the younger generation as the younger generation supports us when we get our Social Security payments,” he said. When the numbers of protest- ers sitting cross-legged, chanting, in front of the building overflowed onto the sidewalk, officers moved in, cuffing several union members and, walking them to the police wagons parked in a line along 42nd Street. Andrea Vásquez, a higher edu- cation officer at the Graduate Center and member of the PSC Executive Council, stood in hand- cuffs on the sidewalk, watching as her colleague, Chapter Chair Luke Elliott-Negri, a doctoral stu- dent in sociology, was led away as several of his students tried to get his attention, yelling, “Professor! Professor!” “Thank you for coming,” Vásquez Cheng Ida told the students as Elliott-Negri Bargaining team members chant for a fair contract in the corridors of CUNY was led into the back of a police headquarters. (Front row, from left: Andrea Vásquez, Marcia Newfield and PSC wagon. “It’s really important that President Barbara Bowen.) you know our fight is your fight.” show some respect for their uni- a lone vuvuzela horn and the DEMANDING RESPECT versity because we are CUNY, it’s pounding of drums, provided the Vásquez, managing director of not just the ‘stars’ whom we see soundtrack to the stream of sit-in the Graduate Center’s New Me- on the [CUNY recruitment] post- participants being loaded into po - dia Lab, is on the PSC bargaining ers in the subway. It’s not just the lice vans. The chants continued as team, and was at the negotiating students who earn big awards and 53 PSC members were carted away table when CUNY Vice Chancellor get grants. We have half a million to One Police Plaza for booking. Pamela Silverblatt described man- students at CUNY. Half a million There, they were placed in agement’s offer. students deserve a good education, holding cells, men separated The way Vásquez sees it, man- and the thousands of faculty and from women, until they were re - agement hasn’t been willing to staff who work at CUNY deserve leased at around midnight. They Dave SandersDave go to the mat for the university. good salaries and good raises, de - were charged with disorderly (from left) Brooklyn College adjunct lecturer Heidi Diehl, Queensborough Community College CUNY Start program instructor Wally Rosenthal and City Tech associate professor Ben Shepard join with colleagues from “CUNY [management] needs to cent raises.” conduct. across PSC constituencies to block the entrance of the CUNY Central Office on 42nd Street. They were among the 53 protesters arrested November 4, and charged with disorderly conduct. go to Albany and demand fund- Read and view media coverage ing for this university,” Vásquez MASS ARRESTS of the PSC’s civil disobedience some of us, it’s the only opportunity.” ing the entrance to this building.... said, as she waited to be taken by The chants of protesters, punc- action and rally at tinyurl.com/ He turned out for the rally, he said, If you refuse to disperse, you will police for booking. “[They need to] tuated with rhythmic blasts from PSCmedia. because “I want to raise conscious- be placed under arrest and charged ness.” Too few New Yorkers know with disorderly conduct.” that CUNY faculty and staff have “This is my first civil disobedi- gone so long without a raise, he added. ence,” said adjunct and graduate Police floodlights shone on the student Haneen Adi, who teaches building entrance as dark- English at Brooklyn Col- ness fell. Chanting “Tax the Union’s lege. She described what she rich, not the poor; stop the fight is called “an attack on CUNY” war on CUNY!” groups of as targeting the poor, the PSC members began to sit in students’ working class and people of front of the doorway, locking fight. color. “I’m Palestinian,” Adi arms in tight rows. Soon the explained. “[This] goes pret- entryway was filled with PSC mem- ty deep politically, and social justice bers, including the union’s officers. is just a part of my identity.” Overhead, helicopters from local television news outlets hovered, TRAINED AND READY while on the street, members and All of those who took part in the allies chanted in support, hoisting civil disobedience action received signs that read cuny needs a raise training from the union. Even and no more excuses, chancellor though Farrell had never been milliken! Some beat a plastic water- part of an arrest-risking action, he cooler jug with a drumstick, while wasn’t nervous. “I think we’re all others raised a ruckus with percus- very well trained,” he said. “We are sion instruments. all nerdy enough to know what to Using their own public address do and what not to do.” system, police triggered an auto- “We’re at a point now where you mated message delivered in an om- really have to put your money where inous-sounding male voice: “This your mouth is and put yourself on SandersDave is the New York City Police Depart- the line,” Farrell added. “Part of More than 50 PSC members who engaged in civil disobedience were escorted to one of several police vans lining 42nd ment. You are unlawfully obstruct- being in a union is about demon- Street in busy Midtown Manhattan. Arrestees were taken to One Police Plaza. 8 RIGHTS & BENEFITS Clarion | December 2015

supplemented by your PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund benefits, which cover optical, audiological, dental, pre- Constructing a retirement timeline scription drugs and extended medi- cal benefits. (Only GHI-CBP plan By JARED HERST applicable). If you are 65 or older and participants are eligible.) Planning will smooth the way have not already applied for Medi- At 65, if you have already re - If you are approaching retirement care, you should do so. tired, Medicare will become your with a mix of anticipation and con- Once you have determined your You should also develop an un- In the month before your retire- primary insurance (Part A covers fusion, you are not alone. You may retirement date, put together a per- derstanding of your projected ment date, remind Medicare of hospital stays, and Part B, doc- be thinking: What will I do once I sonal timetable for planning. The retirement benefits. Full-time in- your pending retirement and do tors’ visits), and your New York retire? Have I saved enough to re- union conducts retirement planning structional staff members who the paperwork to secure a Medicare City health plan becomes your tire? How does my retiree health forums twice yearly, and has help- belong to an Optional Retirement Part B reimbursement. secondary insurance, functioning insurance work? When should I ful planning materials on the PSC Program (ORP) plan (TIAA-CREF, Visit the PSC-CUNY Welfare in a way similar to what’s known start taking my Social Security website at tinyurl.com/ MetLife or Halliday) Fund website for any steps needed as “Medigap” insurance, covering and Medicare benefits? Creating a PSCbenefits. should have a re- to continue optional benefits at the 20 percent of office-visit fees not retirement timeline can help resolve Consulting a personal tirement planning tinyurl.com/PSCretirees. paid by Medicare Part B when you these questions and relieve anxiety. financial planner is al- meeting with a rep- go to the doctor. (You should always ways useful, starting, if resentative of the HEALTH & WELFARE FUND COVERAGE consult your health provider to see WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU? possible, five years out appropriate plan. Retired members eligible for New if there are potential