Dear Colleagues,
This has been a busy summer on Beacon Hill. Two bills that are very
important to our adjunct faculty have been reported out favorably by
the Public Service Committee and await action in the separate Ways
& Means Committees of the General Court. It is important that each
of us contact our legislators to support these bills. The proposed
legislation would provide adjuncts with pension and health insurance
opportunities comparable to those of their full-time colleagues across
the Commonwealth.
See below the details on each bill and the related contact information
for your legislators. Either an email, personal note, or a phone call
is appropriate to communicate your message - or any combination
thereof. If you call these offices and cannot speak directly with
legislators, talk with the legislative aides; they are well-informed
and will communicate your messages. Emphasize that our adjuncts teach
more than 50% of the courses on our campuses and merit the important
safety nets that these bills would provide.
Action requested on Adjunct Health Insurance Bill: SB 1587
This bill would provide Adjunct Faculty who teach the equivalent of
four 3-credit courses per calendar year in the state higher education
system to be eligible for a state employee insurance plan that is
comparable in both cost and coverage to insurance policies held by
their public higher education faculty colleagues . After a successful
hearing before the Joint Committee on Public Service on July 12, 2007,
Senate Bill 1587 was reported out favorably and referred to the Senate
Ways & Means Committee for their review. If reviewed favorably by
this committee, the bill would then be sent to the full Senate for
further review and a possible vote.
How can you help?
- Contact your State Senator and ask him/her to support
this opportunity for a comprehensive and affordable
insurance plan for our adjuncts.
- Note that the new Commonwealth Connector insurance plan for
these employees would be far more expensive for most interested
and eligible adjuncts and not as comprehensive as those to which
their peers subscribe.
- If your Senator is so inclined, please request him/her to
contact the Chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee,
Steven Panagiotakos, and other Senators on this Committee to urge
their support.
- If your Senator is on this Committee, it would be
especially important to for you to contact him/her to support
this bill so that it might move forward to the Senate floor for
further action.
- I have attached the Senate Ways & Means Committee list.
Action requested on Adjunct Pension Bill: HB 2821
This bill allows part-time faculty who teach the equivalent of four
3-credit courses per calendar year in the state higher education system
to earn a year of creditable service for each year of such teaching
experience. House Bill 2821 has been reported out favorably by the
Public Service Committee and has been referred to the House Ways &
Means Committee for their review. If reported on favorably, the bill
would then be sent to the entire House for further review and a
possible vote.
How can you help?
- Contact your State Representative and ask him/her to
support this opportunity for creditable service towards
retirement for our adjuncts.
- If your Representative is so inclined, please request
him/her to contact the Chair of the House Ways & Means
Committee, Robert A. DeLeo, and other Representatives on this
Committee to urge their support.
- If your Representative is on this Committee, it would be
especially important for you to contact him/her to support this
bill so that it might go forward to the entire House for further
action.
- I have attached the House Ways & Means Committee list.
For contact information on state legislators, go to:
In solidarity,
Donnie McGee
