Five of the benefits for adjunct faculty members are reviewed in this month's column by FA Adjunct Coordinator Kim Ng Southard.

As members of the FA, adjuncts have access to many benefits, five of which are professional development funding, tuition reimbursement, bereavement leave, assistance with complaints and grievances and, finally, due process.

I chose to highlight these five for this update because several adjuncts inquired about these particular benefits this past academic year and I also know there may be more adjuncts out there who are not aware they have access to them.

1. Adjunct professional development fund: Each adjunct with three or more semesters of SCCC experience and who is teaching/working two or more contact hours per semester is eligible to apply for the use of these funds for professional conferences/purposes in an amount not to exceed $750 in any one academic year during which the adjunct is employed. 
   
   The fund has an annual pool of $20,000 that is awarded on a first come-first served basis. You can submit applications for the fall semester on September 1 to the college adjunct services office using this application form.
   
   
2. Tuition reimbursement: Adjuncts who have worked more than two semesters are eligible for tuition reimbursement for taking two SCCC courses per semester.
   
   In addition, the adjunct's spouse and dependents are eligible for a total of 18 credits per year of tuition reimbursement if the adjunct has worked at the college eight out of the last 12 semesters. Tuition reimbursement forms from the campus dean of faculty's office must be filled out and approved before the course begins.
   
   
3. Bereavement leave: Each adjunct is entitled to four calendar days without loss of pay for any death in their immediate family (spouse, child, stepchild, parent, legal guardian, sibling) and two calendar days for death of their parent-in-law, stepparent, grandparent, grandparent-in-law or grandchild.
   
   
4. Assistance with complaints and grievances: A complaint is an informal claim by an employee or the FA of improper, unfair, arbitrary or discriminatory treatment. A complaint may, but need not, constitute a grievance and is processed through an informal procedure.
   
   The grievance procedure is a means of enforcing or administering the contract. A grievance is a violation, breach, misinterpretation or improper application of the contract. Contact me, the FA adjunct coordinator, or Kevin McCoy, the grievance officer (or call us at the FA office, 631-451-4151) to initiate a complaint or a grievance.
   
   Note that grievances and complaints must be filed within 30 working days after the violation occurred.
   
   
5. Adjunct due process: Before being dropped from the seniority list, an adjunct who has served 10 semesters must receive two administrative evaluations. The second administrative evaluation is required only if the peer recommendation is different from the first administrative recommendation.
   
   However, an adjunct who has served more than 14 semesters must receive two administrative evaluations before being dropped from the seniority list. If the evaluations indicate that improvement is needed, then the adjunct will be given one additional semester to improve their performance. (If the recommendation to remove the adjunct from the seniority list is based on issues other than performance, e.g., misconduct, absenteeism, etc., an additional semester will not be granted.)
   
   

Do note that the adjunct must be a member of the FA in order for us to represent you in a disciplinary hearing or anything disciplinary related. If you are not sure that you are a member, contact Anita Greifenstein by email or phone (631-451-4151).

Feel free to contact me at kimn@fascc.org if you have any questions regarding benefits or your contractual rights.