image by No_Longer_Here

• NEW! FA hosting office hours this year: As noted by Dante in his cover story, for one of our Local Action Project initiatives the FA will begin hosting office hours each month both on Zoom and on each of the campuses. We encourage members to attend to let us know your ideas, issues and concerns or to ask questions about the FA. Watch for an upcoming email with details, and dates and times are as follows:

Wed, 9/25, 12:30 p.m. — Ammerman (room TBA)

Fri, 9/27, 10 a.m. — Zoom

Wed, 10/16, 12:30 p.m. Grant (room TBA)

Fri, 10/18, 10 a.m. — Zoom

Wed, 11/13, 12:30 p.m. — Eastern (room TBA)

Fri, 11/15, 10 a.m. — Zoom

• Sabbatical applications: Sabbatical applications are due on October 15. Please read the article about sabbaticals in this issue—Sabbaticals and the deep blue sea—for workshop information and contact Cynthia Eaton if you have questions about applying.
  
  
• Pay date information: According to payroll, there will be seven adjunct/overload paychecks on the following dates: 10/3, 10/17, 10/31, 11/14, 11/28, 12/12 and 12/26.
  
  For early end classes, pay dates are 10/3, 10/17, 10/31, 11/14. For late start classes, pay dates are 11/14, 11/28, 12/12 and 12/26.
  
  Full-time faculty who are promoted on 9/1/24 will receive their promotion bonuses (5% of base salary) in a separate check on 10/10.
  
  
• Adjunct/overload pay rates: Below are current pay rates by contact hour.
  
  

  PA	$942
  PA 1	$1,111
  PA 2	$1,229
  specialist 1	$1,315
  specialist 2	$1,415
  instructor	$1,455
  assistant professor	$1,577
  associate professor	$1,690
  professor	$1,854

  
  

• 2024-25 academic year holidays: Below are the agreed upon 2024-25 holidays, and you can find the N and U days on the FA website or on the SCCC Human Resources website.

• The FA budget is presented by FA Treasurer Pete DiGregorio and approved by the Executive Council every year. (photo by Cynthia Eaton)

  Annual FA budget and dues information: In keeping with his duties as treasurer, Pete DiGregorio presented to the Executive Council (EC) a proposed annual budget developed in collaboration with the budget committee. The proposed budget for 2024-25 was presented, discussed and approved unanimously the EC during our meeting on August 22, 2024. You can access it here: 2024-25 Approved FA Budget. In addition, Pete hereby notifies the membership of the 2024-25 Dues Payment information.
  
  
• The WORD editorial policy: The WORD is the voice of our local. This is our primary vehicle for bringing members, on a regular basis, the views and actions of the leaders. Throughout the publication will be descriptions and reports on the union’s programs, positions and politics as well as showing the variety of ways dues are expended. It is our intent to publish 6 to 8 issues per year.
  
  This newsletter, unlike a newspaper, is not designed to have a letters to the editor column nor does it accept an advertisement unless it has been screened and approved as a member benefit by NYSUT or AFT. The FA receives a rebate for each NYSUT/AFT ad it runs in an issue of The WORD.
  
  The WORD is also the voice of its membership. Articles about the FA, its membership and their concerns are welcome. All articles should contribute positively to the welfare of the FA and its members. We will not accept partisan articles or articles which attack any union leader or member. We accept thoughtful discussions of issues of concern to FA members. We reserve the right to edit articles not only for space and content but also those that seem to reflect a misunderstanding of the union and its policies or those which contain misinformation.
  
  The editors are the final authority for all editorial decisions. In the event of any inadvertent misstatement or factual error, the correction will be made in the next issue of The WORD.