Nuts & Bolts: Upcoming events, Bereavement Leave, Associate Lecturer pay rates, sabbatical deadline, state legislator meeting at UMB and MTA Benefits
10/20/2025
FSU Calendar Oct 20th to 24th
Wednesday, October 22nd FSU Executive Committee Meeting 3:30PM to 5:00PM. Open meeting begins at approximately 4:15PM.
Executive Committee meetings are open to all members in good standing. The meetings tend to be a mix of routine, keep-the-trains-running, agenda items along with more substantive discussion about the larger issues facing faculty and librarians.
Wednesday’s meeting opens to members at approximately 4:15PM as the committee needs to meet in executive session for the first forty-five minutes: (contact FSU or Caroline Coscia for Zoom information).
Wednesday, October 22nd Social Media Training: Protections and Limitations 7PM-8:15PM
MTA Legal Division webinar provides public higher education employees practical guidance on navigating the complex intersection of social media and public employment. The webinar will discuss the protections – and limits – of the First Amendment and labor laws to help educators maximize their rights, recognize their limitations, and make informed decisions before posting on social media.
Registration is required. Go to https://massteacher-rg.zoom.us/meeting/register/5bTxRv7tSxCfHJrWQ-5z5g
Upcoming Events:
Wednesday, October 29th Say No to Resilience, and Yes to Resistance, 12:00-1:30PM Ballroom
Dear Faculty and Librarians,
Diwali, also known as the ‘festival of lights’ takes place October 18th to 22nd. October 20th is the main celebration. The festival marks the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. To our colleagues who are celebrating, we wish you a wonderful day and festival.
Communications Team
The FSU is looking for members interested in joining our communications team! Working with our Ex-Comm rep Mérédith Laferté-Coutu, you’d be helping to build our social media presence and strategizing about how to get the word out there on what the union is up to! Please reach out if interested (mm.lafertecoutu@umb.edu). This would be a low effort, fun commitment with no regular obligations, and a great way to engage with union work.
Know Your Contract: Bereavement Leave, Article 27.3.6
Our new contract expands relationships that qualify for leave. The changes are in bold print.
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2024-2027 Contract New Language in Bold |
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Full-time bargaining-unit members and part-time bargaining-unit members with appointments of 50% time or more shall be granted a leave of absence with pay for a maximum of four days upon evidence satisfactory to the Administration of the death of a spouse, partner, child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, sibling, step sibling, grandparent, grandchild, spouse’s parent, a person for whom the bargaining unit member is the legal guardian, a person for whom the bargaining-unit member is primarily responsible for making funeral arrangements, or a person living in the bargaining-unit member’s household. In the event of the death of a parent’s sibling, child’s spouse, or the spouse’s or partner’s sibling or grandparent or grandchild, a maximum of (2) two consecutive working days shall be available for use of the employee. This leave may be used, at the option of the bargaining-unit member, within 30 calendar days from said death. In extraordinary circumstances, at the discretion of the Administration, bereavement leave may be used more than 30 calendar days from the date of the death. Upon evidence satisfactory to the Administration, a bargaining-unit member shall be granted one day of leave without loss of pay to attend the funeral of the sibling, grandparent, or grandchild of the bargaining-unit member’s spouse or partner. |
Know Your Contract: Associate Lecturer Per Course Rate Change, Article 26.4.2
Effective Fall 2025, the per course rate increased from $5,500 to $5,800. The rate increases to $6,000 in September 2026.
Sabbatical Leaves or Leaves of Absence for 2026-2027: Submittal Deadline October 23rd
October 23rd is the deadline to submit applications for sabbatical leaves or leaves of absence for AY 26-27. Faculty are to submit to their chair and librarians submit their applications to the associate dean
State Legislator Meeting at UMB
MTA Grassroots Organizing interns (all three are UMB students!) are working to bring state legislators to UMB to hear our concerns. If you’re interested in assisting or wish to share a concern with the planning group, please email us.
MTA Benefits: BJ's Wholesale Club membership discount ends October 31st
Join or renew today and save! For membership costs and how to apply, click on Giveaways & Tickets then select Seasonal Offers.
Sincerely,
Caroline Coscia
FSU President
Senior Lecturer II
Political Science Department