Saturday, November 18, 10am-3pm– in person & on zoom
The nominating convention for the 2024-2027 New Caucus Slate for PSC Executive Council will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 from 10am-3pm at the Center for Worker Education at 25 Broadway. There will be an option for remote participation via Zoom. Use this link for Zoom participation https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAsduutrTgpEtx7P4fvlLzk2c_tUT8z7VN3
In spring of 2024 the PSC will enter a new CUNY-wide election cycle.
The New Caucus Governing Board is tasked with developing the New Caucus slate for the 2024-2027 term of office. In July, the New Caucus Governing Board began contacting our current NYSUT/AFT delegates to ask if they want to be considered to stand again for this position. As we continue to develop this pool and work to get a balanced group representing our very diverse union, we have developed a process for soliciting nominations for a New Caucus slate for our PSC Executive Council.
We are aiming to have our three-year nominating convention in November, prior to Thanksgiving. As has been our practice in the past, we will be looking to balance our recommended slate with seasoned and newer leaders, as well as accounting for the diversity of our members in terms of campus, title, race and ethnicity and other criteria that will allow for a strong slate.
Process for soliciting nominations: Submit a candidacy statement (maximum 2-3 pages single-spaced) indicating the Executive Council position(s) for which you’d like to be considered no later than 11:59 PM on August 31, 2023. Please send your candidacy statement to psccunynewcaucus@gmail.com and address your message to the New Caucus Governing Board.
In your candidacy statement, please concisely address the following, with specific examples:
Your track record as an activist and leader in your local chapter and in the CUNY-wide PSC.
Two major challenges (internal and external) the PSC faces in achieving our goals for our members, our students, and the university
A few ideas that you think are workable in addressing one or two of those challenges.
One or two ways that you have successfully collaborated with others, within your campus, your constituency and with other constituencies in the union.
Your commitment to the mission of the New Caucus as reflected in your activism. (See New Caucus website at https://newcaucus.wordpress.com/)
Anything else that would reflect positively on your candidacy.
If chosen,
I will be a dues paying New Caucus member in good standing (Membership year runs from September 1 to August 31). (Answer Yes or No)
I commit to working collectively in the campaign leading up to the election in Spring 2024. (Answer Yes or No)
I am available for monthly EC meetings on Tuesday evenings and monthly DA meetings on I am able to serve a full three-year term in office. (Answer Yes or No)
Please visit http://tinyurl.com/newcaucus to become a member or to renew your membership. Note that new members of the New Caucus will be eligible to vote only if they have joined and paid dues at least two months prior to the vote. Continuing members must be in good standing to be eligible to vote. Dues for 2023-24 should be paid in August.
During the last week of September, we plan to hold two Meet the Candidate events so members can become acquainted with candidates who are seeking the Governing Board’s recommendation to serve on the Executive Council.
While the GB will present a proposed slate in November to the NC membership for a vote, nominations are open on the day of the convention until there is a vote to close them.
Hope you are all well,
2021-2024 New Caucus Governing Board Carolina Bank-Munoz, Shakia Brown, James Davis, Stuart Davis, Yasmin Edwards, Luke Elliott-Negri, Rulisa Galloway-Perry, Heather James, Amy Jeu, Glenn Kissack, Rosa Squillacote
The New Caucus will be holding a membership meeting on April 22, 2023 from 10am to 12:30pm. The meeting will feature a discussion with special guest Professor Todd Wolfson, Rutgers AAUP Vice-President. Todd will discuss Rutgers University’s recent strike authorization vote, AAUP’s larger project of building wall-to-wall union coverage at Rutgers, promoting bargaining for the common good, and much more.
1. Welcome 2. Presentation: Struggling Against Austerity in Higher Ed Bargaining 3. Old Business: Bylaw revisions regarding membership data 4. New Business and Announcements
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
