On November 16, at 12pm, the New Caucus will be holding a one hour workshop called “Unions 101”, led by the New Caucus Coordinators. The workshop will provide a solid introduction to unions in general as well as the Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY), CUNY’s particular union. It will cover such topics as what are unions, private sector versus public sector unions, the legal context in which our union operates, the structure of the PSC, who to contact to get more information and how to get more involved. Whether you are new to unions, could use a refresher or are an experienced union member, come join us and share your knowledge and/or questions.
The New Caucus has planned a fun summer social outing for members, friends and family, namely, attending a Brooklyn Cyclones baseball game together on August 16, in the evening. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy each other’s company. We have purchased 40 tickets for members, their significant others, and family for the game.
Can you join us? If so, GREAT. Just write to stuarthdavis@gmail.com and give your name and number of people coming with you as soon as you can. Please respond at the latest by Sunday, August 14. Tickets are reserved for the first 40 people who reach out.
Instructions with directions to get to the stadium and for the meet-up location will be sent out at a later date. If you have any questions, email stuarthdavis@gmail.com.
On August 3, at 12pm, the New Caucus will be holding a one hour workshop on the “The Basics of Collective Bargaining”. Led by New Caucus Coordinator and School of Labor and Urban Studies adjunct faculty member Claudia Shacter-deChabert, the workshop will focus on the nuts-and-bolts of collective bargaining and contract negotiation. With the next round of PSC-CUNY contract negotiations starting in Spring 2023, New Caucus leaders thought it would be very useful for caucus members and other union activists to educate ourselves regarding the fundamentals of contract negotiation.
On June 7, 2022 the New Caucus Governing Board voted to re-appoint Claudia Schacter deChabert (CUNY Graduate Center) as a Coordinator. We also voted to appoint four new Coordinators: Holly Clarke (John Jay College), Hillary Miller (Queens College), Vero Ortiz (CUNY Graduate Center), and Liz Stevenson (City Tech). All five will serve a three-year term.
Stuart Davis (Baruch College) will continue to serve out his term as Coordinator (2020-2023) and act as liaison between the Coordinating Committee and the Governing Board.
The Governing Board and Coordinating Committee also want to recognize Amy Jeu (Hunter College) for her incredible work as Coordinator between 2019 and 2022.
Time: Saturday May 7, 2022June 4 Time: 10 am – 12 pm (on Zoom)
PLEASE NOTE: We are very sorry that Penny Lewis has to reschedule her upcoming presentation on Saturday, May 7th from 10 am – 12 pm, due to personal and family illness. The new date is June 4th. You do not need to re-register for June 4th–the same Zoom link can be used.
Welcome! You are invited to join the New Caucus Spring Membership Meeting: Collective Bargaining in Higher Education. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
Featuring Penny Lewis (PSC Secretary and Associate Professor, School of Labor and Urban Studies), this workshop will cover some recent higher education bargaining victories through interrogating key questions:
What gains were made? How were they achieved? What can we learn to prepare for our own negotiations with CUNY?
In addressing these questions, we will also feature breakout rooms oriented towards specific topics:
Contract tactics and strategies
Legislative work and budget
Organizing and mobilization capacity
Membership drive
Coalition building
We will also take the opportunity to recognize and thank New Caucus chapter slates in the 2022 PSC chapter elections.
Thanks very much.
In solidarity, New Caucus Coordinating Committee & Governing Board
Links shared by Penny Lewis during her presentation:
Because of the spread of new coronavirus variants, the New Caucus has postponed its in-person gathering, originally scheduled for December 14. We hope to announce a new date as soon as possible.
New Caucus Governing Board and Coordinating Committee
Hope you are staying safe. We are writing today with important information regarding the Treasurer/Governing Board election meeting on Saturday, November 13. This message contains five items of interest:
1. The link and instructions for entering Saturday’s meeting on Zoom
2. The agenda for Saturday’s meeting
3. A description of the nomination process as articulated in the New Caucus bylaws.
4. Declared nominations received thus far.
5. A reminder about dues deadlines.
1.INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTERING THE ZOOM MEETING ON NOVEMBER 13
Here are the instructions for joining the meeting on Zoom:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Once you join the Zoom call, you will be placed in a waiting room. From here New Caucus coordinators will check your name off of the list of members eligible to attend and eligible to vote.
