On June 23, 2021 MSCA President CJ O’Donnell testified before the Joint Committee on Public Service in support of House Bill 2724 and Senate Bill 1733, An Act to ensure fair public higher education workplaces. See President O’Donnell’s written testimony here.

The bills have two important provisions that would benefit current MSCA faculty and librarians. Section 4 of the bills would provide for waiver of 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for full-time and part-time faculty and staff, their spouses and their dependent children attending a Massachusetts public higher education institution. This would greatly enhance the BHE policy that was adopted in 1984, and which now only covers roughly 10% of these costs.

Section 1 would streamline the contract funding process by requiring the BHE to submit the funding request for our salary increases directly to the Legislature rather than requiring us to hold our breath and hope the governor submits a supplemental funding request.

In addition, Section 3 of the bills would eliminate the 60-day waiting period for health insurance coverage for new employees, an antiquated part of existing statute.

There is still time for you to submit written testimony in support of these bills. You can do so by emailing your testimony to the Committee Senate Chair Michael Brady (Michael.Brady@masenate.gov) and House Chair Kenneth Gordon (Ken.Gordon@mahouse.gov).