July 19, 2021
After earning an upgrade from Moody’s from a “Stable” to “Positive” outlook, a designation that only 2% of all ratings receive, as well as an impressively flush financial report, LIU’s Senior Administration has put a collection of egregious proposals that cut salary, benefits, and job security for all. LIU is in a better financial position than it has been in for decades.
This is a selection of some of their most horrible proposals:
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Elimination of check-off / agency fee (this would bankrupt the union because Payroll would no longer collect dues—union busting)
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Elimination of almost all benefits for and only offering increases of 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%.to full-time faculty and no increases for any other wage payments including all adjunct salary rates, overload rates, and minima salary rates
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Cutting LIU’s retirement contributions for all full-time faculty by 3-6%.
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Instituting post-tenure review with termination
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Elimination of seniority rights for adjuncts
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Elimination of LIU’s unpaid leaves of absence including infant care
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Elimination of promotional salary increases
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Elimination of early retirement and retirement medical benefits for all (these are worth 61% of salary for 5 years and $50,000 in retirement medical for both you and your spouse/partner for up to $100,000).
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Excluding department chairs from the bargaining unit (this threatens the accreditation of many programs)
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Excluding Departments and Department Chairs from setting class sizes (The Dean or VPAA would set class sizes)
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Substantial reduction of sabbatical entitlements and elimination of release time for probationary faculty