Prospective Members
What is Adjuncts United?
Adjuncts United is the union of part-time faculty at Syracuse University. Our membership is made up of Part-Time Instructors (whose primary employment is teaching under contingent contracts), and Adjunct Faculty (who have full-time employment off campus, in addition to their teaching). We are a voice for part-time faculty on campus.
Who is Adjuncts United?
If you are a part-time faculty member of Syracuse University, you are Adjuncts United! Since our first negotiated collective bargaining agreement in 2008, members have benefited from our advocacy.
What does Adjuncts United do for you?
Adjuncts United…
• Bargains mandatory per-credit rate minimums, which continue to increase
• Negotiates and enforces annual pay increases
• Identifies, advocates, and ensures the payout — (currently more than $118,000) — in retroactive pay to more than 500 negligently underpaid unit members
• Secures Professional Development Funds for post-probationary unit members across campus ($380,000 and counting).
• Continuously monitors and enforces pay-related provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• Advocates for part-time faculty having issues with their employment.
• Sends representatives to disciplinary and other meetings when requested. Having a knowledgeable witness at a meeting can help calm things down, improve communication and reduce perceptions of bullying.
As of fall 2018, the union’s negotiated language on mandated multi-year appointments became accessible to members who have taught 14 consecutive semesters, assisting with job security. Multi-year teaching contracts are necessary in contingence with 62.5% FTE teaching load in one academic unit (a minimum of 15 credit hours per academic year) in order to be eligible for Standard Benefits. See Article XI in AU’s Agreement along with information about eligibility to Standard Benefits found on Syracuse University’s website, here.
AU also established a Scholarship Fund, which has thus far awarded more than 20 scholarships totalling more than $10,000, in support of post-secondary educational needs of members’ children, grandchildren, and siblings.
Rights and Representation
In our short history, AU leadership has:
• Negotiated two seats for AU representatives in the University Faculty Senate--ensuring a voice in faculty governance;
• Pushed for clearly written appointment letters containing specifically detailed duties and expectations;
• Established standardized evaluation and remediation procedures;
• Guaranteed seniority protections;
• Defined informal and formal grievance procedures—proven to ensure due process for members.
Additionally:
We meet monthly with University representatives to discuss issues, present grievance situations, and advocate for fair treatment of contingent faculty.
We hold regular Executive Committee meetings with representatives from schools and colleges on campus.
We meet regularly with members to help navigate difficult employment or contract-related issues.
We continue to engage with other higher education organizations to connect to the growing national movement to improve labor conditions for part-time faculty.