additional ex- Start by envisioning a retirement from your prospective Members enrolled York City retiree health insurance penses beyond what Medicare and date. Full-time CUNY instructional retirement date. One to two years be- in the Teachers Retirement System coverage typically fall into one of two your NYC health plan will pay for staff members can retire with full fore your expected retirement date, (TRS) should review TRS pre-re- categories: those who are eligible for any treatment you seek.) benefits at age 62, if they have met plan to meet with the PSC benefits tirement calculations with the PSC Medicare, and those who are not. If At whatever age you retire, be the years-of-service requirements. counselor concerning how to access benefits counselor. you opt to retire at 62, you will not be sure to ask your campus human At age 62, you are eligible to receive Travia Leave and the form to be filed Three months before you are eligible for Medicare until your 65th resources benefits manager how Social Security benefits – but at a with your HR Office. While staff can scheduled to retire, you should birthday. Those who stay with the your dependents’ basic health and lower monthly benefit amount than schedule Travia Leave starting any complete CUNY pre-retirement pa- same primary health insurance plan benefits coverage will be affected by if you wait until the age the govern- time, faculty need to work with their perwork and your TRS retirement they had as active employees will not your change of employment status. ment has set for full retirement (65, 66 departments and college HR offices or TIAA-CREF “Lifetime Income see much change in their coverage. or 67, depending on your birth date). at least a semester in advance. Annuity” paperwork (whichever is Your NYC health benefits plan will Jared Herst is the PSC’s coordina- serve as your primary insurance, tor of pension and health benefits. WF gets new pharmacy provider CLTs and HEOs: Don’t miss out! By LARRY MORGAN By CLARION STAFF The union pressed hard for this On January 1, 2016, a new pharma- New plan: CVS/caremark differential in the last round of bar- cy benefit manager (PBM) will be Changing the administration of will be “mail order at retail” – the Are you receiving a salary differen- gaining. CUNY’s human resources administering the drug benefit for the drug benefit for more than 17,500 ability to fill a 90-day prescription tial for your advanced degree? offices should be doing more to en- the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund (WF). active members and 6,500 retirees is for maintenance medication right at If you are a college laboratory tech- sure that new employees who may Express Scripts is being replaced by complicated. It would not have been a local CVS store. And CVS will offer nician (CLT) or an assistant to higher be eligible and incumbent employ- CVS/caremark. undertaken by the WF Board with- further inducements by issuing a 20 education officer (aHEO), the answer ees who may become eligible for Active members and retirees out distinct benefit to fund mem- percent discount card and promoting should be “yes,” thanks to an agree- the differential know about the have already begun receiving mail- bers, as well as state-of-the-art cost its in-store mini clinics. ment reached in the negotiations for process for obtaining this impor- ings from the WF and the new PBM, control improvements that continue the PSC-CUNY 2007-10 contract. tant benefit. Specifically, introducing them to the CVS/care- this benefit into the future. The tran- MAIL-ORDER SERVICE The contract contains special A salary your college should have mark system. Retired mem- sition will involve no changes Information on current mail-order provisions in Article 24.8 for an bump informed you about the bers currently participating Your new to benefit parameters, such refills will be transferred from Ex- annual salary differential for full- salary differential and the in the Express Scripts Medi- drug plan as copayment levels. There press Scripts to CVS/caremark. For time CLTs and aHEOs who have could be process for obtaining it care Part D drug program starts in will be a very small number the protection of our members, pay- earned graduate degrees related yours. at the time of your initial are being notified of their of members notified of “for- ment information will not be trans- to their work. appointment, especially transfer to the CVS/caremark 2016. mulary” changes – when the ferred to CVS/caremark. Members when a graduate degree is listed Medicare D program called drug currently being used who have enjoyed the convenience GRADUATE DEGREES on a CV or employment applica- SilverScript. Everyone should read must be replaced by an equally effec- of receiving drugs automatically and Effective March 19, 2010, all full- tion. Supervisors, guided by HR the CVS/caremark and SilverScript tive medication that costs less. Tar- having charges posted to a credit card time CLTs, senior CLTs, chief CLTs departments, should inform in- mailings with careful attention. geted notifications will be mailed in will need to provide payment informa- and aHEOs who hold a master’s de- cumbent employees of this benefit, New cards and welcome kits to both mid-December and will give people a tion to CVS/caremark. All information gree from an accredited university especially those who are pursuing groups will be in the mail by the end chance to discuss any changes with regarding this is provided in the mail- in a field related to their job duties a graduate degree. of December. Information on the new their doctors. ings, on the websites or via the CVS/ are to receive a $1,000 annual salary The PSC provides information program is online at the Welfare Fund Although the new benefit man- caremark customer care phone lines. differential. An employee with any about the annual salary differential website (psccunywf.org), the CVS/ ager is part of CVS, members who If anyone currently participating of these titles who holds a doctoral on its website (tinyurl.com/Article24) caremark website (caremark.com) get their prescriptions at brick-and- in the Express Scripts system has degree from an accredited univer- in chapter newsletters and at union and the Silverscript website (psccu- mortar pharmacies will not be lim- not received notification from CVS/ sity in a field related to his or her meetings. The union will help if you nywf.silverscript.com). The Silver- ited to CVS and may continue to use caremark or SilverScript, it is pos- job duties is due a $2,500 annual are having difficulty getting infor- Script Medicare D customer care their current pharmacies, whether sible that an incorrect address is on salary differential. The differential mation about the process for obtain- phone line (866-881-8573) went live on they are small businesses or part of a file. In this case, please immediately becomes a permanent part of the ing the differential from your college October 27, and the CVS/caremark big chain. However, the relationship email the Welfare Fund at communi- employee’s base salary as long as HR office. If you have questions or line (866-209-6177) went live earlier with the CVS chain of retail pharma- [email protected]. he or she remains in a position cov- concerns, please contact Albert Mu- this month. cies is viewed as a positive aspect of ered by the agreement, and should ñoz, PSC contract administration the new program. One significant ad- Larry Morgan is executive director be paid over and