Take action to protect PTL & TA/GA access to state benefits

While attempting to weed out abusers and save the state money, our Senators are unfairly targeting PTL rights to pension & health care and the TA/GA right to health care.

They are proposing that newly-hired PTLs no longer have the right to be in the PERS defined benefit plan or to purchase state health benefits. TA/GAs are included in this misguided legislation to cut out the right to health insurance for all part-timers. This proposed legislation sets up a two-tiered system that will seriously hurt Rutgers when, in the future, recruiting new instructors and graduate students to the university.  
Send this quick message to key Senators. The Senate hearing is tomorrow (Thursday, June 19) and they need to hear from you now!     

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Don't cut pension or health insurance eligibility for part-timers

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Part-time Lecturers and Teaching Assistants play a valuable role in the education of undergraduate students at Rutgers University. Graduate Research Assistants help drive the innovative research conducted in our campus labratories. Senate bills 1962,1965, and 1969 would adversely affect these hard-working employees at our State University and would have a grave impact on the recruitment and retention of outstanding students and scholars.

S-1962 and S-1969 would affect pension benefits for newly hired Part-time Lecturers who teach over one-third of undergraduate courses. The quality of instruction will suffer if PTLs and adjuncts are moved into a second-tier pension system (S-1962) or are unable to count the credit they earn from teaching at multiple institutions (S-1969). One option is to include them in the Alternate Benefit Program which was specifically designed for higher education faculty and staff.

As a premier research university, Rutgers risks falling in its academic rankings and in the pursuit of federal and private research funds if it cannot effectively compete with peer institutions across the country. S-1965 would cut health care eligibility for newly recruited Teaching Assistants and Graduate Research Assistants. We ask you to amend this bill to allow for continued eligibility for Rutgers Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants.

Currently, PTLs at Rutgers are eligible to purchase state health benefits by paying 100% of the cost, plus a 10% administrative fee. It's good public policy to allow newly hired PTLs to have this same option. Access to affordable, quality health care is a national and state priority. S-1965 needs to be amended to allow this eligibility to continue.

The benefits provided to these valuable employees bears fruit each semester in the classrooms and laboratories of our campuses.

Thank you for your consideration and your support.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
June 18, 2008


Background Information

 

  • Part-time lecturers are not abusing the pension system. Many adjuncts/part-time lecturers work at multiple institutions in order to cobble together a meager and barely survivable income. Part-time faculty members are a vital resource that helps insure that earning a degree at Rutgers is indicative of a quality education. They deserve to have the right to earn a pension.
  • Part-time lecturers won the right just a few years ago to purchase the state health benefits (at 110% of the cost). 
  • TAs and GAs are legally defined as "full time" employees, so they are eligible for the state health insurance plan. The proposed two-tiered system of not allowing newly hired TA/GAs to be eligible means that we will damage our ability to attract excellent graduate students. This in turn will impact undergraduate education and faculty research.