Bill > H1429

This bill establishes the Faculty Restoration and Equity Fund to address employment conditions for part-time and non-tenure track faculty in Massachusetts public higher education institutions. The fund aims to ensure that at least 75 percent of undergraduate courses are taught by full-time faculty and that 75 percent of support staff are full-time employees. It also seeks to provide pay parity and comparable benefits for part-time and non-tenure track faculty. The bill makes several key changes to existing laws, including allowing part-time faculty who teach at least two three-credit courses per semester to be eligible for the state employees retirement system and receive creditable service. Additionally, the bill requires public higher education institutions to create processes for giving part-time faculty priority consideration for teaching assignments and fair consideration for tenure-track positions. The legislation mandates that part-time faculty receive pro-rata pay equal to full-time faculty with comparable qualifications, and requires the state employees retirement system to contribute at least 7.5 percent to part-time faculty enrolled in the Commonwealth's SMART Plan. Importantly, the bill specifies that these provisions are subject to collective bargaining and cannot reduce existing salaries, benefits, or hiring rights at public higher education institutions.

Education

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H1429