above each salary coordinator, at 212-354-1252 or amu- SAME LEVEL OF CARE vantage offered by CVS pharmacies of the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund. step increase. [email protected]. The WF Board of Trustees voted unanimously to change pharmacy benefit managers in August after assessing a deteriorating relation- Clarion DECEMBER 2015 ship with Express Scripts, marked Newspaper of the Professional Staff Congress/City University of New York, collective bargaining representative of the CUNY instructional staff. Vol. 44, No. 7. PSC/CUNY is affiliated with the American Association of University Professors, National Education Association, 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, by increasing member complaints 61 Broadway, 15th floor, New York, NY 10006. Telephone: (212) 354-1252. Website: www.psc-CUNY.org. Email: [email protected]. All opinions expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the PSC. and rising costs. A detailed request PSC OFFICERS: Barbara Bowen, President; Michael Fabricant, First Vice President; Nivedita Majumdar, Secretary; Sharon Persinger, Treasurer; Steve London, Paul Washington, Alan Feigenberg, David Hatchett, for a proposal was given to four com- Alia Tyner-Mullings, University-Wide Officers; Alex Vitale, Vice President, Senior Colleges; Penny Lewis, Clarence Taylor, George Sanchez, Senior College Officers; Lorraine Cohen, Vice President Community Colleges; Lizette Colón, Michael Spear, Anthony Gronowicz, Community College Officers; Iris DeLutro, Vice President, Cross-Campus Units; Andrea Vásquez, Alan Pearlman, Jacqueline Elliot, Cross-Campus petitive pharmacy benefit managers Officers; Susan DiRaimo, Vice President, Part-Time Personnel; Blanca Vázquez, Lenny Dick, Michael Batson, Part-Time Personnel Officers; Steve Leberstein, Glenn Kissack, Reitree Officers​; Irwin H. Polishook, through a special consulting firm President Emeritus; Peter I. Hoberman, Vice President Emeritus, Cross-Campus Units. hired by the board. All returned bids STAFF: Deborah Bell, Executive Director; Naomi Zauderer, Associate Executive Director; Faye H. Alladin, Coordinator, Financial Services; Debra L. Bergen, Director, Contract Administration & University-Wide Grievance Officer; Deirdre Brill, Director, Organizing; Francis Clark, Coordinator, Communications; Barbara Gabriel, Coordinator, Office Services and Human Resources; Jared Herst, Coordinator, Pension & Health were reviewed carefully by trustees Benefits; Kate Pfordresher, Director, Research & Public Policy; Diana Rosato, Coordinator, Membership Department; Peter Zwiebach, Director of Legal Affairs. and WF professionals, who consid- Editor: Adele M. Stan / Associate Editor: Shomial Ahmad / Designer: Margarita Aguilar / Copy Editors: Teri Duerr, Matthew Schlecht ered a number of factors. © 2015 Professional Staff Congress/CUNY Clarion | December 2015 INVESTIGATION OPINION 9

PLAINTIFFS WANT GOD IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS Religion behind anti-union SCOTUS case By SARAH POSNER seling its members on how they can opt out of union fees based on religious objections, Here Clarion presents the third article in our rather than spending money on other ser- series examining the forces behind and im- vices for its members. plications of Friedrichs v. California Teach- Those services include providing back- ers Association, the free speech case with ing to CEAI’s member teachers when their potentially serious ramifications for unions school districts censure them for crossing currently before the Supreme Court of the that church-state separation line. United States. At issue is the underpinning The CEAI, Laursen has said, is “here to of public-sector unionism – that public em- encourage, equip, and empower Christian ployees who opt out of union membership educators in our public schools...to become can still be obligated to pay for their indi- transformational agents.” The organization vidual share of the services and collective will, according to its website, offer members bargaining they receive from the union. This “prayer support,” “guidance on establishing has been considered settled law since the prayer groups in your building,” and con- 1977 Supreme Court decision in Abood v. nections with “ministries that equip you to Detroit Board of Education, but the present be an effective witness for Jesus our Lord in conservative majority on the Court could your school or district.” decide to overturn Abood, either wholly or in part, depending on its decision in Fried- CASE OF THE CREATIONIST SCIENCE TEACHER richs. For public-sector unions such as the CEAI often takes positions that are in con- PSC, the consequences could be profound. flict with prevailing law on the major church- state separation issues in the public schools. Mark Wilson/Getty Images News ucked away in Friedrichs v. In 2006, after a federal judge in Pennsylva- California Teachers Associa- A protester carries a cross in front of the US Supreme Court on October 7, 2009 in Washington, DC. nia ruled the teaching of intelligent design tion, a lawsuit purportedly unconstitutional in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area about unions and free speech, ers skirt the Constitution by claiming that Ken Estey, associate professor of political School District, Laursen insisted that teach- lies another, real First Amend- their right to free religious expression is science at Brooklyn College, cautions that ers be permitted to teach “the controversy,” Tment concern: the separation of church and thwarted by the separation of church and not all evangelicals hew to an anti-union line. terminology creationists use to portray the state. The lead plaintiff in the case is Re- state. Under the First Amendment’s Estab- While it’s true that “for a lot of people in the teaching of creationism as simply another becca Friedrichs, a teacher in the Savanna lishment Clause, the government, including further-right, labor unions are just a step viewpoint. (One of the benefits of CEAI mem- School District; she is joined in the suit by public schools, cannot endorse or appear to away from communism,” many evangelicals bership is discounted tickets to the Creation nine additional individuals, and one orga- endorse a particular religion. CEAI officials not only support but belong to labor unions, Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.) nization: the Christian Educators Associa- have claimed that this principle is not in the he said. A monolithic view of their position on But while CEAI has pressed this agenda tion International (CEAI), which bills itself Constitution; in fact, one has called the as- unions, said Estey, “doesn’t capture the com- to its members, its efforts to test them in the as an alternative to the “secular” teachers’ sertion of constitutional church-state sepa- plexity in American evangelicalism, especial- legal system have largely met with failure. unions, and maintains that the Constitu- ration “a lie.” ly on the social justice side.” CEAI’s forays into the legal system, apart tion does not bar teachers from imparting Laursen declined to be interviewed for from the Friedrichs case, have involved their Christian faith in their classrooms. this article. