Vol. 9, Issue 3 | November and December 2018

Message From Dear Members, CSU-AAUP This will be my last newsletter communication with you, as I am retiring January 1, President 2019. I have been at Eastern since 1994 and became active in CSU-AAUP even Tapia: before I was granted tenure. (There was a little problem with what my provost wrote in my letter for renewal and in that of a colleague who started in the same year. Our union reps helped us get the letters rewritten. I was hooked on union representation that brings positive results!) CSU-AAUP has many dedicated and caring officers, staff, and members who devote their time to representing all our faculty members. Over the years, people have often asked me how I could tolerate what goes on at our campuses and in our system (e.g., discipline cases, grievances, trying to persuade our legislators to pass bills that invest in quality public higher education, weird and bad ideas from the system office, and more. I like procedure, and I like a challenge. I am patient, persistent, and creative. These qualities -- and my huge sense of humor -- have allowed me to enjoy my work with CSU-AAUP. During my time as CSU-AAUP President, I promoted working with other higher education unions, such as SUOAF, the 4Cs, AFT, and UCONN-AAUP. To my mind, we will achieve more of our common goals when we collaborate, share information, and support each other. It’s important to combine our collective strength and use it to build quality public higher education. We’ve got to collectively fight to ensure shared governance because we are not a corporation; we form a university – a universe of diverse individuals and diverse ideas. * * * As per the CSU-AAUP Constitution, the vice-president will step into the presi- dent’s position. She then will appoint a vice-president with the CSU-AAUP Coun- cil’s approval. Our current vice-president is Dr. Patty O’Neill (Psychology, WCSU). Patty will be an effective and thoughtful president. She knows our contract very well, and she is quick to identify injustices and equally quick to find resolutions. In May 2019, there will be a CSU-wide AAUP election for the positions of president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. I urge you to think carefully about the candidates. With public unions finding themselves in the wake of the US Supreme Court’s decision on Janus vs. AFSCME, you’ll want to choose strong leaders for your union. (Please note that non-members are not allowed to vote in CSU-AAUP nor its chapters’ elections.) It’s been my great pleasure to represent you. In solidarity,

Elena Tapia President, CSU-AAUP Professor of Linguistics, Department of English Eastern State University

This past election, CSU-AAUP endorsed candidates in key state races who vowed CSU-AAUP Helps to support collective bargaining rights and protect quality public higher education. Turn Legislative CSU-AAUP members hit the pavement door-knocking to get out the vote, Tide: volunteered at phone banks, and sent direct mail to our members in key districts to encourage support for endorsed candidates. Their hard work paid off with an overwhelming number of CSU-AAUP-endorsed candidates wining election. Gubernatorial candidate, Ned Lamont, a champion of the middle class and of unions, beat out Republican candidate Bob Stefanowski. Other statewide office winners include: William Tong for Attorney General; Kevin Lembo for State Comptroller; Denise Merrill for Secretary of the State; Shawn Wooden for State Treasurer; and Susan Bysiewicz for Lieutenant Governor.

Connecticut State Legislature In the General Assembly, the pro-worker majority in the House of Representatives grew by 12 seats. Chamber makeup is now 92 Democrats and 59 Republicans. Last year’s legislative session saw a tie in the state Senate. That tie is well and truly over. The 2019 Legislative Session will see 23 Democrats and 13 republicans take their seats in the Connecticut Senate.

Following is a list of victorious candidates endorsed by CSU-AAUP:

CT State Senate: CT House of Representatives:

4 Stephen Cassano (Manchester, Glastonbury) 12 Geoff Luxenberg (Manchester)

9 Matt Lesser (Middletown, Newington, and Rocky Hill) 21 (Farmington)

11 Marty Looney (New Haven, Hamden) 27 (Newington)

13 Mary Abrams (Meriden, Cheshire) 48 Linda Orange (Colchester, Windham)

14 James Maroney (Milford, Orange, and West Haven) 53 Pat Wilson Pheanious (Tolland)

19 Cathy Osten (Norwich, Sprague…) 54 Gregg Haddad (Mansfield)

20 Marilyn Moore (Bridgeport, Sprague…) 56 Mike Winkler (Vernon)

24 Julie Kushner (Danbury) 58 Tom Arnone (Enfield)

33 Norman Needleman (Colchester, Old Saybrook…) 64 Maria Horn (Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen…)

99 Jim Albis (East Haven)

Connecticut Governor: Ned Lamont 103 Liz Linehan (Cheshire)

110 Bob Godfrey (Danbury)

CSU-AAUP has received questions from some of our members regarding the Questions About SEBAC ARP Grievance (SAG) Award. Please note that the window for switching SAG Award: to either of these plans closes on December 14, 2018.

Earlier this year, the BOR organized informational meetings on all four campuses between faculty and the Comptroller’s Retirement Services Division. Unfortunately, the Retirement Services Division will not be returning to campus for any more information sessions.

For answers to your remaining questions, please click the following two links to the Comptroller’s website. These links provide details on available plans, eligibility, and a SAG Award timeline. https://www.osc.ct.gov/rbsd/arptransfer/docs/SAGWorkshop2018_v1.pdf https://www.osc.ct.gov/rbsd/arptransfer/disclaimer.htm

Legislative Session The Connecticut General Assembly will convene on January, 9 for the 2019 Starts January 9: Legislative Session. The CGA is expected to adjourn by June 5, 2019.

Did you know law makers enjoy hearing from their constituents—especially before the session gets underway and time is scarce? Consider reaching out to your legislators and letting them know what’s important to you as a public higher education professional.

If you don’t know who your legislators are, click here to find out. And once you know, feel free to send them an email or make a quick phone call telling them to stand up for and protect quality public higher Above, CSU students and CSU-AAUP members pose for a photo education in Connecticut. after testifying at the 2018 Appropriations Committee Public Hearing on Higher Education. Pictured second from left is CSU- Stay tuned for news of CSU-AAUP’s AAUP Vice President Patty O’Neill and far right is CCSU-AAUP member Heather Rodriguez. 2019 legislative agenda, upcoming action events, and lobby days.

AAUP Responds To In October, national AAUP learned the Trump administration is considering a new Assault On Gender legal definition of gender under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex and Gender Studies: discrimination in federally funded education programs. Gender would be narrowly defined “on a biological basis that is clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable” as “a biological, immutable condition determined...at birth.”

The AAUP’s Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure and Committee on Women in the Academic Profession strongly condemn efforts to restrict the legal meaning of gender to what are said to be its natural or immutable forms. The politicians promoting the new definition are neither scientists nor scholars. Their motives are ideological and their invocation of “science” is cynical. Click here to read the AAUP’s full statement.

Contact CSU-AAUP at (860) 832-3790 or email us at [email protected]