Zoom doors will open at 9:45.
2. PROVISIONAL AGENDA FOR NOVEMBER 13 MEETING (10 AM START TIME)
Welcome to Meeting (including welcome to new members)
Administrative Reports
Election for the New Caucus Treasurer
-Walkthrough of the Role of Treasurer
-Nominations for Treasurer
-Discussion
-Vote for Treasurer (via Opavote)
Election for the New Caucus Governing Board
-Walkthrough of the Role of the Governing Board
-Review of Election Rules
– Nominations for Governing Board
-Presentation of candidate statements (including presentations of maximum 2 minutes by each candidate)
Candidates for the Governing Board may self-nominate or may be nominated by someone else at the general meeting or in writing to the coordinators at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
Nominees must be members in good standing of the New Caucus on the day of the meeting.
At that meeting, nominees must either accept their nomination or must have communicated their acceptance to the coordinators prior to the meeting.
Notification of all elections for the Governing Board shall be given in writing at least 14 days in advance of the meeting at which they occur.
Election Procedures:
Voting will be by secret ballot at the general meeting and conducted by the Coordinators. Candidates may not participate in the counting of ballots.
Members shall vote for up to eleven but for no fewer than nine candidates or in the case of a special election to fill vacancies, members must vote for no fewer than the number of candidates needed to bring the board membership to nine.
Ballots that violate these requirements shall be void.
To be elected, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the valid votes cast. If at least 9 candidates have not received a majority vote on the first ballot, additional rounds of balloting will be conducted consisting of those candidates who have not received a majority. If more than eleven candidates receive a majority vote, the candidates who receive the greatest number of votes will be elected.
PSC Executive Council members shall not have a majority of seats on the board. In the event that a majority of those elected are PSC Executive Council members, those with the fewest votes shall be disqualified until EC members constitute a minority of seats on the Board.
In the event of a tie, if the candidates agree, the winner(s) will be chosen by lot, otherwise, a runoff election shall be conducted.
4. DECLARED NOMINATIONS ACHIEVED THUS FAR.
So far 21 candidates have declared their nomination either as part of a slate or as an independent candidate. PSC Executive Council (EC) members are highlighted in yellow.
Slate 1
Slate 2
Independent Candidates
Carolina Bank Muñoz, Full-time faculty and PSC Chapter Chair, Brooklyn College
Stuart Davis, Assistant Professor, Baruch College
Lynne Turner, Adjunct Faculty, LaGuardia Community College, Graduate Assistant, Graduate Center, PSC Chapter Chair Graduate Center, PSC Executive Council
Shakia Brown, HEO, John Jay College
Rulisa Galloway-Perry, HEO, John Jay College
Bob Cermele, Retiree, New York City College of Technology
Amy Jeu, CLT, Hunter College, PSC Executive Council (cross-endorsed)
James Davis, Full-time faculty, Brooklyn College, PSC President
Lawrence Johnson, Assistant Professor, Brooklyn College
Yasmin Edwards, Full-time faculty and PSC Chapter Chair Bronx Community College
Boyda Johnstone, Assistant Professor, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Luke Elliott-Negri, Non-teaching adjunct, School of Labor & Urban Studies, PSC Executive Council
Marc Kagan, Adjunct Faculty and Graduate Assistant, City College and Graduate Center
Heather James, Full-time faculty, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Glenn Kissack, Retiree, Hunter College High School
Amy Jeu, CLT, Hunter College, PSC Executive Council
Ángel Martínez, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Bronx Community College and Hunter College, PSC Executive Council
Peter Santiago, HEO, Kingsborough Community College
Gerry Martini, HEO Associate, Graduate Center
Youngmin Seo, Adjunct Lecturer, LaGuardia Community College, PSC Executive Council
Pam Stemberg, Adjunct Assistant Professor, City College and Hostos Community College, PSC Chapter Chair City College, PSC Executive Council
Rosa Squillacote, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Hunter College, PSC Vice President for Part-time Personnel
Note: For voting purposes, names of all candidates will appear on the ballot and New Caucus members will vote for up to 11 candidates to serve on the governing board. This means voters will check off names individually.
