Nuts & Bolts: FSU Executive Committee Meetings, Classroom Temperatures, Health Insurance Increase, MTA Retirement Consulting, Anti-Racism Grant Awardees and MTA Benefits
1/27/2026
FSU Calendar: Upcoming Events
H-1B Visa Updates & Faculty Q&A with Joe Berger, Monday, February 2nd at 4PM zoom
Last semester a group of international faculty met with Provost Berger on changes to H-1B visas. It was agreed to meet again. This is open to all international faculty to discuss issues related to visas and travel. (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for Zoom information).
FSU Executive Committee meeting, Thursday, February 5th 11:00AM to 12:15PM
Dear Faculty and Librarians,
Welcome to the spring semester. It’s odd to say spring when I am seeing heavy snow falling outside my windows. Please make yourself familiar with the Campus Closure Policy.
New Members
Welcome to our new members! Over twenty faculty joined the past semester. We are excited and welcome you. Our campus power comes from you, our members.
FSU Executive Committee Meetings
FSU Executive Committee meetings are open to all FSU members. Spring 2026 meetings are being held on Thursdays from 11:00 to 12:15. Meeting dates are February 5th, February 19th, March 5th, March 26th, April 9th, April 23rd and May 7th.
Classroom and Office Temperatures
If your classroom or office has no or low heat, please report this to facilities at facilities@umb.edu
This action adds your room and issue into the Facilities reporting tracking system.
Because faculty reported a lack of heat issue in M-2 -116 last fall, the FSU was able to follow up and work with facilities. Our pushing resulted in resources assigned (outside heating specialists) and I am happy to say M -2 – 116 has heat. We were also able to assist those who taught McCormack second floor where the issue was too hot, sauna hot.
Proposed Health Insurance Changes: Increase Costs
The Group Insurance Commission (GIC) is proposing increases to our plan deductibles, a 50% rise in copays for emergency and urgent care visits, and higher copays for PCPs. Effective January 1st, they made changes to GLP-1 medications by eliminating coverage if used for weight loss.
The GIC works for us. They determine our rates. This week they are holding listening sessions to provide information on fiscal year 2027 plan changes. This is our opportunity to tell them how we feel.
Help Stop the Increases! What can you do? Register to attend a Listening Session.
Listening sessions are:
Tuesday, January 27th 12:00PM to 1:30PM
Tuesday, January 27th 6:00PM to 7:30PM
Thursday, January 29th 9:00 AM to 10:30AM
Click here for more information and to register. Additional details are in the attached flyer.
MTA Retirement Consultant Meetings
Thinking of retirement? Planning to retire in the next couple of years? MTA membership includes an individual meeting with a retirement consultant who can provide advice on the state retirement fund and social security. For higher education, please contact JoAnne Martone at jmartone@massteacher.org to schedule an appointment.
2025/2026 Anti Racism Grant Recipients
Thank you to all who applied. The following are this year’s awardees (in no particular order)
QuantCrit: Interrogating and Applying of Research
Mona M. Abo-Zena, Dept of Curriculum & Instruction and Monnica Chan, Higher Education Program, Leadership in Education. $1,500
Sustaining Anti-Racism Efforts in Counseling, School Psychology, and Sport
Stacy L. Bender, Jesslynn Neves-McCain and Lindsay Fallon, School Psychology. $3,900
Contending With Whiteness: An Anti-Racism Reading Group Committed to Racial Justice
Karen Grayson, English Dept. and Patricia Krueger-Henney, Leadership in Education. $3,800
Assata Shakur: Legacies of Anti-Racist Struggles and The Ongoing Persecution of Political Prisoners
Keith Jones, Tony Van Der Meer, Africana Studies. $5,200
Unmasking Gendered Racialization in Online Teaching: Support for Contingent Women of Color Faculty at UMass Boston
Minh Nghia-Nguyen, Applied Linguistics. $7,500
Banned!: An Anti-Racist Reading Resistance
Keyana Parks, Department of English. $5,170.
Access and Support: Women and Minority Students in STEM Graduate Programs
Helen Poynton, School for the Environment and Alyssa Goncalves, Marine Science and Technology. $5,400
Stolen School: Confronting School Closure as Racial Harm and Collective Healing
Meagan S. Richard, College of Education & Human Development & Abiola Farinde-Wu, Urban Education Leadership. $1,940.
U, Me, Books: Promoting Community Literacy through Diverse Books
Susan Tan, English Dept. $1,450
“Closing the Care Loop” for UMB Faculty and Staff
Patricia Krueger-Henney, Leadership in Ed and Amy E. Collinsworth. $4,640
Promoting Anti-Racism through Continued Community Care among UMB Black Women Faculty
Karen Okigbo, Sociology, Azizah J. Jor’dan, Exercise and Health Sciences & Tahirah Abdullah, Psychology. $7,000
Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP)
Key Bird, English Dept, Anna Louise Penner, English Dept & Dominick Knowles, Labor Resource. $2,500.
Thank you to the Anti Racism Committee for their work in reviewing applications: Brandon Miller, Sun S. Kim, Miloslava Kozmova, Rania Said, Lynne Benson, Suisui Wang and Meredith LaferteCoutu.
MTA Benefits: Skiing
With lots of snow some people look forward to skiing. MTA membership gives you access to discounts at Berkshire East, Wachusett Mountain and Maple Farm Cross Country Ski Center in Granville.
Have a great semester!
Sincerely,
Caroline Coscia
FSU President
Senior Lecturer II
Political Science Department