Bill > H1055

This bill mandates that public institutions of higher education, starting in 2016 and continuing annually, must increase the proportion of courses taught by full-time, tenured, and tenure-track faculty, aiming for at least 75% of undergraduate courses (three or more credits) to be taught by these faculty by 2021, with funding requests to support this goal. Additionally, part-time and adjunct faculty will receive pay on a pro-rata basis equal to full-time, non-tenure track faculty with comparable qualifications and work, and those part-time faculty working at least half the workload of tenure-track faculty will be eligible for the same healthcare benefits and retirement plan participation as tenure-track faculty, with their part-time service cumulatively calculated across institutions. The bill also establishes processes for part-time and non-tenure track faculty to receive timely notice and priority consideration for teaching assignments, and for fair consideration for tenure-track positions, including accumulating seniority, prior notification of openings, and interviews, all subject to collective bargaining. Finally, it creates a Faculty Restoration and Equity Fund at each institution to help meet these goals for both increased tenured/tenure-track course instruction and comparable pay and benefits for part-time faculty, while ensuring no existing salaries, benefits, or hiring rights are reduced.