Faculty

Tenure

Faculty tenure is a statutory right under N.J.S.A. 18A. It is meant to protect faculty from political patronage and the whims of college and university administrations. The relevant language for faculty on tenure lines comes under 18A: 60-7. Definitions, as follows:

As used in this act, the following words and phrases shall have the following meaning:

“Academic rank” means instructor, assistant professor, associate professor and professor.

“Faculty member” means any full-time member of the teaching staff appointed with academic rank.  Other full-time professional persons shall be considered faculty members if they concurrently hold academic rank.

C.18A:60-16  Tenure for faculty members at State college.

2. a. Faculty members at a State college shall be under tenure in their academic rank, but not in any administrative position, during good behavior, efficiency and satisfactory professional performance, as evidenced by formal evaluation and shall not be dismissed or reduced in compensation except for inefficiency, unsatisfactory professional performance, incapacity or other just cause and then only in the manner prescribed by subarticle B of article 2 of chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, after employment in such college or by such board of trustees for

(1)   6 consecutive calendar years; or

(2)   6 consecutive academic years, together with employment at the beginning of the next academic year; or

(3)   the equivalent of more than 6 academic years within a period of any 7 consecutive academic years.

b.    The board of trustees may, upon the hiring of a new faculty member, grant tenure to the member if he was previously under tenure at an accredited four-year institution of higher education.  A State college shall develop procedures regarding the granting of tenure upon hiring to a new faculty member who was previously under tenure at an accredited four-year institution that are consistent with decisions for tenure at the State college, and shall include faculty members in the development of the procedures.  The number of new faculty members receiving tenure upon hire in an academic year shall be limited to 15% of the total number of new full-time tenure-track faculty members hired at the institution in the prior academic year or one faculty member, whichever is greater.

The section below applied to faculty who were hired prior to Jul 13, 2014 which was a five year tenure period.

C.18A:60-17  Tenure for previously-employed faculty members.

     3.    Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2 of P.L.2013, c.235 (C.18A:60-16), to the contrary, in the case of a faculty member who is employed at a State college prior to the effective date of P.L.2013, c.235 (C.18A:60-16 et al.), tenure shall be granted in accordance with the provisions of section 3 of P.L.1973, c.163 (C.18A:60-8) as it read prior to the effective date of P.L.2013, c.235 (C.18A:60-16 et al.).

There is also a provision for the granting of early tenure under 18A: 60-9: Tenure by exceptional action after 2 years service

Notwithstanding the provisions of section 3 [8] of this act a board of trustees may, as an exceptional action and upon the recorded two-thirds majority roll call vote of all its members and upon the recommendation of the president, grant tenure to an individual faculty member after employment in such college or by such board of trustees for 2 consecutive academic years.   The provisions of this section shall not be negotiable as a term and condition of employment under the “New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act, P.L. 1968, c. 303

Shared Governance

Shared Governance means that faculty members participate in significant decisions about how best to achieve the academic mission of their institutions.  The AFT considers shared governance as democracy in action, ensuring that academic decisions are made based on sound academic policies and not on political whims or commercial reasons. Shared governance is undertaken by elected faculty committees working with the administration. On AFT campuses, the union contract often guarantees shared governance rights, and the union may play a role in implementing shared governance.

Contract language related to shared governance

Article IX – Union Board Relations guarantees the Union the right to designate a Local UNION observer, plus one additional person, to observe public budget hearings conducted by the Board of Trustees or any committee of the Board of Trustees of that College/ University.  Our contract also ensures that Union has the right to speak on your behalf at Boards of Trustees meetings. And finally, we have hard-won language that allows each local union to appoint one union representative and an employee observer to all college-wide committees and to establish the selection procedures for making those appointments.

ARTICLE XVIII – Department Chairpersons

Historically, the academic department has been a bridge between the divide of institutional needs versus academic programming. The department chair plays an important role related to organizing faculty in support of or in dissent towards institutional and curriculum reforms and re-conceptualizing department leadership. Article XVIII in our contract provides that department chairpersons “shall be elected by members of the department” and sets forth the process for chair elections.

Faculty Advancement in Rank

The historical relevance of union contracts that provide equity in career advancement is formalized in our contract’s procedures for career development, promotions, range adjustments and sabbaticals. Your union contract ensures that all personnel procedures related to career advancement are conducted fairly and equitably for all candidates per Article XIII. Follow these links for contract language to: Promotion Procedure - Sabbatical Leaves - Career Development Program. See Faculty Ranges/Salaries tab for Range Adjustment information.

Faculty Ranges/Salaries

Article XXI – SALARY AND FRINGE BENEFIT AGREEMENT not only provides equity in the distribution of salary and fringe benefits regarding faculty rank, but also it provides for annual across-the-board increases and step increments based on your anniversary date (Article XXII).

The salary ranges for the 10 month faculty titles listed below are as follows:

Instructor--------------------- Ranges 18, 20 and 21

Assistant Professor---------Ranges 22, 24, 25 and X

Associate Professor--------Ranges 26, 28, 29 and X

Full Professor----------------Ranges 30, 32, 33 and X

The salary ranges for the 12-month faculty titles listed below will be as follows:

Instructor----------------------Ranges 21, 22 and 23

Assistant Professor-------Ranges 25, 27, 28 and X

Associate Professor------Ranges 29, 31, 32 and X

Full Professor---------------Ranges 33, 35 and X

“X” means a position that has no salary range.  The salary for each faculty person in any academic rank in an “X” range position shall be set in the same manner as is currently done for the “X” range Full Professor academic rank.

5. There shall be a Range Adjustment Program at each College/University where full-time faculty are employed. Full‑time faculty members who meet or exceed the merit‑based criteria established for range adjustments are eligible to be considered for and may apply for a range adjustment within rank. The merit‑based criteria will be established by the College/University and published for the understanding of affected employees. The procedures for consideration will be negotiated between the College/University and the Local UNION. The procedures for consideration utilized in the College/University, if universally applicable, or in a division, department or similar unit in which the faculty member is employed, shall be fairly and equitably applied to all applicants and nominees.

A complete salary chart that shows our ranges and steps can be found the in the Agreement between the State of New jersey the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, AFT, AFL-CIO and here on our website.

Summer session rate per semester hour credit for State College/University employees:

Rank	2011	2012	2013	2014
Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Director in the Library (Professor in the Library) Librarian I (Associate Professor in the Library)	$1,300	$1,300	$1,400	$1,500
Assistant Professor, Instructor Librarian II (Assistant Professor in the Library)  Librarian III (Instructor in the Library)	$1,250	$1,250	$1,350	$1,450
Professional Staff	$1,250	$1,250	$1,350	$1,450

Overload compensation minimum rates per teaching credit:

Title	Sept 2011	Sept. 2012	Sept 2013	Jan 2014	Sept 2014	Jan 2015
Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Director in the Library (Professor in the Library) Librarian I (Associate Professor in the Library)	$1,300	$1,300	$1,350	$1,400	$1,450	$1,500
Assistant Professor, Instructor, Librarian II (Assistant Professor in the Library) Librarian III (Instructor in the Library)	$1,250	$1,250	$1,300	$1,350	$,1400	$1,450
Professional Staff	$1,250	$1,250	$1,300	$1,350	$1,400	$1,450