"Another step in an ongoing international campaign for parity in adjunct pay and working conditions" – Campus Equity Week 2001 Memo
Item
CAMPUS EQUITY WEEK 2001: October 28" —November 3rd
Another step in an ongoing international campaign for parity
in adjunct pay and working conditions
Marcia Newfield
It was the first time in history that every major faculty union and association in the U.S.
and Canada has gotten together to promote faculty activism around the issue of
contingency adjunct labor that constitutes 60-65% of the academic workforce.
Coordinated activities took place at over 100 colleges listed on the Campus Equity
Week website (www.cewaction.org).
The PSC Roundtable, “Adjunct Equity in the University,” on October 30" at the
Graduate Center, moderated by PSC Vice President for Part-time Personnel, Eric
Marshall, included PSC’s Barbara Bowen, Ingrid Hughes, Alex Vitale and guests Rich
Moser of AAUP, Elaine Bobra, Executive Vice President of the Camden College Faculty
College Faculty Association, Vincent Renzi, NYU Adjunct Assistant Professor of
Classics, and Mobilization Director of the NYC Central Labor Council, Nick Unger.
Unger questioned whether the PSC move toward equity was counterproductive to
developing careers. “Do you get rid of adjuncts or do you create new career paths?
Bowen differed. “As a union you must address the needs of your most exploited workers.
On the other hand, you have to make structural change. Improving conditions for part
timers begins to effect structural change. If you bring part time work to equity, there is
less incentive to use part timers.” Moser said there have to be conversion lines for those
who have served the university. Renzi and others cited models of craft/guild unionism
offered by Actors Equity, the Musicians Union, the Writers Union, and the Boiler Makers
Union. Marshall proposed a spring PSC-sponsored conference on The Ontology of the
PSC: (RE) Envisioning the Union for the Future where we can explore (creatively and
outside the lines) how the union of tomorrow may best engage, involve, and serve all its
members. PSC Officer Cecila McCall pointed out the historical and current racial divide
in the union movement.
Another step in an ongoing international campaign for parity
in adjunct pay and working conditions
Marcia Newfield
It was the first time in history that every major faculty union and association in the U.S.
and Canada has gotten together to promote faculty activism around the issue of
contingency adjunct labor that constitutes 60-65% of the academic workforce.
Coordinated activities took place at over 100 colleges listed on the Campus Equity
Week website (www.cewaction.org).
The PSC Roundtable, “Adjunct Equity in the University,” on October 30" at the
Graduate Center, moderated by PSC Vice President for Part-time Personnel, Eric
Marshall, included PSC’s Barbara Bowen, Ingrid Hughes, Alex Vitale and guests Rich
Moser of AAUP, Elaine Bobra, Executive Vice President of the Camden College Faculty
College Faculty Association, Vincent Renzi, NYU Adjunct Assistant Professor of
Classics, and Mobilization Director of the NYC Central Labor Council, Nick Unger.
Unger questioned whether the PSC move toward equity was counterproductive to
developing careers. “Do you get rid of adjuncts or do you create new career paths?
Bowen differed. “As a union you must address the needs of your most exploited workers.
On the other hand, you have to make structural change. Improving conditions for part
timers begins to effect structural change. If you bring part time work to equity, there is
less incentive to use part timers.” Moser said there have to be conversion lines for those
who have served the university. Renzi and others cited models of craft/guild unionism
offered by Actors Equity, the Musicians Union, the Writers Union, and the Boiler Makers
Union. Marshall proposed a spring PSC-sponsored conference on The Ontology of the
PSC: (RE) Envisioning the Union for the Future where we can explore (creatively and
outside the lines) how the union of tomorrow may best engage, involve, and serve all its
members. PSC Officer Cecila McCall pointed out the historical and current racial divide
in the union movement.
Title
"Another step in an ongoing international campaign for parity in adjunct pay and working conditions" – Campus Equity Week 2001 Memo
Description
Written by Marcia Newfield, this 2001 memo reported on the "historic" meeting of unions in the USA and Canada to discuss adjunct labor. The Professional Staff Congress (PSC) held a roundtable at the Graduate Center called "Adjunct Equity in the University." Moderated by Eric Marshall, the panel included Barbara Bowen of the PSC and Rich Moser of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), among others. Of particular interest, the panel discussed "whether a move towards equity would be counterproductive to developing careers."
Contributor
Newfield, Marcia
Creator
Newfield, Marcia
Date
November 2001 (Circa)
Language
English
Source
Newfield, Marcia
Original Format
Memorandum
Newfield, Marcia. Letter. “‘Another Step in an Ongoing International Campaign for Parity in Adjunct Pay and Working Conditions’ – Campus Equity Week 2001 Memo.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/1493