By By John P. Leonard
An unusual sea of red flooded this week’s full-faculty meeting. Typically a sparsely attended event, concerns surrounding renegotiations of faculty contracts provoked professors to form a united front.
With the five-year contracts of the University’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) up this summer, many faculty members are worried about what new changes will be implemented.
The main issue for faculty surrounding negotiations is the concern over the rising cost of health care. Estelle Gellman, president and chief negotiator of AAUP, said the new plan might force faculty members to pay up to 15 percent of their insurance.
“The faculty is scared,” Gellman said. “After the second year (under the contract), the cost of health care might be more money than the faculty’s salary.”
Herman Berliner, provost and head of administration negotiations for the contract, did not contend that there will be changes in health benefits.
Currently public safety, secretaries and law school faculty all have experienced premiums in their new contracts for health care and family health care.
The trend to cut health benefits prompted the AAUP to hire an accountant to investigate the finances of the University.
He discovered that the University is more than financially stable. However, the amount spent on faculty expenses diminished in recent years.
“I’m an economist,” Berliner said. “There is a national trend with the change in health care costs increasing. So we must move in line.”
It is also a fear that yearly salary raises will not be indicative of the changes in the cost of living. Many are worried about having to get a second job, which would take away from their class preparation and grading time.
“The faculty is united in our desire to keep Hofstra a great place to work and learn. I don’t think you can have one without the other,” Rachel Kreier, assistant professor of economics and geography, said.
The last time the faculty went on strike was in 1988. The strike lasted 10 days, ending amid major threats from administrators. However, at this point a strike is highly unlikely.
“A strike is our last resort. We don’t want to strike,” Gellman said. “Not only is it bad for the students, it’s bad for us, but we feel that we have to be prepared.”
“[Hofstra’s] on the verge of becoming an elite university, and a strike would set progress back by years,” Richard Himelfarb, associate professor of political science, said. “The University wants the faculty to pay a portion of health benefits. I don’t think that’s unreasonable – others disagree. I could be in the minority.”
Berliner is optimistic that the administration and faculty will come to an agreement that will benefit both sides.
“I have been head of the last three contracts and I will do everything I can to make sure this one is collegial,” he said.
Everything is still in the preliminary stage. Currently there have only been informal discussions about non-economic issues and the AAUP has yet to meet with President Stuart Rabinowitz to discuss the new plan. The upcoming contract will be the first signed under the leadership of Rabinowitz
“Since I have been president, Hofstra University has made tremendous strides and has generated significant momentum,” Rabinowitz said.
“This has come about because the administration and our outstanding faculty have worked as partners, in effect side by side, and I have every confidence in that relationship, and therefore that our success will continue in the future,” he added.
United in red, faculty members discuss the future of their union contract negotiations at a full-faculty meeting on Monday. (Staff Photo)