In this Issue:

• Important: Tier IV Employee Pension Contribution to Increase
• FOIA Bill Passed by the Senate
• Regional Campus Directors input in Merit and Offer Letter Direct Reports

Important: Tier IV Employee Pension Contribution to Increase

On May 10, 2023, it was announced that the Lamont Administration plans to invoke a provision in the SEBAC 2017 Agreement that permits the State to increase employee contributions for Tier IV employees by 2%. Specifically, the base contribution of 5% (base contribution is 8% for Hazardous Duty members and members of the Hybrid Plan) can be increased for one year by one-half of the difference between the state investment performance and its predicted investment performance, up to 2%. The change is effective July 1st. This is the first year since 2017 that the administration has decided to invoke this provision. Employees’ contribution will return to 5% on July 1, 2024 unless the state’s investment performance is less than its predicted investment performance. SEBAC is working with the Governor to delay the implementation of this provision. Please look for more information in the next couple of months.

FOIA Bill Passed by the Senate 23-12; Contact your House legislator and urge support.

On Wednesday, the Senate Passed SB 1153, An Act Establishing an Exemption from Disclosure for Certain Higher Education Records Pertaining to Teaching, or Research Under the Freedom of Information Act. This Bill, provided to Senator Flexer for submission, protects the abuse of open records requests for faculty research, teaching, and scholarship when those requests are only intended to harass, intimidate, interfere, or discredit scientists whose research or teaching they simply don’t like. Please contact your legislative representative in the House to urge their support of this Bill. THE BILL HAS A GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING!!

Regional Campus Directors input in Merit and Direct Reports in Offer Letters

The Provost office has attempted to expand the regional campus director’s responsibilities regarding merit recommendations and direct reports for regional campus faculty. UConn-AAUP has contacted the Provost office and both are put on hold until further discussion/negotiations can be held. Department heads were asked to contact regional campus directors for a merit recommendation for anyone who had submitted for merit in their department. This is a violation of Article 25 of the CBA and department heads should not consider any letter submitted by campus directors unless notified by UConn-AAUP. Also, several 2023-24 Offer Letters to regional campus faculty include campus directors, as well as department heads, as direct reports. There certainly are supervisory responsibilities of regional campus directors, but until those responsibilities are clearly defined, campus directors should not be included as direct reports in these Offer Letters. UConn-AAUP will continue to update you on any changes to these positions.

In Solidarity,

Jeffrey O. G. Ogbar, President
Jean McCarthy, Executive Vice President
Michael Bailey, Executive Director
Tel 860.487.0450