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TARGETED what it has framed as the defense of teach- “Many public school educators believe The legal claims in Friedrichs rest on the ers expressing their faith in the classroom. that they must make their schools God-less ANTI-LABOR CHRISTIAN GROUPS assertion that paying agency fees (also de- Their attempts have been routinely rejected under the banner of ‘separation of church Founded in 1953 in California as the Fel- scribed by unions as “fair share” fees) to the by the courts as violations of the Establish- and state,’” CEAI’s executive director, lowship of Christian Educators, CEAI now California Teachers Association violates the ment Clause. Finn Laursen, has written, “to the extent presents itself as an alternative to the Na- plaintiffs’ free speech rights because of their In 2010, Laursen served as an expert wit- that an environment is created that is hos- tional Education Association (NEA), which disagreements with CTA’s political posi- ness in hearings reviewing the termination tile to religion.” it claims promotes secular, liberal political tions. But agency-fee payers – teachers who of John Freshwater, a middle school science The teachers’ unions, Laursen maintains, positions that conflict with Christian values. have opted out of union membership, and teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who was “have such control that student needs be- The association currently has chapters in 20 are consequently mandated only to pay for fired in 2008 for refusing to follow school come secondary” to those of the union. In states; its website says its mission is “to en- their share of services the union provides on district directives to remove displays of re- that “hostile” public-school environment, courage, equip, and empower educators ac- their behalf, such as collective bargaining – ligious texts and the Ten Commandments according to Laursen, “the sin nature [sic] cording to biblical principles.” are not required to pay for the union’s politi- from his classroom. Freshwater’s troubles of mankind is accepted and even promoted.” The history of evangelical involvement cal activities. began in 2007 when a student sued the school There are “forces are at work,” he writes, in anti-union activity dates back at least CEAI, however, argues in Friedrichs that district, alleging that the veteran teacher had that aim to “control the minds of our chil- to the 1930s, said Baruch College history it and its members – 600, it says, in Califor- burned a cross into the student’s arm with a dren by systematically promoting such professor Clarence Taylor, in an interview nia, including six of the individual plain- Tesla coil. The school district settled the case things as sexual orientation being genetical- with Clarion. At the time, many conserva- tiffs in Friedrichs – are “fundamentally with the student out of court. ly driven and same sex marriage being ac- tive evangelicals viewed unions as part of opposed to many of the positions taken by In CEAI’s Teachers of Vision Magazine, ceptable under the banner of tolerance.” a supposed communist threat, and busi- teachers’ unions, both within the collective Laursen recounted his testimony at Fresh- ness-allied leaders, such as James Fifield bargaining process and outside of that pro- water’s administrative proceedings chal- MISSIONARIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS and Abraham Vereide, organized events to cess,” and frames the collective bargain- lenging the teacher’s dismissal. “I invested The CEAI considers the public schools to evangelize against the New Deal. (Vereide ing process as an expression of politics in over two hours clarifying the religious free- be a setting ripe for proselytizing, and its convened prayer breakfasts for business and of itself, and therefore a violation of the doms teachers have in our public schools members the foot soldiers in a battle for the elites and Fifield founded the Spiritual Mo- freedom of association guaranteed under that were relevant in Mr. Freshwater’s students’ minds – and souls. “There are over bilization movement.) The fear of unions the First Amendment. case,” Laursen wrote. “All the pieces of the 50 million students in our public schools, intensified in evangelical circles dur- In a section of its website devoted to testimony lined up with the key issues of the 70 million parents, three and half million ing the Cold War and amid the backlash warning prospective members of the Na- case and the peace of the Lord could be felt teachers,” Laursen said in a 2007 video, against movements for racial equality and tional Education Association’s “liberal polit- during the process.” “Christian Teacher Core Values.” That rep- women’s rights. In 1979, the Moral Major- ical stance,” CEAI notes, “You may also be resents nearly 124 million people, he add- ity was founded, and played a significant surprised at what you find as you compare ‘A HERO OF THE FAITH’ ed, “many of them spiritually and morally role in electing Ronald Reagan to the presi- your Christian beliefs with the agendas of When Freshwater filed a separate federal bankrupt. We know the truth, and we need dency. the NEA and realize your membership dol- case against the school district, claiming that to send our missionaries into that area.” “When looking at that long history, lars makes [sic] the NEA’s agenda possible.” its actions violated his First Amendment In CEAI’s brief in support of its petition clearly by the 1970s, the Christian right de- Furthermore, CEAI maintains, Califor- right to his free exercise of religion, Laursen for Supreme Court review of the Friedrichs cided to get involved in politics,” said Taylor, nia’s agency shop laws have the “effect of said in a statement that he was “happy to case, which the Court granted in June, there “they particularly targeted unions because creating a drain on CEAI’s resources.” Ac- serve someone of such high moral character is no mention of the organization’s positions they saw them as strong opposition to their cording to Laursen’s affidavit filed in the as John Freshwater as a member of CEAI. on church-state separation, secularism, or agenda,” which includes officially sanc- case, the “scheme operated by” the teachers’ John is proving to be a hero of the faith.” its conservative Christian beliefs. But in tioned prayer in public schools. union causes CEAI to spend money coun- Although Freshwater ended up drop- materials disseminated through its web- ping his First Amendment case against the site, in media interviews, and at its events, district, his appeal of his termination went CEAI makes clear that it aims to help teach- First Amendment issues at stake Continued on page 10 10 NEWSPOETRY & LETTERS Clarion | December 2015 York lecturer wins poetry prize Religion behind SCOTUS case Continued from page 9 Kentucky clerk Kim Davis in her all the way to the Ohio Supreme quest to deny marriage licenses to Tomás Modesto Galán, an adjunct lecturer at York Studies, in October. Below is a poem from his 2008 Court, which ruled in his employ- same-sex couples – sought to in- College, was awarded the Poet of the Year prize book, Subway: Vida subterránea y otras confesio- er’s favor in 2013. Chief Justice tervene in an effort to vacate the by the Americas Poetry Festival of New York, co- nes, accompanied by an English translation by poet Maureen O’Connor wrote in the consent decree. “They invented sponsored by CUNY’s Division of Interdisciplinary Dan Vera. majority opinion that Freshwater these fanciful readings of the con- “not only ignored the school dis- sent decree,” said Mach, includ- trict’s directive, he defied it.” He ing concerns that it would prevent Insistiendo en el ocho de Marzo did not have a Free Exercise