NJCU partners with faculty group on ‘historic’ goals (updated)

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New Jersey City University (NJCU) and AFT Local 1839 — the local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers — announced April 11 they signed a “historic” Memorandum of Understanding that lays the groundwork for shared governance and good faith labor relations at the university. 

In the announcement, NJCU said the partnership with AFT Local 1839, which represents faculty, professional staff, librarians and adjunct faculty, is instrumental as the university navigates through the recovery phase of the its financial crisis.  

The MOU highlights nine goals: 

• Invigorate the university’s oversight and accountability; 
• Streamline administrative procedures and structures; 
• Enhance shared governance and labor/management engagement; 
• Emphasize teaching and learning as the central mission of NJCU; 
• Stabilizing admissions and retention; 
• Establish student retention as the highest priority in student success initiatives; 
• Increase graduation rate; 
• Decrease students’ financial challenges; and 
• Increase student support services.

NJCU interim President Andrés Acebo worked on the MOU with Barbara Hildner, an English professor since 1972 and president of the AFT Local 1839, and William Calathes, chief negotiator of AFT Local 1839 and a professor of criminal justice since 1987.  

“We will proactively solicit input and collaboration from all campus stakeholders, including the University Senate, because we value both the principle and practice of shared governance, and recognize that it is critical in order to drive student success,” Acebo said in a statement. “On my first day in office, I said in my opening message to our community that I would honor shared governance, and we are.” 

Acebo, who was named interim president in January, added that NJCU has “unprecedented engagement and partnership with union leaders rooted in a shared commitment to institutional reform that elevates both student and academic success and rewards a culture of servant leadership.” 

The MOU announcement comes amid a Rutgers University strike, where workers are calling for higher wages and better benefits, especially among adjunct and graduate workers. 

‘On the road’ 

In August 2022, Gov. Phil Murphy requested an investigation into NJCU’s finances. Initial media reports claimed the university went from a $108 million surplus in 2014 to a $67 million deficit, with another $156 million in debt. This was later corrected, finding the university was facing a $22 million deficit.

In the MOU announcement, Acebo noted the recent progress the university has made:

“Without the joint solidarity [with AFT Local 1839], we could not have reduced a more than $22 million deficit by more than 50% within 120 days, we could not have made significant progress in stabilizing NJCU over the past 10 months, and we will not be able to move forward to evolve into the mission-focused institution that we know we will emerge as in the months and years ahead.” 

Acebo added, “NJCU is on the road, with critically needed and important state support, to emerge into a new era of unrelenting commitment to the population it serves.” 

AFT Local 1839 statements 

“Members of New Jersey City University’s administration and AFT Local 1839 have worked together to create a shared vision for student success and have also committed themselves to do the work necessary to implement this vision. I believe our collaborative effort is the best way to provide students with a rich academic and personal experience and to lay a foundation on which graduates can build a rewarding future. I look forward to our partnership.”
– Barbara Hildner, AFT president 

“I thank President Acebo for his stellar stewardship. We have agreed to key institutional goals, objectives, and methods in the critical future performance areas of marketing and enrollment, retention, years-to-graduate, and job placement. I believe that the agreement provides foundational justification for the State to fully fund and support NJCU’s recovery and moving the mission of this Hispanic and minority-serving institution of higher education successfully into the future.”
– William Calathes, AFT chief negotiator 

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 4:06 p.m. ET April 14, 2023, to explain that early media reports about the university’s deficit were inaccurate.