Note: This article is breaking, and will be updated with more information. 

By Theresa Schliep

Fordham University’s Board of Trustees has approved two contracts with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) for full-time and part-time non-tenure track faculty. According to an email from Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, the three-year contracts will cover approximately 750 non-tenure track faculty at the university.

The contract for part-time, non-tenure track faculty includes a two-year probationary period for newly hired faculty, guaranteed course loads for longer-serving part-time faculty and increased financial support for professional development.

For full-time, non-tenure track faculty, the contract also stipulates a two-year probationary period. According to McShane’s email, most full-time faculty will have longer appointments and greater access to promotional 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,” said McShane.

Diane George, adjunct professor of anthropology and a member of Fordham Faculty United (FFU), said the group is pleased it was able to come to a contract agreement quickly.

“There’s a lot still to be achieved, but we see this as a process,” said George. “This is a huge step forward towards our goal of transforming the exploitative system of contingent employment. Both our working conditions and student learning conditions will improve because of the changes that will take effect this fall.”

According to the SEIU, most adjunct faculty will see raises between 67 and 90 percent over the course of three years.

Contract negotiations started in Feb. 2018 and included representatives from Fordham’s Office of Legal Counsel and the Provost’s office, as well as SEIU representatives and a committee of Fordham adjuncts.

The announcement is the culmination of a years-long effort for the unionization of non-tenure track faculty at Fordham. Historically, adjunct faculty – at Fordham and at universities across the country – earn small wages and have little job security.