right teachers from saying, “God bless to display those items in his class- you” if someone sneezed, or in the Tomás Modesto Galán room, she added, “because they case of one CEAI member, from were not a part of his exercise of praying quietly in the stands if her his religion. Freshwater’s willful grandson, who attended school in La vida subterránea sirve al placer de una conjugación, al malestar de cazar verbos, segregar disobedience of these direct orders the district, was injured in a wres- adjetivos, deshollinar rieles, desatar una vez más la insensatez de esta pregunta, o la demonstrates blatant insubordina- tling match. tion.” The US Supreme Court de- The court ruled their fears incomprensión que me hace cerrar los ojos y abrazar libros, paraguas nuestros desconectar nied review of the case in 2014. “objectively unreasonable,” a las puertas del purgatorio para descubrir un aliento, el gesto vanidoso del cuerpo escondido CEAI also sought to intervene “strained interpretation of the de- in a case in the Santa Rosa School cree,” and denied CEAI’s motion to en las ventanas, predispuesto para un cuadro, una fase equívoca, esqueletos bañados por District in Florida, where, in 2009, intervene. The CEAI later brought los diseñadores o por los músicos del despertar. A esta altura la hipnosis nos lleva hacia una the school district had settled a its own lawsuit, which resulted, lawsuit brought by the American in 2011, in only minor clarifica- esquina impredecible. Civil Liberties Union, charging nu- tions of the consent decree, such as merous violations of the Establish- spelling out that saying “God bless ment Clause. The school district’s you” does not violate the Estab- conduct was “over the top,” said lishment Clause. Daniel Mach, director of the ACLU Although it is not apparent Persisting on March 8th Program on Freedom of Religion from reading CEAI’s Supreme by Tomás Modesto Galán and Belief, citing, for example, the Court brief, if the Friedrichs high school teacher handbook, plaintiffs are successful, the rip- Translation by Dan Vera which required school personnel ple effect of their efforts could to “embrace every opportunity to do more than undermine unions: inculcate, by precept and example, It could open another chapter in Subway living serves at the pleasure of conjugation, the unease of chasing verbs, separating the practice of every Christian vir- the war over religion in public adjectives, sweeping the lines, unlacing once again the pointlessness of this question, or the tue.” Mach said that teachers and schools, emboldening groups such coaches regularly led students in as CEAI to intensify efforts to al- unfathomable that makes me close my eyes and embrace books, our umbrellas open the gates prayer, and some teachers “were low public school teachers to en- of this purgatory to find some relief, the vain gesture of the body hidden in the windows, posed effectively teaching Sunday school dorse and promote religion with lessons in public school classes” their students once their best-or- for a picture, an uncertain moment, skeletons bathed by designers or by morning’s musicians. and “proselytizing students, some- ganized opponents – the teachers’ At this point the dream takes us to an unknowable corner. times with a bullhorn.” unions – are weakened.

KIM DAVIS’S ATTORNEYS Sarah Posner is a senior correspon- The school district admitted li- dent for Religion Dispatches and Tomás Modesto Galán is a Dominican writer and cultural activist who ability and agreed to a compre- an investigative journalist whose has lived in New York since 1986. His most recent book is Los cuentos de hensive settlement, after which work has appeared in The Wash- Mount Hope (Editora Universitaria, 2014). Dan Vera is a US poet based in CEAI, represented by Liberty ington Post, The Daily Beast, The Washington, DC. His most recent book is Speaking Wiri Wiri (Red Hen Counsel – the same religious-right American Prospect, The Nation Press, 2013). law firm that represented the and many other publications.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF CONGRESS/CUNY NOTICE OF NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS – SPRING 2016 Chapter Officers, Delegates and Alternates to the PSC Delegate NYC Tech 1008 Chair + 9 6 25 printed name, signature, department and college of each petitioner; and of labels. Please see Barbara Gabriel at the PSC for further information, Assembly and PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Advisory Council Queens EOC 8 Chair 1 2 (b) the printed name, signature, department and college of the nominee, and to file the required forms. Queensborough CC 839 Chair + 7 5 25 as well as the office being sought by the nominee. For chapter elections, Term of Office: 3 Years Registrars 3 Chair 1 1 members may only sign nominating petitions of the chapter to which Election Tally: Each candidate, or a representative of the candidate, is ELECTION SCHEDULE Research Foundation 91 Chair 1 23 they belong. A candidate’s signature on a Declaration of Candidacy shall entitled to be present at the counting of the ballots. 1. Deadline for filling the Candidate Declaration form will be January 6, 2016. RF Field Units 176 Chair +1 2 25 constitute that candidate’s acceptance of the slate designation. 2. Pre-printed Nominating petitions will be available upon request from Retirees 2764 Chair + 6 5 25 PSC-CUNY WELFARE FUND ADVISORY COUNCIL the PSC office on February 1, 2016. Slate Regulations: At each of the colleges listed below, voters will elect the designated number of 3. Properly completed nominating petitions must be received at the Relevant portions of the ELECTION RULES are summarized below. The A slate of candidates will be recognized if it consists of candidates for members of the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Advisory Council, in accordance with PSC office, 61 Broadway – Ste. 1500, New York, NY 10006, by 5:00 complete rules may be obtained from Barbara Gabriel at the PSC office, twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the officers to be elected, and the above schedule and rules and the by-laws of the PSC/CUNY Welfare Fund: pm, March 2, 2016. or viewed on the PSC website: psc-cuny.org. if it submits, prior to the close of nominations: (1) a listing of caucus 4. Ballots will be mailed to members’s home addresses on April 1, 2016. officers, all of whom must be members in good standing, including the College Council Members College Council Members 5. Ballots in uncontested elections must be received at the PSC office by Declaration of Candidacy person designated to authorize nominees for that caucus’s slate; and (2) Bronx EOC 1 Medgar Evers 2 5:00 pm on April 28, 2016. Candidates must submit a signed declaration of candidacy no later than a nominating petition including the printed name, signature, department Brooklyn EOC 1 NYC Tech 2 Ballots in contested elections must be received at the office of the January 6, 2016 to Barbara Gabriel at the PSC office. The declaration and college of each petitioner, and the signature for each candidate run- College of SI 2 Queens EOC 1 designated ballot-counting organization by 5:00 pm on April 28, 2016. must specify the office(s) being sought, the candidate’s name, college ning on the slate. The candidate’s signature on the slate petition shall Hunter Campus Schools 1 Queensborough 2 Ballots will be counted at 10:00 am on April 29, 2016. and department and, if the candidate intends to run as part of a slate or