September 22, 2005
Testimony of Margo Rita Capparelli, Ph.D
Visiting Lecturer
Framingham State College

Dear Committee:

I am testifying in support of two bills currently before the legislature. Senate bill 1535 would include part-time employees of the Commonwealth's colleges and universities in its medical benefits programs. House bill 186 would require the Commonwealth to offer retirement benefits to that same group of employees.

In 1991, I began teaching at Framingham State College (FSC) and during the last decade I have been scheduled to teach a minimum of two classes a semester. During most of this time, I was fortunate to have health coverage through Northeastern University as a graduate student. Since receiving my doctorate, I have received health benefits either through the Commonwealth (for semesters that I am full-time at FSC) or through COBRA (for semesters that I am part time). I must secure a full-time position for a semester every year and a half or I will not be eligible for any health insurance since COBRA coverage is limited to a period of eighteen months.

This semester, I am part-time and receive medical benefits through COBRA at a cost of approximately $370 a month. Because of regulations that limit any "temporary" employee from working full-time for more than four consecutive semesters, my colleagues must also yo-yo from state coverage to COBRA or secure benefits through other sources.

Contrary to the title, "visiting lecturer," we are not ancillary to our institutions but integral participants in the academic life of our school and the Commonwealth. In the Department of Sociology at FSC, there are currently five professors teaching in full time permanent positions and eight teaching in temporary positions. The majority of those in temporary positions have been at FSC for many years. At least three of us have been there for at least ten years. We teach, advise and participate in the development of curriculum. We are not part-time or temporary by choice or in our commitment to our students. Some of the courses in our program have been taught exclusively by part-timers in the last five years and our students would be hard pressed to distinguish between those of us who are part-time and those who are full-time.

Our health and future are too important to disregard. For me personally, a medical crisis and several surgeries in the past two years have highlighted the importance of medical insurance and I fear that I may not be able to continue teaching for the Commonwealth without more secure and stable medical benefits.

These same points also apply to offering retirement benefits to part-time employees. I hope that I will not look back regrettably at my years of service to the Commonwealth when I find myself without a suitable safety net after retirement.

In the best of worlds, these bills would not be necessary. However, if the Commonwealth continues to rely on the services of "temporary" professors at its institutions of higher learning then it should support the people in those positions by providing us with medical and retirement benefits. Please take care of us by passing this legislation, so that we can concentrate on taking care of our students.

Sincerely,
Margo Rita Capparelli