Union To Rally After Stockton Announces Faculty Layoffs

GALLOWAY, NJ — The Stockton Federation of Teachers and the Council of New Jersey State College Locals plan an Oct. 8 show of solidarity and rally at Stockton University after the school disclosed plans to lay off 14 faculty members and seven professional staff represented by AFT.

According to the union announcement, SFT members will gather inside the Campus Center Theatre from 1 to 3 p.m. during President Joe Bertolino's state of the university address. Immediately afterward, the union and supporters plan a rally at Independence Plaza on Stockton's main Galloway campus, where they intend to respond to Bertolino's remarks and call on the administration to work with the union "in collaboration and with transparency" to address the university's financial crisis without reducing its workforce.

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The action followed formal notice issued Oct. 6 that retrenchment notices were being sent to 14 faculty and seven professional staff members, according to the union.

In a message to students and families, Bertolino wrote, "Today, we informed the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA) of our intent to lay off positions represented by these unions."

"Currently, we know 14 faculty positions and 7 professional staff represented by AFT will be laid off at the end of the current academic year," Bertolino said.

"Our faculty and staff are the heart of Stockton University, not line items to be erased," said Tara Luke, SFT president and a professor of biology. "Cutting 21 faculty and professional staff positions directly undermines Stockton University's core educational mission, reduces student support services, and shortchanges the students who rely on us for a high-quality college experience."

Luke also said the administration had provided no additional information about affected programs, titles or individual employees. She said vague retrenchment notices "threatens the quality of education our students paid for and deserve," and added, "The Stockton Federation of Teachers will not stand by while the administration shortchanges our members, our students and our South Jersey community."

Bertolino told students and families that the university had explored "many options" to address its structural deficit, including "several rounds of voluntary separation programs," while working to align resources with institutional needs. He wrote that the layoff process and logistics will be governed by each collective bargaining agreement and said it would be "irresponsible to speculate right now on who will be leaving and how responsibilities and resources will be realigned across the University."

"We stand shoulder to shoulder with AFT Local 2275 in opposing these cuts," said Emari DiGiorgio, president of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals.

The union plans to seek formal consultation and impact negotiations under contract provisions it cited in its announcement. Scheduled rally speakers include Ramya Vijaya, Kerrin Wolf and Sarah Albertson.