constitute that candidate’s acceptance of the slate designation. Kingsborough 2 Research Foundation 1 caucus, the name of the slate or caucus. Slate or caucus declarations Lehman College 2 RF Field Units 1 OFFICERS TO BE ELECTED should be submitted through the slate or caucus designee. A sample Balloting: All voting must be on the official PSC ballot. Write-in votes are Manhattan CC 2 Retirees 1 In each of the Chapters listed below, voters will elect the Chapter Chair- declaration form is available on the PSC website: psc-cuny.org/declara- permitted. A write-in vote shall be valid if the intent of the voter is clear; Manhattan EOC 1 person, Vice Chairperson, Secretary, four Officers-at-Large, Delegates tionofcandidacy or from Barbara Gabriel at the PSC office. written, printed and typed names are acceptable. A write-in candidate must to the Delegate Assembly (in addition to the Chapter Chairperson, who meet the same eligibility requirements as a regular candidate. In chapter Voting Eligibility: All members in good standing of the PSC at the above shall automatically be the initial delegate to the Delegate Assembly) and Eligibility for Holding Office: Members shall be permitted to hold chapter- elections, any nominated or write-in candidate must receive at least ten colleges, who have been members in good standing for at least four Alternates to the Delegate Assembly according to the following listing: level office who have been members in good standing of the appropriate chap- (10) votes or ten percent (10%) of the votes cast for that office, whichever (4) months, including Higher Education Officers, Registrars and College Petition Signatures ter for at least one (1) year prior to the close of nominations, March 2, 2016. is less, in order to be elected. Write-in candidates who are elected must Laboratory Technicians, as well as faculty, will elect the PSC-CUNY Wel- Chapter Members Delegates Alternates Required submit written acceptance of office to the Elections Committee within ten fare Fund Advisory Council members running at their respective colleges. Bronx EOC 14 Chair 1 4 Voting Eligibility: Members shall be permitted to participate in the nomina- (10) calendar days of notification that their election has been certified. Brooklyn EOC 36 Chair 1 9 tion process and to vote who have been members in good standing of the ap- Eligibility for Holding Office: PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund Advisory Coun- College of SI 745 Chair + 6 5 25 propriate chapter for at least four (4) months prior to the mailing of the ballots Campaigning: Declared candidates may mail literature at their own ex- cil members must be CUNY instructional staff members who have been Hunter Campus Schools 97 Chair 1 24 on April 1, 2016 (i.e., they must have been a member as of December 1, 2015). pense, either directly or through the PSC mailing house (Century Direct, members in good standing of the PSC for two (2) years prior to the HEOs 3233 Chair + 31 8 25 30-00 47th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101). At the request of the close of nominations, March 2, 2016. Kingsborough 728 Chair + 6 5 25 Nominating Procedures: Nominations of an individual or of a slate candidate and at cost, the PSC will provide Century Direct with home- Lehman College 542 Chair + 4 4 25 must be by official nominating petition signed by no fewer than twenty- addressed electronic download of the membership, or will provide can- Nominations: Advisory Council members shall be nominated by written Manhattan CC 1088 Chair + 10 6 25 five (25) members of the chapter in good standing, or by no fewer than didates with college-addressed list, labels and/or electronic download petition signed by no fewer than twenty-five (25) or twenty-five percent Manhattan EOC 44 Chair 1 11 twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the chapter in good stand- of the membership. Candidates must notify the PSC five (5) business (25%) whichever is less of the CUNY instructional staff members at each Medgar Evers 331 Chair + 2 3 25 ing, whichever is less. For all candidates, petitions shall include: (a) the days in advance of the mailing to allow sufficient time for the ordering unit who are also PSC members. Slate nominations will be permitted. Clarion | December 2015 VIEWPOINT 11

QUEENS COLLEGE ALUMNUS DIED SAVING 9/11 VICTIMS Trump insults my son’s memory By TALAT HAMDANI cheered as the Twin Towers fell. He used to be president. Presidents take an oath to New York Daily News this blatant lie to suggest the NYPD renew defend the Constitution. its spying program on local New York and On a personal level, I wonder whether any n September 11, 2001, I lost New Jersey Muslims. of these politicians has lost a child, a parent my 23-year-old son, Moham- Let’s be clear here: by making such hor- or a sibling in a terrorist attack. The pain of mad Salman Hamdani, at the rendous suggestions, Trump is generating losing and burying your child is inexpress- Twin Towers. A graduate of fear and advocating hatred and violence ible. The feeling of incompleteness remains Queens College, he was also against Muslims. because my son Salman was a part of my Oa first responder and an NYPD cadet who body; every breath I take reminds me of him. rushed down to rescue his fellow Ameri- GOING AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION I wonder how, if he were alive today, he cans – and gave the ultimate sacrifice. Sadly, he is not alone. Presidential aspi- would respond to Donald Trump’s claims He didn’t discriminate. He followed his rant Ben Carson has often echoed Trump, that “thousands” of Muslims in New Jersey heart, his humanity and his training to while Senator Marco Rubio has suggested celebrated his murder. I wonder what he do his best to save those whose lives were that all Muslim gatherings are suspect and would say to Trump and other vultures in danger. should be monitored. Senator Ted Cruz and picking on the flesh of 9/11 and these other By contrast, across America today, we Governor Jeb Bush, meanwhile, have sug- terrible tragedies. are witnessing the spectacle of politicians gested that Christian refugees should be crassly exploiting the tragedies of Paris, given priority in entering the United States. LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL Beirut and Russia for selfish political gains. The president of the United States, like ev- No one needs to tell me that we live in Capitalizing on fear and the considerable ery member of Congress and every member dangerous and fearful times. I live with that ignorance about the Muslim faith among of the armed forces, takes an oath to defend every day that I mourn the loss of my son. many of our citizens, they are in a rush to Archive News Daily York New and uphold the Constitution. Freedom of reli- At the same time, we must never lose sight the bottom, driving a stampede of prejudi- Talat Hamdani lost her son, Salman, on 9/11. gion, freedom of speech, the right of assembly of what it is that will lead us to prevail. cial proposals. and the right to be free from unlawful search We need to uphold our American identity. that it might be necessary to shut down are at the heart of our national identity. Ultimately, this conflict is about who we are. PROVOKING ISLAMOPHOBIA mosques and force all who share my faith To see politicians demonstrate contempt We have to uphold our values. This may be Quite the opposite of supporting their fel- to carry a special ID card and be registered for our