Greetings,

Our proposal to RU administration to delay the implementation of full-time faculty salary increases until September 1 is predicated on the need to continue our advocacy in Trenton and thoughtfully review University budget priorities.  

Our next message to Trenton focuses on defending our core mission.   

Last year Rutgers' faculty and staff successfully brought in $327 million in federal and private research grants. In spite of hard economic times, federal commitment to research has increased. This is a clear example of effective stimulus. Another example would be greater state support for classroom instruction and research infrastructure. For data on research grants and contracts, see the RU ORSP FY 2008 Annual Report:  http://orsp.rutgers.edu/downloads/AnnualRpt/FY08_Annual_Report.pdf

Increased state funding is needed to position Rutgers for successful grant-seeking in a competitive environment. Our status as a member of the Association of American Universities strengthens our graduate programs. Funding for classroom instruction ensures that undergraduate students get a quality education and also have research opportunities.

Please click to take action today! Clicking takes you to a sample message, which you can edit.  

Sincerely,

Lisa C. Klein
Professor II, Materials Science and Engineering
President, Rutgers AAUP-AFT

Subject: State funding for Rutgers is necessary for successful competitive grant-seeking

Dear [decision maker name automatically inserted here],

Increased state funding to support classroom instruction and research infrastructure is necessary for Rutgers faculty to secure federal and private research grants. These are competitive grants and other states are doing more to put their universities in a better position for success.

Last year Rutgers faculty and staff brought into New Jersey over $327 million in federal and private research grants (FY 2008). However, use of grant funds is restricted to research and cannot replace state funding for student instruction and infrastructure.

It is important that federal grant dollars brought in by faculty and staff at Rutgers are growing, even in hard economic times, because they provide good jobs with benefits and this, in turn, grows our state and local tax base. Research grants often lead to new products and technologies that increase our efficiencies, improve our health, and further stimulate the economy.

I urge you to apply federal stimulus dollars properly to higher education as outlined in the guidance from the United States Department of Education. Investment in Rutgers today will have an immediate impact on state tax revenues and economic growth. More importantly, it will allow thousands of working and middle-class students to start and finish their degrees.

The purpose of including higher education in the federal stimulus legislation was to avoid devastating budget cuts and layoffs and to mitigate the need for increasing in-state tuition. This is good policy and good for the economy.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]