Town Hall on Tuesday and help pass statewide and federal aid for higher education

5/7/2020

Dear Colleague,

I hope the end of the semester is going well for you. The FSU is organizing with the other unions on campus around the university’s planned budget cuts, working with the MTA to protect adjuncts and others at the state level, and (via the MTA) asking for more aid at the federal level to prevent budget cuts. Please join these efforts below:  

►The Union Town Hall will be held on Tuesday, May 12, from 12 noon to 1 pm via zoom.  It will plan and organize for anticipated budget cuts and discuss the Chancellor’s Thursday Town Hall on May 14 at 2 pm.  Stay tuned for details. 

►Sen. Anne Gobi submitted a State bill that will provide access to health care and retirement for adjunct faculty in Massachusetts, eliminate the 60-day waiting period for access to that health insurance, and put a moratorium on student debt payments to MEFA (the Mass Education Financing Agency). 

Although this is an emergency bill, and is only related to the current emergency measures, the MTA’s goal is to win these now and make them permanent. Please contact your State Reps, Governor Baker, and Health Commissioner Carlos Santiago to ask for emergency action for health care equity here:

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/emergency-action-for-health-care-in-mass-higher-ed

►Another federal Covid-19 funding bill will be coming out any day now.  Let’s make sure it includes aid to state and local governments and to those who need it most.  If you have not yet done so, take action at the Congressional Level and ask your State Reps to support Rep Richie Neal’s “people’s bailout,” including

• Funding $200 billion for education, including higher education (including UMB)
• Canceling student debt
• A GI bill for veterans to take public college debt free
• Extending support to the neediest

► Update on the State Budget:  According to the MTA, the budget process is a month behind.  They don’t expect a State budget until September, and they believe that it is likely that we will continue the previous budget for a couple of months this summer. 

► Letter from UMB Unions to the incoming Chancellor: The FSU Executive Committee is signatory to a letter signed and sent by the UMB campus unions to the incoming UMB Chancellor. You can see that letter here.

► Reimbursements for and discontinuing your parking passes:  To obtain reimbursement and to stop your semester, monthly, etc. parking passes, go to: https://www.umb.edu/editor_uploads/images/university/staff_form_umb1.pdf  Under the  FSU section, check ‘Discontinue Pass.’  Email your completed form to HR@umb.edu.  Cancellation requests received by HR TODAY, Thursday, May 7 will be processed retroactive to March 15.  After today, although payment for these passes will cease to be taken out in the next pay period, you will not receive reimbursement for these passes retroactively to March 15th.

► Research and Educational Support (RES) Funds:  Submit for reimbursement by 9 am on Monday, May 11 (if electronic submission).  Find your RES letter sent from your Dean’s office back in November 2019 for the forms, information, and guidelines.  You need department approval and all the necessary signatures so get these now. 

► Annual Election of Health Insurance Benefits:  Is occurring now through June 1.  You should have received information from HR via email and from the GIC though postal mail.  For further information, go to the Group Insurance Commission website at www.mass.gov/gic.   

► Retirement counseling from the MTA.  Sessions are available by phone or online to help members decide the best time to retire, determine if you have buy-back opportunities, provide information on retiree health insurance, Medicare and Social Security benefits, and answer many other questions. Please see here for more information and to schedule an appointment (please have online access during the call).  In addition, those moving from ORP to MSRB should consider making liquid TIAA annuity assets pay off service purchased and related costs.  Contact Ed McCourt directly for this information (see his contact information on the link above).   

Concerned? Problems?  Want to get involved?  Email fsu@umb.edu

Sincerely,

Marlene Kim

FSU President

Professor, Economics

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