Constitution and advocate for poli- hardest in tough times, but that is also when low Americans in a moment of crisis as my in a government database. This is not some cies with ugly precedents should outrage it is most important. son did, many apparently see political gain fringe candidate; it is the Republican Party’s any citizen who has ever sworn that oath If we are truly to lead a successful struggle to be had in selectively denying American undisputed front-runner. to the Constitution – as I did, when I be- to address the threat posed to us all by violent Muslims their rights. If that weren’t ugly When others pushed back against these came a citizen – and any American with extremists, if we are truly to be the leader of enough, many are equally ready to turn proposals for their obvious parallels to a genuine respect for our most important the world, then we cannot abandon our creed their backs on the finest American tradition prewar Nazi Germany, Trump did not values as a nation. of advocating liberty and justice for all. of welcoming refugees fleeing violence, per- back down. Instead, he further claimed Perhaps more importantly, it should make secution and war. that “thousands” of New Jersey Muslims clear that these politicians are unqualified Talat Hamdani founded the Salman Hamdani Perhaps the worst of all is Donald Memorial Award at Queens College. To donate, Trump’s call to block all Muslims from go to tinyurl.com/hamdanifund. This essay orig- entering the US, along with his suggestion All citizens should be outraged inally appeared in the New York Daily News.

SOCIAL JUSTICE UNIONISM BENEFITS ALL PSC activism crucial to public education

By PETER KOLOZI and BRANDI RIMA rate-sponsored charter schools. He and SUNY faculty and staff. Although members may People’s Climate March, and the end to tu- administrators demanded a contract for not always be completely satisfied with the ition increases at CUNY, just to name a few. fforts to destroy public-sec- SUNY faculty and staff that included unpaid results of the contract reached between The PSC’s activities on these issues embody tor unionism, especially in furloughs, benefit givebacks and meager wage CUNY and the PSC, having a union that Martin Luther King’s famous dictum: the teaching profession, have increases that fail to keep up with inflation. bargains collectively and, when necessary, reached a fever pitch. National- exerts pressure on CUNY and elected offi- Injustice anywhere is a threat to ly, the US Supreme Court is due THE POWER OF COLLECTIVITY cials to provide employees with a space, an justice everywhere. We are caught in toE decide Friedrichs v. California Teach- Cuomo’s stalling on the “maintenance accessible process, and collective strength an inescapable network of mutuality, ers Association. If the Court’s conservative of effort” bill to fund basic cost increases – for employees to bargain with their employ- tied in a single garment of destiny. majority prevails, this case could decimate which, at press time, he had yet sign – and er is critical to ensuring the quality of the Whatever affects one directly, affects public sector unions’ ability to bargain his refusal to adequately fund CUNY so that education our students deserve. all indirectly. collectively by stripping away vital funds CUNY employees can have a fair contract Social unionism is a key aspect of the PSC currently collected from all employees rep- are the latest glaring manifestations of the and its forward-thinking orientation. It links MEMBER ACTIVISM IS KEY resented by the union to cover the cost of anti-unionism that has infected New York, the union – with its numbers, its political in- As the PSC increases pressure on CUNY the union’s work. (See page 9, “Religion the state with the highest union density fluence, its resources (both material and in administration and elected officials to win behind anti-union SCOTUS case.”) Con- in the nation. In this political climate, it is human capital) – in solidarity with the strug- a contract that affords faculty and staff the servative governors in several Midwestern more important than ever for PSC members gles of our students, their families, and the salary increases they have earned and im- states have already enacted similar mea- to raise their union consciousness and en- community (both local and global). Social proves upon the gains of the past – a con- sures, starving unions of funds and weak- gage in greater union activism. unionism, especially in this anti-union politi- tract that recognizes the positive social ening the bargaining power of workers. In the face of such recalcitrance by elect- cal environment, is not merely an expression contributions that CUNY faculty and staff ed officials and CUNY management, CUNY of humanitarianism, but an attempt to build make to the present and future well-being ANTI-UNION ENVIRONMENT faculty and staff have been working with- alliances with the communities we serve and of the residents of the city and state of New Most disturbingly, however, anti- out a contract for over five years and with- live within – which is a necessary counter- York – the mobilization and activism of the unionism is not only the purview of con- out raises for six. It will take a concerted weight to the divide and conquer tactics of PSC membership, along with the support of servatives in faraway places like Wiscon- effort from an activist membership to win the keepers of the status quo. CUNY students, is of primary importance. sin, but is making significant inroads in a respectable contract that preserves the A casual perusal of Clarion will show that Contact the chapter chairperson on your the purportedly union-friendly state of hard-earned gains of the past and secures over the years the PSC has been active on campus to get more involved in the PSC. For New York. Opponents of teachers’ unions, improvements for the future. In this ef- a whole host of social justice issues, includ- the directory of chapter chairpersons go to backed by organizations bankrolled with fort, it will serve PSC members to revisit ing in post-earthquake Haiti, in demonstra- www.psc-cuny.org/chapters. corporate dollars, have filed a lawsuit, the benefits, individual, collective and so- tions for racial justice and against police Wright v. State of New York, to eliminate cial, that union membership affords CUNY brutality, the Fight for $15 movement, the Peter Kolozi, associate professor of political teacher tenure. science, and Brandi Rima, assistant profes- Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo has sor of psychology, teach at Bronx Commu- expanded the number of non-union, corpo- A union linked to other struggles nity College. Professional Staff Congress/CUNY 61 Broadway, 15th Floor NonProfit Org. New York, New York 10006 U.S. Postage PAID Return Service Requested New York, N.Y. Permit No. 8049 15 –MINUTE ACTIVIST

Strike authorization vote The time to organize is now. to fill out the online form (tinyurl. Part of preparing for the strike com/PSC-commitment-form) authorization vote this coming and sign up to talk to your spring means sustained on-the- coworkers about the vote, ground organizing, one-on-one assess commitment and build conversations with colleagues up the grassroots power of the and deep discussions about Professional Staff Congress. our collective vision for our A just contract for all of us will union and the future of higher be won on the strength of our education. Take a few minutes entire membership.

