It’s been a couple of years, but the Pratt Faculty Union newsletter, “The New Voice” is about to get renewed. We’d like to invite you to contribute! For the Spring 2012 issue, we’ve chosen the theme of “Occupy Hall Street.” We’re seeking contributions from both union members and students that consider: who are we, the 99%, at Pratt Institute? What are the experiences and activities of this “we,” an amazingly diverse set of educators, artists, students, workers, and activi

Here’s an amazing 1940 photo of Woody Guthrie entertaining New Yorkers with a rendition of “This Land is Your Land.”

A revealing story about the fate of most of the money derived from a nearly 10% tuition hike at the University of Colorado: most goes to salaries of top administrators. About 50% of faculty received a slight raise after salaries had been frozen for three years, and they also lose most of their tuition benefit for family members since this is a “down economy.” At U. of C., it’s apparently only a “down economy” if you’re a faculty member, not a top administrator. Here’s the st

Dear Colleagues, I recently attended, with UFCT local 1460 Secretary Holly Wilson, a Summit on the role of contingent labor in the academy. The Summit was titled, “Reclaiming Academic Democracy: Facing the Consequences of Contingent Employment in Higher Education,” and was convened by a new organization called “New Faculty Majority,” whose goal is to educate about and advocate for equity for contingent professors nationally. They work with existing unions, but are something

Dear Union Members: I am pleased to announce that on Friday, December 9th, from 5:15-7:30, at Pratt Institute (location TBA), the UFCT Local 1460 will be hosting a lecture/presentation: “The State of Academic Unionism.” Our esteemed guests will be both Stanley Aronowitz of the CUNY Graduate Center, and Michael Pelias of LIU. Please RSVP ASAP (kyecarbone@gmail.com) as seating will be limited. Moreover, students, friends, and guests are allowed, but we will need to know just h

Here is an excellent report on the situation at UC Davis, and in the California public university system in general, in the wake of pepper spraying of students and use of police brutality on campus. It includes an interview with untenured professor Nathan Brown who called for the Chancellor’s resignation, and has since garnered support from around the world. A brilliant example of faculty and students standing in solidarity against tuition hikes and the repression of free s

Please join the Pratt Faculty Union (UFCT 1460) for a special presentation: ‘Hydraulic Fracturing’ [the new Halliburton technique used to drill for natural gas]Learn how proposed “fracking” regulations will NOT protect New York City! On Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6:30-8:30 in the Alumni Reading Room, three expert panelists will discuss proposals for New York State, the Delaware River Basin, and Lower Manhattan. Since 2005, when ‘fracking’ was exempted from the Safe Drinking Wa

A call from a fellow Pratt Faculty Union member to join the historic Occupy Wall Street movement: Sisters & Brothers: I’m on sabbatical this semester so I’ve spent a lot of time on Wall Street. I’ve seen some of you at Liberty Plaza, mostly sisters, two of whom are officials of our glorious union. I would encourage each of you to visit the Occupation at your convenience, what has been evolving there is truly incredible. I’m curious as to what Pratt students think, I’ve seen

Please join the Pratt Faculty Union (UFCT 1460) for a special presentation: ‘Hydraulic Fracturing’ [the new Halliburton technique used to drill for natural gas] Learn how proposed “fracking” regulations will NOT protect New York City! On Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6:30-8:30 in the Alumni Reading Room, three expert panelists will discuss proposals for New York State, the Delaware River Basin, and Lower Manhattan. Since 2005, when ‘fracking’ was exempted from the Safe Drinking W

Christian Parenti on Tropic of Chaos: Climate Change and the New Geography of Violence Special Event sponsored by the Pratt Faculty Union (UFCT 1460) Monday, September 26, 2011 6:30 Alumni Reading Room, 3rd Floor, Pratt Library Please join the Pratt Faculty Union (UFCT 1460) for a special presentation by Christian Parenti, investigative journalist, contributing editor at The Nation, Puffin Foundation Writing Scholar at The Nation Institute, and visiting scholar at the Brookl