Dear AAUP-BHSNJ Faculty,

We wanted to update you in several areas.

108 Faculty Members Below Minimum Base Pay

     By checking our records, our union has learned that 108 faculty members are currently paid an academic base salary below what is provided for in our union contract. The minimum academic base salary was increased on 7.31.21. However, it appears that when the University paid merit increases on October 29th, it failed to at the same time adjust salaries to the new minimums. These minimums are different given a faculty member’s rank and school. You can see them here. We have sent a list of the faculty who we believe are underpaid to the University. We hope to hear back soon as to when they will make the necessary adjustments. This comes on the heels of 34 faculty members that inadvertently were not paid merit increases. It is disappointing that we constantly have to check the University’s work. You deserve better than that.

Flu Vaccination Terminations

        The University attempted to fire 6 RBHS faculty members for failing to comply with mandatory flu vaccination. In all situations, these faculty members were actually vaccinated or exempted. However, due to miscommunications and other technicalities, it appeared as is these faculty members were not in compliance.  Thankfully, we were able to reverse all these terminations immediately.

Getting Ahead of Omicron

        As the Omicron variant takes hold in our state and country, we have been pushing the Rutgers administration for several weeks to take steps to keep our campuses safe rather than adopting a wait-and-see approach. Along with AAUP-AFT, we have called upon President Holloway to:

• Provide third-shot boosters to all members of the Rutgers community, including all faculty, staff, and students and the family members who live with them
• Make available, on demand and free of charge, COVID-19 tests on a weekly basis to all members of the Rutgers community, regardless of vaccination or booster status
• Update its vaccine requirement(s) to include CDC-recommended boosters for all eligible students, faculty, and staff
• Retain the current masking/facial covering mandate and social distancing requirements in all indoor shared spaces
• Continue the current campus libraries entrance policy, whereby only those holding valid Rutgers University IDs may access university libraries

Happy Holidays

        It has been a tough and long year. We enter this holiday with a bitter-sweet feeling. We lost several long-time union members Dr. Nicholas Ponzio and Dr. Rajendra Kapila. And while it does not appear as if the pandemic and other challenges are abating, we take heart in knowing that we have each other. This year has seen increases in workload and has demanded more of your sacrifice. So for that reason, we thank you for valuing our University even when it does not value you.  As you take time to reflect, know that you are not alone and that we can get through anything together. We wish you and your family a warm, merry, and healthy holiday.