12 PSC PEOPLE Clarion | December 2015 Ben Lerner on CUNY and ‘the power of naming’

By NIVEDITA MAJUMDAR preoccupied with private lives to eviscerate the worth of public PSC Secretary MacArthur Fellow on art & power and aligning with only a kind of education was also reflected for lifestyle politics. And yet, you us in the Pathways Initiative. It EDITOR’S NOTE: The novels and also document the Occupy move- basically sent the message to our poems of Ben Lerner, professor of ment, which unsettled not just students that they are not wor- English at Brooklyn College and institutional structures but key thy of a well-rounded liberal arts active member of his PSC chapter, moments in the lives of your char- education, that a vocational edu- have earned the praise of critics acters. How do you understand cation is good enough for them. and spurred conversations about the coexistence of these seem- As a highly accomplished writer, the intersection of art and politics. ingly contradictory impulses in your work with CUNY students When released in September of last contemporary youth? Could you challenges that message. Could year, his novel 10:04 (Faber and Fa- maybe talk, in particular, about you speak to the significance ber), which addresses both the Oc- how you see CUNY students ne- of teaching poetry and creative cupy movement and the aftermath gotiating the pulls of the personal writing to working-class, largely of Hurricane Sandy, was described and the political? minority students? by The New York Times as “fre - BL: Both of my novels – like many BL: I should say first that my quently brilliant.” His first novel, novels – are concerned with what teaching at Brooklyn is primarily – Leaving the Atocha Station (Coffee would count as authentic experi- but not exclusively – in a graduate House, 2011), won The Believer Book ence (aesthetic, romantic, social) in writing program that is not largely Award and was named one of the conditions of spectacle. The novel [composed of] minority students best books of the year by The New as a form is great at portraying (making our program more diverse Yorker and The Guardian, among the threat of solipsism as well as is and should be a critical priority). many others. He is presently at work glimmers of real social possibility. But I also teach and advise under- on a monograph titled The Hatred of I should say that both of my novels graduates whenever I have the Poetry, which will be published this have narrators of significant chance. In my experience, June by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. privilege (in terms, for starters, Reality CUNY undergraduates are In October, Lerner was awarded a of race and class), who are try- polyglot, brilliant, tough, MacArthur Fellowship. ing to figure out what it would is never generous, open-minded and Clarion asked PSC Secretary mean to be an artist or father identical remarkably resilient. (I have Nivedita Majumdar, associate pro- or friend or political agent from to the students working so much to fessor of English at John Jay Col- those positions without lapsing support their education and lege, to interview Lerner about how into ironic detachment. That’s possible. their family that it is un- his view of poetry and fiction com- not everybody’s problem, obvi- clear to me how they do it ports with the struggle for justice ously. But generally, I think atomi- all, exactly; of course, some of them and fairness at CUNY in a climate John D. & Catherine MacArthur T. Foundation zation and interconnection are very ultimately can’t. There’s just a limit of public disinvestment. Here we Ben Lerner, professor of English at Brooklyn College, recently received a close to one another in a globalized to how many minimum-wage jobs present their exchange, which was MacArthur Fellowship. economy of bundled debt, “social you can work while also trying to conducted via email. media,” etc. do your reading.) on? Can you speak to this paral- – like the energies released in the I suppose I see CUNY students Talking about language and lit- NIVEDITA MAJUMDAR: You lel, if you see it as one, especially process of political struggle – are trying to figure out how bad forms erature with such students is my have related your poetic practice in the context of an all-pervasive real and unpredictable forces that of collectivity (being denied X) can privilege and I feel like much of to Allen Grossman’s view that po- neoliberal logic? are not limited to what an artist or be transformed into a good form of my teaching is about bringing out etry is defined by a “bitter logic” BEN LERNER: I think the paral- political agent intended to achieve. collectivity (joining together to fight what they already know so deeply: because of a necessary discon- lel your question suggests is real: More generally, setting aside the for X and then make claims beyond that language and power are in- nect between the “transcendent that there always is, or at least al- logic of “bitterness” – which is it). One of the weird things art can separable, that structure (political impulse” that motivates the poet ways has been, a distance between sometimes a useful way to talk do is make us feel the potential for or poetic) is inseparable from how and the material limitedness of a revolutionary or poetic impulse about art and sometimes not – I good collectivity in even its most we experience sense, that the so- the actual poem. Poetry in this and what is actually achieved. But think that “neoliberal logic” is perverted forms. cial world is built, to a large degree, sense is characterized by a fail- you write and press on politically largely the logic that there is no from words. I also think that part ure or a betrayal. Do you see a anyway, both because you have no measure of value but price. And LANGUAGE AND POLITICS of my job is to remind them what is, similar process at work with the choice and because the story isn’t art and political experiment are, NM: As you know, we’re now by rights, already theirs: the city political impulse – the lofty ide- as tragic as it sounds; the fact that to my mind, committed to seek- at a critical juncture in our con- and city colleges. A poetry and a alism that often motivates radi- a poetry or politics has to remain ing out other ways of valuing and tract campaign. Like public insti- creative writing class is in part cal politics and the meagerness virtual in some sense just means measuring value. So there is that tutions across the country, we’re about the power of naming. The of outcomes, if not even goals? that what is real is never identi- fundamental affinity. under attack by forces that want divestiture from all things public, Then again, much like the poet, cal to, never exhaustive of, the NM: Your novels portray a cer- to deny the right to quality educa- the privatization of everything, is does the political agent have any possible. I also think the energies tain alienation from the idea of tion to working-class communi- violence, is theft, and should be choice other than that of pressing opened up in the act of composition collective action in young people ties. A key aspect of the attempt named thusly.