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A union of full-time faculty at a New Jersey community college say they’re striking—against participating in a single grant program.
Dee McAree, president of the Faculty Association of County College of Morris, said her union’s members voted Oct. 23–25 to not do any work regarding the Titan’s Track grant. NJ Advance Media reported earlier on the strike.
With the grant, according to a document McAree provided, County College of Morris seeks to increase retention and graduation rates for low-income students. The roughly 100 union members want to do this work, McAree said. In fact, she said they want to design this new advisement model.
However, she said the college has rejected the union’s request to bargain over the work, has picked particular faculty for the program and has said these employees are going to be paid $5,000 a year for participating.
“They cut us out,” McAree said. “They want faculty working on it without [union] representation.”
“Advisement is being shifted from a faculty-driven integrated model of academic advisement (mentorship) by faculty to an administrative center,” she said.
At the same time the union is withholding its labor over the grant, McAree said she believes the college intends to bring in adjuncts and staff to do the grant work. While she said she doesn’t oppose staff assistance, she said faculty have the skills to provide academic mentorship to help students achieve their career goals.
The union also filed an unfair labor practice charge with the state’s Public Employment Relations Commission over the situation, McAree said.
The college, which has had a contentious relationship with the union in the past, didn’t provide an interview Friday. A spokesperson emailed Inside Higher Ed a lengthy statement that repeatedly praised college president Anthony J. Iacono but didn't mention the strike. The statement said, in part, that the “grant provides new opportunities to improve student success and we look forward to continuing this important work for the benefit of our students.”
