Dear Members of the Fordham Community,

I am pleased to announce that on July 17, 2018, the Board of Trustees approved two contracts with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for the full-time and part-time non-tenure track faculty.

The three-year contracts cover approximately 750 non-tenure track faculty and provide wage increases and greater job security for all bargaining unit members.

The contract governing part-time faculty establishes:

two-year probationary periods for newly hired faculty, a presumption of reappointment after three years of employment, and guaranteed course loads for longer-serving part-time faculty;
increased financial support for professional development and course-related materials;
a more formalized faculty evaluation process.

The contract governing full-time, non-tenure track faculty also establishes a two-year probationary period. Most full-time faculty will see longer appointments and greater promotional opportunities, and will see longer appointments earlier in their Fordham careers.

The University will launch a website dedicated to providing specific information for the part-time faculty, which will include a link to the union contract, orientation and fringe benefit information, and information about full-time employment opportunities.

In addition to the more tangible benefits offered in the contracts, we believe that the new contracts will better integrate non-tenure track faculty into the Fordham community and foster a work environment that will continue to attract top faculty to Fordham.

I have said before that organized labor has deep roots in Catholic social justice teachings, and that given its Jesuit traditions and historic connection to first-generation and working-class students, Fordham has a special duty in this area. But the benefits of these contracts do not only accrue to the non-tenure track faculty: a stronger connection to students, tenured and tenure-track faculty, and the rest of the academic community rewards all of us in ways great and small.

I know you all join me in celebrating this agreement, and the positive changes it brings to our faculty, students, and staff.

Sincerely,
Joseph M. McShane, S.J.