5. A REMINDER ABOUT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND DEADLINES
Unfortunately, if you did not meet the deadlines earlier in Fall 2021 for joining the New Caucus or renewing membership you will not be able to attend the meeting.
Membership Dues Paid
Membership Dues Paid
Membership Dues Paid
By Sept 14, 2021
Sept 15 – Oct 30, 2021
Oct 31 – Nov 13, 2021
First time members
Can attend, Can vote
Can attend, Cannot vote
Cannot attend, Cannot vote
Renewing members
Can attend, Can vote
Can attend, Can vote
Cannot attend, Cannot vote
Thanks very much and see you soon,
Amy Jeu, Anne Friedman, Claudia Shacter-Dechabert, Eileen Moran, and Stuart Davis
On behalf of the New Caucus Coordinating Committee and Governing Board
The Governing Board of the New Caucus shall consist of no fewer than nine and no more than eleven members.
The Governing Board shall be elected at the first fall meeting following the general election of the PSC. The term of office is three years. Representation will be by different constituencies to the extent possible (racial, gender, full-time and part-time teaching faculty, Higher Education Officers, College Laboratory Technicians).
PSC Executive Committee members shall not have a majority of seats on the Governing Board.
The Governing Board serves as a slate nominating committee for CUNY-wide elections.
The Governing Board meets in September (or more often) to recommend a course of action to the Coordinators for the coming year. The Governing Board will elect a convener and secretary at this meeting.
The Governing Board shall appoint the Coordinating Committee members each year.
Nominating Process: Candidates for the Governing Board may self-nominate or may be nominated by someone else at the general meeting or in writing to the coordinators at least two weeks prior to the meeting. Nominees must be members in good standing of the New Caucus on the day of the meeting. At the meeting, nominees must either accept their nomination or must have communicated their acceptance to the coordinators prior to the meeting.
Candidates who have declared their nominations for a seat on the New Caucus Governing Board are listed below. Additional nominees may email the Coordinating Committee at psccunynewcaucus@gmail.com. Click here to view the candidate statements.
Slate 1
Slate 2
Independent Candidates
Carolina Bank Muñoz, Full-time faculty and PSC Chapter Chair, Brooklyn College
Stuart Davis, Assistant Professor, Baruch College
Lynne Turner, Adjunct Faculty, LaGuardia Community College, Graduate Assistant, Graduate Center, PSC Chapter Chair Graduate Center, PSC Executive Council
Shakia Brown, HEO, John Jay College
Rulisa Galloway-Perry, HEO, John Jay College
Bob Cermele, Retiree, New York City College of Technology
Amy Jeu, CLT, Hunter College, PSC Executive Council (cross-endorsed)
James Davis, Full-time faculty, Brooklyn College, PSC President
Lawrence Johnson, Assistant Professor, Brooklyn College
Yasmin Edwards, Full-time faculty and PSC Chapter Chair Bronx Community College
Boyda Johnstone, Assistant Professor, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Luke Elliott-Negri, Non-teaching adjunct, School of Labor & Urban Studies, PSC Executive Council
Marc Kagan, Adjunct Faculty and Graduate Assistant, City College and Graduate Center
Heather James, Full-time faculty, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Glenn Kissack, Retiree, Hunter College High School
Amy Jeu, CLT, Hunter College, PSC Executive Council
Ángel Martínez, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Bronx Community College and Hunter College, PSC Executive Council
Peter Santiago, HEO, Kingsborough Community College
Gerry Martini, HEO Associate, Graduate Center
Youngmin Seo, Adjunct Lecturer, LaGuardia Community College, PSC Executive Council
Pam Stemberg, Adjunct Assistant Professor, City College and Hostos Community College, PSC Chapter Chair City College, PSC Executive Council
Rosa Squillacote, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Hunter College, PSC Vice President for Part-time Personnel
PSC Executive Council (EC) members are highlighted in yellow.
