Amendment #468 to H4600

Adjunct Faculty Special Commission

Ms. Duffy of Holyoke moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

SECTION XX. Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission to study and make recommendations regarding the current adjunct faculty systems in place at the commonwealth’s public institutions of higher education.

The commission shall examine the role adjunct faculty play in the state’s community colleges, the University of Massachusetts, and the state university system and shall identify best practices that lead toward high quality public higher education. The commission shall make recommendations on how to ensure adjunct faculty are paid a living wage and are working under terms and conditions that align with the Commonwealth’s role as a national leader in recognizing health insurance as a human right. Said recommendations shall include an examination of benefits provided to adjunct faculty including but not be limited to eligibility for state retirement benefits, eligibility for employee health insurance provided through the group insurance commission, pathways to fulltime faculty status, evaluating the appropriate adjunct faculty to full-time faculty ratio, with a review of: the use of adjunct or part-time faculty, as well as the pay, benefits, responsibilities of, and support services provided to, adjunct faculty under the current systems. Said recommendations shall include statutory and other changes needed to provide adjunct faculty with eligibly for employee benefits, including health care.

The commission shall consist of the following members: the secretary of education, or their designee, who shall serve as chair of the commission; the commissioner of higher education, or their designee; the chair of the board of higher education, or their designee; the secretary of administration and finance, or the their designee; the treasurer, or their designee; the executive director of the group insurance commission, or their designee; the executive director of public employee retirement administration commission, or their designee; the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on higher education, or their designees; the chairs of the house and senate committees on ways and means committees or their designees; a member of the house of representatives, whose district includes one of the commonwealth's public higher education campuses, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; a member of the senate, whose district includes one of the commonwealth's public higher education campuses, appointed by the president of the senate; a member of the house of representatives appointed by the minority leader; a member of the senate appointed by the minority leader; 8 persons to be appointed by the secretary of education, 1 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the Massachusetts Teachers Association, 1 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the president of the University of Massachusetts, 1 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the council of presidents of the state university system, 1 of whom shall be selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges, 1 of whom shall be a student representative, selected by the state student advisory council; 1 of whom shall be an adjunct faculty member selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the Massachusetts Community College Council, 1 of whom shall be an adjunct faculty member selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the Massachusetts Society of Professors, 1 of whom shall be an adjunct faculty member selected from a list of 3 nominees submitted by the Massachusetts State College Association.

The first meeting of the commission shall take place within 45 days after the effective date of this act. The commission shall file its report with the board of higher education, the chairs of the senate and house committee on ways and means, the chairs of the joint committee on higher education and the executive office for administration and finance not later than January 1, 2025.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #468 to H4600

Adjunct Faculty Special Commission