Nuts & Bolts: Upcoming events, GIC Increase, Support PSU on Feb 4th, Know Your Contract, Higher Ed Fight Back Meetings and MTA Benefits

2/2/2026

FSU Calendar February 2nd to 6th

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 to follow up on visas related issues. This is open to all international faculty to discuss issues related to visas and travel. (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for Zoom information).

Thursday, February 5th FSU Executive Committee Meeting 11:00AM to 12:15PM

Executive Committee meetings are open to all members in good standing. The meetings tend to be a mix of routine, keep-the-trains-running, agenda items along with more substantive discussion about the larger issues facing faculty and librarians. If you are not an FSU member and wish to join the union please contact the FSU office.

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, February 12th UDC Pizza and Cookies 12:00PM to 1:00PM

Stop by the University Dining Club for some pizza (bring your own beverage) and relax, chat with colleagues and meet new colleagues. Pick up some FSU swag – stickers, buttons and t-shirts.

Dear Faculty and Librarians,

Happy February! Maybe the calendar change will bring warmer temperatures. Today is Groundhog Day.  By the time we send this to you, groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will have emerged from his den and hopefully not see his shadow meaning an early spring.  Locally, the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Ms. G groundhog will be emerging from her den in Lincoln, MA.

GIC Health Insurance: Proposed Increases

Thank you to those who told us you attended one of the GIC listening sessions. We hear your frustration. 

MTA is not backing down and taking a lead among state employee unions to stop the increases.  For more information and resources, go to https://massteacher.org/current-initiatives/gic

Please take a moment to send Governor Healey a letter (template on the website). Tell her hands off our health care.

Professional Staff Union: Show Your Support! Join them February 4th 11:45AM to 1:15PM

PSU has been at the bargaining table for 19 months. UMass management is demanding that the cost-of-living (COLA) raises set by the governor not be given. Instead, management wants a portion of these funds to go to merit. Merit is not equally distributed to all union members.  COLA increases are.    

PSU members have strongly rejected management's effort to “take merit out of COLA,” which they see as a form of wage theft.  This would lead to many PSU members receiving a pay cut and would set an awful precedent for workers on our campus. 

Please take a few minutes to support PSU and join them on the plaza. If you are unable to do so, ask a PSU member what you can do so that they may be able to join their colleagues outside.

Know Your Contract: Conversion from Associate Lecturer to Lecturer  

Article 21,11,1.iii states  “In such case as an Associate Lecturer/Clinical Associate Lecturer has served at 50% FTE or higher for three consecutive semesters, their title shall be converted to Lecturer.” The conversion to Lecturer takes effect at the beginning of the fourth semester.

Know Your Contract: Updating Continuing Appointments 

Article 21.9.2.b: “In the event a part-time NTT with a continuing appointment is given work above the assigned FTE of their continuing appointment for 2 consecutive semesters, upon request of the NTT to their respective department chair, the FTE of the assigned continuing appointment will be adjusted, and a new offer letter will be extended. Upon acceptance of the new offer the increase would be effective after the completion of the second consecutive semester” .

Prior to the current contract, NTT faculty could petition to have their respective CAs adjusted, and this was handled on an ad hoc basis. The current contract codifies and demystifies this process. Note that it is incumbent on the respective faculty members petition their chair to have their CA adjusted.

Public Higher Education Federal Fight Back Meetings, Thursdays 8:30 – 9:30

Higher education is under attack! Join fellow public higher education staff, faculty and students from across the state to strategize, plan and coordinate how we can hold our state and our campuses accountable for protecting public higher education during these turbulent times.

Meetings are from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. every other Thursday on Zoom from Feb 5th to March 19. Learn more at  https://massteacher.org/current-initiatives/drive-act

MTA Benefits: TD Garden Events

MTA members received discounts on select TD Garden events including the Boston Bruins, Disney on Ice (Feb 18th to 22nd), Hockey East Men’s Championship and WWE Raw.

Enjoy your week and go Patriots!  

Sincerely,

Caroline Coscia                                 

FSU President                                   

Senior Lecturer II                               

Political Science Department