Election Procedures:
Voting will be by secret ballot at the general meeting and conducted by the Coordinators. Candidates may not participate in the counting of ballots.
Members shall vote for up to eleven but for no fewer than nine candidates or in the case of a special election to fill vacancies, members must vote for no fewer than the number of candidates needed to bring the board membership to nine.
Ballots that violate these requirements shall be void.
To be elected, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the valid votes cast. If at least 9 candidates have not received a majority vote on the first ballot, additional rounds of balloting will be conducted consisting of those candidates who have not received a majority. If more than eleven candidates receive a majority vote, the candidates who receive the greatest number of votes will be elected.
PSC Executive Council members shall not have a majority of seats on the board. In the event that a majority of those elected are PSC Executive Council members, those with the fewest votes shall be disqualified until EC members constitute a minority of seats on the Board.
In the event of a tie, if the candidates agree, the winner(s) will be chosen by lot, otherwise, a runoff election shall be conducted.
Our first meeting of the Fall semester will be held virtually over Zoom on November 13, 2021 at 10 AM. At that time, we will be holding elections for the New Caucus Governing Board and Treasurer positions for three-year terms. All eleven positions for the Governing Board will be open for nominations. In line with our by-laws, the Governing Board shall consist of no fewer than nine and no more than eleven members. Also in accordance with the by-laws, PSC Executive Council members cannot constitute a majority of seats on the Board and the Board will include representation that reflects the diversity of our members and the variety of job titles within the PSC.
Nominations (including self-nominations) will still be accepted from the floor during the election meeting. At that meeting, nominees must either accept their nomination or must have communicated their acceptance to the Coordinating Committee prior to the meeting. Nominees will be given the opportunity to talk for two minutes about their vision for the governing board for two (2) minutes. All nominees must be members in good standing of the New Caucus on the day of the meeting.
For this election, the Coordinating Committee will also be opening up a space on the New Caucus website for publishing candidate statements and information. If you are interested in publicizing your candidacy, please do the following by October 30, 2021:
Write to the Coordinating Committee at psccunynewcaucus@gmail.com and let them know of your intention to run.
Submit to the Coordinators a statement that describes your candidacy, and includes your title, department and campus affiliation.
Submit a picture of yourself suitable for posting on the New Caucus website.
Reminder on Membership Renewals & Eligibility to Vote on Nov 13th: September 1 marked the beginning of the new New Caucus membership year. Information on renewing membership is available via the New Caucus site: https://newcaucus.wordpress.com/donate-to-the-campaign/
Once again this year dues will be $25 for full-timers and $10 for part-timers and retirees. It is important that members make sure to update dues by the dates indicated below in order to be eligible to participate in the GB election.
Here are important dates to consider when renewing membership and ability to vote and attend the November Governing Board and Treasurer elections:
Membership Dues Paid
By Sept 14, 2021
Sept 15 – Oct 30, 2021
Oct 31 – Nov 13, 2021
First time members
Can attend, Can vote
Can attend, Cannot vote
Cannot attend, Cannot vote
Renewing members
Can attend, Can vote
Can attend, Can vote
Cannot attend, Cannot vote
In solidarity, New Caucus Governing Board and Coordinating Committee
Please join us on Tuesday, August 31 from 7-9 pm for a beginning of the semester open house. We had originally hoped to have two of these but due to scheduling conflicts and the stressful and chaotic CUNY reopening process, we will be holding only the August 31 evening meeting.
Agenda:
Hear from the recently elected New Caucus PSC Leadership: James Davis and other principal officers will discuss how the Executive Council elected in Spring 2021 has been focusing on key issues like health & safety in reopening, union membership, strategic planning, retiree healthcare, and engagement with committees, including legislative, anti-bullying, and anti-racism.
Plan New Caucus events for 2021: Attendees will have an opportunity to collectively discuss caucus activities for the 2021-2022 academic year. Topics already under discussion include “Social Justice Unionism in the Post-COVID University”, “The Future of CUNY: Return to Open Admissions and a Free CUNY”, and the issue of Open Bargaining.
newcaucuspsc.com 