Dear John Jay Colleagues,
This is our Summer of Struggle, as you have seen from Barbara Bowen’s messages. The attached copy of Wednesday’s Daily News opinion piece co-written by our own Prof. Susan Kang spells out why we must all be part of the pressure on Albany. We must and so we will engage as fully as possible to achieve two closely-related goals, created especially by the pandemic.
- Making safety the central issue for the reopening of the college, including the PSC’s demand that no one will return to campus without a negotiated agreement with independently confirmed workplace safety, including safe transit.
- Prevent any firings or other cuts in staffing, first and foremost of our members;
To these ends, we are calling on all members to help us build power by becoming informed, connected and active. This process involves one-on-one conversations, and turning out, virtually and otherwise, as you determine to do safely:
Mark your calendar to participate in a CUNY-wide action on Tues., June 23.
- HEOs, attend your John Jay meeting on Monday
- Be informed about the latest settlement agreement, with guarantees for
- scheduled adjuncts.*
- Adjunct faculty, including adjunct CLTs, please fill out this linked status survey.
In support of the June 23 action and to reflect on our engagement, we are having a virtual zoom meeting on June 18 at 12:30 and will send a registration link for it next week. Also, we will ask you to be part of the one-on-one activization effort with details coming soon from your department representatives.
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We know that all of you must be affected by ongoing justified protests against – and by the realities of – racism and unjust police practices. This statement issued jointly by the Africana Studies and the Latin America and Latinx Studies Departments reacts to this moment and makes an important call to action. And we hope you have had a chance to see the statement of the PSC, released last week by the union’s Executive Council. Say his name: George Floyd. Black lives matter.
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Here are brief biographies of two returning chapter leaders with new responsibilities: Chapter Secretary Sandra Swenson and Holly Clarke, Representative to the Welfare Fund. They are continuing as Alternate Delegate and Delegate, respectively.
Sandra Swenson is a lecturer in Environmental and Natural Science in the Department of Sciences. She is also the curriculum coordinator for these courses and works closely with around 20 Adjunct Instructors who teach in the laboratory and also lecture. Her reliance on Adjunct faculty is profound (as is the whole department’s), and it is only with their dedication and professional skills that the science department is able to accomplish its goals.
Holly Clarke is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Public Management and has been a member of the John Jay faculty (primarily teaching economics) for more than 30 years. She has served as a member of the John Jay EC and as a delegate to the PSC delegate assembly since 2002. She has been active in CUNY-wide adjunct organizations and committees for many years.
In solidarity,
Zabby Hovey & John Pittman
Co-Chairs, John Jay Chapter, PSC
*Adjuncts with appointment letters or courses in CUNYFirst are all secure. The agreement also directs colleges to secure health insurance through the fall semester for all who currently obtain it through CUNY. The postponed notification date gives us a mobilization opening to reverse the cuts that have been imposed, including by winning the funds needed by new tax revenue on the wealthiest.
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