Factsheet on H320
Creditable Service for Teaching Experience in Nursing Diploma Schools

Purpose
H320 would allow public higher education faculty to receive creditable service towards retirement for teaching in the Commonwealth's nursing diploma schools prior to 1975, after which time nursing programs were established within the public college and university system.

Impact
This bill applies to a situation unique to higher education and would not represent a change in policy for other faculty or teachers in the K-12 sector. If enacted, the bill would involve only ten nursing faculty members in the state colleges, two in the university system and 15 in the community colleges (27 total). The group has an average of 4.6 years each of relevant diploma school teaching experience. Nursing faculty members would be required to buy any relevant years of service. This group cannot expand once this legislation has been adopted.

Background
In the 1960s and 1970s, diploma schools of nursing were not an alternative to public schools--they were the only schools of nursing in existence. Cooperative arrangements between the diploma schools and public colleges, plus state subsidies paid directly to nursing students, blurred the line between the public and private sectors in nursing education. Nursing faculty had no choice but to teach in state-assisted diploma schools at the time, but they could not pay into the state's retirement system.

When schools of nursing were established at the state and community colleges, diploma school teachers joined the faculties at these institutions, and diploma schools were phased out. College nursing faculty were required to have both professional and teaching experience prior to their hire in the state system--teaching experience that could have been gained only at diploma schools of nursing.

This bill does not represent a change in policy to allow retirement credit for private school teachers. Diploma schools were the only option for nursing education/teaching in the state during this time, and, as such, they were state-assisted programs. H320 recognizes this point by using 1975 as the cut-off date for eligibility for creditable service towards retirement.

Rationale
H320 represents an issue of economic justice for a group of faculty who began their professional careers at state-assisted institutions without the benefits of state service. As these members approach retirement, it is important that their service to the Commonwealth's world-renowned medical establishment be appropriately recognized by adoption of H320.


Testimony for the Public Service Committee
Hearing: H320 (Diploma School Creditable Service)
May 15, 2001

Chairmen Dempsey and Joyce and members of the Committee, my name is Patricia Markunas. I am the President of the Massachusetts State College Association, the union which represents faculty and librarians at the nine state colleges in Massachusetts. I thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony in support of H320, a bill to allow creditable service towards retirement for years of teaching the state's hospital diploma schools of nursing in operation prior to 1975. This bill has been endorsed by the MSCA, the Massachusetts Community College Council and the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

I urge your favorable action to this bill for three major reasons:

· The provisions of H320 are parallel to existing legislation that allowed K-12 teachers and former members of religious orders to receive creditable service for teaching experience outside of the Commonwealth's school and higher education systems. Individuals would be required to pay into the state's retirement system for their years of creditable service. A cap of ten years of service at diploma schools in operation prior to 1975 is included. The years credited could not exceed the total years in state service. The faculty eligible to receive creditable service must be employed in teaching positions in college or university departments of nursing, not as administrators or non-nursing faculty.

· The individuals who would benefit from this legislation are a limited, one-time group of higher education faculty. After extensive surveys of departments of nursing throughout the state colleges and universities, we have identified fewer than 30 nursing department faculty who have full-time teaching experience at diploma schools of nursing in operation prior to 1975. The average length of such service is 4.6 years. By definition, this group cannot expand once this legislation has been adopted.

· The cost to the state's retirement system would be minimal. If adopted, the eligible faculty members who retire will be replaced by faculty members who will be required to pay 9% or 11% into the state's retirement system.

The benefits to the individuals involved, however, would be substantial. With one exception, all of these faculty members are women, whose pension resources must last an average of six years longer than those of men. Nursing faculty are the lowest paid group of faculty in higher education, and Massachusetts is no exception. These faculty, who founded our superb public schools of nursing, were required to possess both clinical and teaching experience prior to appointment at the state colleges and universities in the 1970's. Consequently, these individuals entered state service at a later age than is typical and, unless H320 is enacted, they will not be able to receive full pension entitlements until well after 70 years of age.

In closing, this bill represents an issue of economic justice for a group of faculty who began their professional careers in state-assisted institutions, as quasi-state employees, but without the benefits of state service or eligibility for any retirement system. Time is of the essence for these faculty as they approach retirement; members who could have benefited from this legislation have passed away awaiting its enactment. On behalf of the MSCA, the MCCC and the MTA, I urge your favorable action of H320 and I thank you once again for your attention.

Patricia V. Markunas
MSCA President
Professor of Psychology
Salem State College