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| Question | Answer | |
| Who does the BCCFA represent? | BCCFA represents the College's teaching faculty, non-teaching faculty, technical assistants, and professional assistants. The current membership of the BCCFA is approximately 250 out of a possible membership pool of approximately 260. | |
| What has the BCCFA done for its members? | Through the efforts of the BCCFA, its membership has attained a very high degree of job security, an above-average salary scale among New Jersey institutions of higher learning, opportunities for substantial overload work, a world-class health benefits package, high promotion rates, significant life insurance and pension protection, and many other such benefits. | |
| Who have been the leaders of the BCCFA? |
Neil Ender (d. 2002), Professor of Mathematics, was the long-time President of the BCCFA. Both he and BCCFA Treasurer, Professor Peter Helff were elected to their positions year after year by the general membership of the BCCFA. Upon Neil's retirement in 2000, Peter was elected President of the BCCFA, and he is currently in his third year in that office. Over the years, many other faculty members were elected to BCCFA offices. Peter Martin, the first BCCFA President, was succeeded by Neil Ender. The BCCFA Vice Presidency has been held by Richard Comerford, Barbara Passikof, Philip Bomeisel, Fred Prisco, Steven Ryan, and Denise Jerman (currently in her fourth year on the BCCFA Executive Committee). Besides Peter Helff, Farivar Fatemi, Eric Lubot, Denise Jerman, and Alan Kaufman (currently in his third year of service) have served as BCCFA Treasurer. Daniel Egan, Alice Peters, Marjorie Webster, Richard Comerford, and George Cronk (currently in his fifth year of service) have held the office of BCCFA Secretary. The BCCFA Representative Assembly Chair has been held by Richard Comerford, Philip Bomeisel, Fred Prisco, Eric Lubot, and Kevin Sullivan (currently in his fifth year of service). |
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| Where can I obtain a copy of the current BCCFA-BCC Contract? |
Copies of the current BCC-BCCFA collective bargaining agreement are available (as they always have been) in the BCC Office of Human Resources, Room A-316. The Contract is also available online in PDF format at www.bergen.edu/bccfa/K_2003_contents.pdf |
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| Does the BCCFA-BCC Contract contain a salary guide? | Yes. The BCCFA Salary Guide is contained
in "Appendix A" of the "Agreement between Bergen Community
College and Bergen Community College Faculty Association, July 1, 2001 -
June 30, 2004." While individual faculty positions on the guide have
changed since 1996, the Salary Guide itself has not changed since 1996. If you need help in locating your position on the guide, please see BCCFA President, Peter Helff, for assistance. |
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| If I have a complaint or a grievance relevant to the work of the BCCFA, what do I do? | Complaints having to do with the terms and conditions of employment at BCC or, for that matter, about the operations and functioning of the BCCFA itself, can be addressed (preferably in writing) to any member of the BCCFA Executive Committee. Complaints and other issues can also be raised at meetings of the general BCCFA membership. The procedure for the latter is described in the BCCFA Constitution. There is also a procedure for filing formal grienvances. The current Grievance Committee Chair is Professor Peter Helff, C-110, 201-447-7988. | |
| What are the NEA, the NJEA, the BCEA, the AAUP, and the AFT, and how is the BCCFA related to them? | These are all organizations representing
and working for the benefit of faculty and staff in the nation's schools,
colleges, and universities. Unlike the NEA (and its state and local affiliates)
and the AFT, which also represent faculty and staff in elementary and high
schools, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) represents
only faculty, librarians, and academic professionals at two- and four-year
colleges and universities. The AAUP has a current membership of about 45,000,
with over 500 local campus chapters and 39 state organizations. The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest college and university faculty and staff organization in the United States, representing more than 100,000 higher education personnel on campus, in state legislatures, and in Washington, where many critical decisions about higher education are made. Total NEA membership is 2,500,000. The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) is the New Jersey affiliate of the NEA, and the Bergen County Education Association (BCEA) is the Bergen County affiliate of the NJEA. The BCCFA is affiliated with the NEA, the NJEA, and the BCEA. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, has a current membership of approximately 1,000,000 educational employees, of which approximately 70,000 are employed in institutions of higher learning. Like the NEA and its affiliates, the AFT works to achieve job security and associated benefits for its members and to improve the nation's educational institutions. In 2001, the NEA and the AFT entered into a national "partnership" agreement to cooperate and work together for the good of their respective members and for the improvement of the American educational system. The ultimate aim is to merge the two organizations into a single national educational union. However, some state affiliates of the NEA - including the NJEA - have not yet ratified the national agreement. Since the BCCFA is an affiliate of the NJEA, we have no relationship with the AFT or any of its affiliates at this time. Incidentally, the NEA-AFT agreement contains a jurisdictional ("no-raid") agreement, which bans each national organization from challenging or assisting in challenges of established bargaining agents of the other partner or locals that have won exclusive bargaining agency. |
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| What portions of my BCCFA dues go to the NEA, NJEA, and BCEA? | The total NEA, NJEA, and BCEA dues burden on the BCCFA is $737 per member - $535 to the NJEA, $134 to the NEA, and $68 to the BCEA. Dues moneys in excess of the per-member amounts paid to the NEA, NJEA, and BCEA go into the BCCFA treasury. For a description of the current BCCFA dues structure, click here. | |
| What do I get for the portions of my dues that go to the NJEA and NEA? | For the NJEA's answer to this question, click here. The NEA provides overall national and international coordination of the efforts of organized educators. At the national level, NEA lobbies Congress and federal agencies on behalf of its members and public schools, supports and coordinates innovative projects, works with other education organizations and friends of public education, provides training and technical assistance to its affiliates and generally conducts activities consistent with the policies set by its elected governing bodies. | |
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Do the officers of the BCCFA receive compensation for their work on behalf of the Association? |
Yes, they do. The five members of the BCCFA Executive Committee are compensated for their work on behalf of the Association as follows: The BCCFA President is paid for four contact hours per semester at his overload rate (approximately $3,500 per semester or $7,000 per academic year); each of the other Executive Committee members (Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and RA Chair) is paid for one contact hour per semester at his/her overload rate (approximately $1,500-$1,800 per year). This payment policy was approved and reaffirmed by the BCCFA membership on various occasions over the years. In any given year, these stipends cost the BCCFA membership no more than $14,500. | |
