A torn Achilles tendon has rendered our union president temporarily dependent on a scooter—tricked out with a basket and a bell—that has caused him to slow down and reflect. (photo courtesy of Dante Morelli)

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful break and holiday. My break was adventurous as it started with a surgery to reattach my Achilles tendon. Losing the mobility of my leg has been trying both physically and mentally. Anyone who has sustained a serious injury like this knows the recovery can be slow, difficult and taxing. This injury has forced me to slow down a bit which has given me time to catch up on needed items and to reflect on a lot.

One thing that brought constant reflection is, of course, the state of our union. The weeks leading up to the start of the semester were turbulent. The omicron variant was running through many communities. Things were changing daily and the college, the FA and your campus governance leaders were trying to navigate these issues as we made recommendations to President Bonahue. As hoped, the positivity rate dropped in time for us to start the semester.

Along with navigating Covid is the constant struggle with enrollment. Prior to spring 2018, student enrollment was approximately 14,000 full-time equivalents (the measure of how many students are taking the minimum number of credits to be full time). Currently, our enrollment is just under 9,700 FTE. This downward trend is happening across the country with colleges and universities having one million fewer students compared to fall 2019; community colleges nationally are down 13% since 2019.

But while my torn Achilles, Covid and declining enrollment have been challenges, I’m also heartened by many positive changes I see around me. First and foremost is the notable increase in the number of students and faculty physically on campus after too many remote semesters. It is great to come back and engage with students on campus again. There’s a vibrancy on campus—which we need to see even more of—and I hear positive comments from members about this too.

Another positive note is that 94% of FA members who responded to our recent survey have received some form of the Covid-19 vaccination. The FA also has a busy semester ahead as we are preparing to negotiate with the college (our current CBA expires on August 31, 2022). Please keep an eye out for our member negotiation survey in the near future.

On January 7, the FA’s JEDI Institute collaboration with college administration resulted in an incredibly positive meeting, with two discussion panels sharing a wide range of “JEDI” teaching strategies—just in time to invigorate our spring semester. We’ve also developed a Wellness Series featuring FA members delivering informative and enlightening workshops that are open to all employees at SCCC. Finally, join me in congratulating this year’s deserving recipients of the FA Member Excellence Awards:

• Elizabeth Roddin, Excellence in Adjunct Service
• Andrew Stone, Excellence in Service to the FA
• Misty Curreli, Community Outreach / Social Justice
• Courtney Desmond, Outstanding Mentoring
• Kellie McCartin, Outstanding Mentoring

These award recipients, along with our recent retirees, were to be feted at a Winter Party but omicron forced us to postpone that. Undeterred as ever, we will host instead a spring fling later this semester, as we are determined to honor these wonderful members and retirees in person.

	Dante's union spirit remains strong despite a serious foot injury. (photo by Anita Greifenstein)

As you can see, despite an injury that slows me down considerably, I have to say I am thankful for a lot. One of which is an extensive support system of friends and family, especially Courtney Brewer, our FA executive vice president. Courtney provided me with both medical equipment and transportation to and from my surgery. I will never forget her helpfulness and generosity.

Another big thank you goes to the other FA officers and our staff (Anita and Mary), colleagues and friends who have constantly been checking in to see if I need anything. I am also grateful for our students, who pass by the accessible parking spaces in front of the Southampton Building and ask if I need help getting my scooter in and out of my car.

Let the record reflect: Yes, my scooter has both a basket and a bell. I travel in style.

Finally, I’m thankful for the college for keeping the accessible buttons, elevators and restrooms around our campuses operating properly. It is important that you notify the FA when these are not fully operational as we need to provide access to all employees and students who deal with mobility issues. This experience has made me even more mindful of how universal design truly helps everyone.

So what are the major lessons I am taking away from this terrible Achilles injury? Kindness is still here. Slowing down to think and reflect is helpful. And when things get tough, we come together, assist and support one another to get through those tough times. This is what we do in the union, and this is what we do at Suffolk County Community College.