(November 1, 2005, New York, NY) The New School set an historic precedent on Monday, October 31 with the generous and creative agreement that was tentatively reached with the union that represents our part-time faculty, ACT-UAW. With the ratification of this agreement, The New School will become the first private university to guarantee job security to part-time faculty. Bob Kerrey, president of The New School said, “This is a win-win situation for both sides and we are most gratified that the union is recommending that their members ratify this agreement.”
The university worked with the union for over a year to negotiate provisions that will benefit all parties—details of which will be released once the agreement is ratified. Instructional costs will increase significantly over the next several years as a result of this agreement. The university is planning a variety of administrative cost-saving actions to help fund the contract.
Part-time faculty members are important to the educational enterprise of the university and comprise over 80% of the teaching staff. From the founding of The New School in 1919, part-time faculty have been an integral part of the university’s academic experience, whose wide range of professional and life experiences make valuable contributions to the classroom environment. Arjun Appadurai, Provost and Chief Academic Officer said, “So many of our instructors at The New School practice what they teach - they are working musicians, artists, designers, city planners, etc. Having this category of instructor available to teach here is what makes The New School unique.” The New School is one of the first private universities in the nation to have unionized part-time faculty.
In addition to job security, The New School’s part-time faculty will receive competitive compensation and improved benefits. The university will improve its ability to recruit and retain superior part-time faculty.
Located in the heart of New York’s Greenwich Village, The New School is a center of academic excellence where intellectual and artistic freedoms thrive. The 8,800 matriculated students and 15,000 continuing education students who attend the university’s eight schools enjoy a disciplined education supported by small class sizes, superior resources, and renowned working faculty who practice what they teach. Artists, scholars, and students from all walks of life attend its diverse programs and can earn program certificates to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. When The New School was founded in 1919, its mission was to create a place where global peace and justice were more than theoretical ideals. Today, The New School continues that mission, and endeavors to foster worthy and just citizens of the world.
The eight schools that make up The New School are: The New School for General Studies, The New School for Social Research, Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy, Parsons The New School for Design, Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts, Mannes College The New School for Music, The New School for Drama, and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.