We Have Agreed to a Framework on New Contracts

April 15, 2023
 
Dear Members of the Rutgers Community:
 
Rutgers University has reached the framework on economic issues for new contracts with several of our faculty unions, ending the week-long strike. 
 
The framework that was reached late last night between Rutgers and its faculty unions provides fair and equitable wages, benefits, and work conditions for our faculty as well as our graduate students and part-time lecturers. Reaching consensus comes as a result of the active and engaged leadership of Governor Murphy, to whom we all are deeply indebted. 
 
Most important, closure on this framework will allow our 67,000 students to resume their studies and pursue their academic degrees. Nothing we do is as important as living up to the expectations that our students and their families have of us to be fully supportive of them and nurturing of their academic ambitions and dreams.
 
The agreement on new contracts will increase salaries across-the-board for full-time faculty and EOF counselors by at least 14 percent by July 1, 2025. 
 
Further, it will provide a 43.8 percent increase in the per-credit salary rate for part-time lecturers over the four years of the contract and at the same time significantly strengthens their job security. Additionally, it will increase the minimum salary for postdoctoral fellows and associates by 27.9 percent over the same contract period. The agreement provides substantial enhancements in wages as well as a commitment to multi-year university support for our teaching assistants and graduate assistants. These graduate students, in addition to receiving health care coverage and free tuition and fees, will see their 10-month salaries increase to $40,000 over the course of the contract. 
 
The contracts are retroactive to July 1, 2022, and will provide substantial retroactive salary payments to covered employees. I’m grateful to our negotiating team and optimistic that the membership of these unions will vote to ratify the contracts when fully completed.  
 
Our students’ academic success, well-being, and progress is our utmost priority, so as striking faculty members return to the classroom, let me address some important academic issues for our students:
 
Coursework: The University encourages instructors to be flexible and to support our students on their path to academic success. Instructors will communicate with their students regarding course expectations and any modifications to course plans and assignments and will provide opportunities to make up any missed work. We encourage students to reach out to their school dean’s office for help with advising and registration issues. 
 
Registration and Exam Schedule: Fall 2023 course registration (which starts on Monday, April 17) and other universitywide programming will proceed as scheduled, as reflected on the academic calendar followed by each school. There will be no change to reading days and the schedule of final exams.
 
Commencement: Plans for Commencement and school convocations are proceeding. We are eager to celebrate our graduating students’ achievements next month.

Counseling: As I have seen in the e-mail messages I have received, this has been a difficult time for many students, and I encourage anyone who is struggling to please see our counseling support services posted on the strike information page. 
 
Again, my thanks to Governor Murphy as well as his staff and the state-appointed mediators who helped the university and the unions resolve differences on key issues and enable us all once again to focus on the academic enterprise that is the heart of this remarkable university. I look forward to finishing the academic year on a triumphant note as we celebrate the Class of 2023 next month.
 
Sincerely,
 
Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor