december 5, 2025
Newsletter Overview
Feature Story: Union Wins
Termination and Course Load Reduction Payments
December 15th Request to Teach Letter: Take Note and Do This Now
Paid Family Leave Update
Reps’ Corner: Understanding Course Load Reduction
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
UNION CAMPAIGNS:
OUR RIGHTS. OUR FIGHT.
Adjunct faculty are 50% of NYU’s teaching force. Our work, our expertise, and our mentorship are the foundation of NYU’s reputation. It’s time NYU honored our value with respect and recognition.
Our current campaigns for Paid Family Leave (PFL) and Microsoft Office offline access demand that NYU recognize the dignity of our work and our lives outside of the classroom.
NYU Confirms Restoration of Adjunct faculty Microsoft 365 Offline Access
Last week, NYU management unilaterally removed adjunct faculty's offline access to Microsoft 365, stripping essential teaching tools without prior notification. The denial of these basic resources was disruptive, disrespectful, and posed a material threat to our ability to execute our professional duties.
The union promptly organized a coordinated protest that drew nearly 100 adjunct faculty within 24 hours. NYU responded by characterizing the incident as an “accident” attributable to Microsoft. They are presently reacquiring the lapsed licenses and anticipate service will be restored shortly.
Irrespective of the cause, the speed of NYU’s reversal was a direct result of our protest. We made it clear that adjuncts will not accept disrespect or the loss of benefits, and that such actions will be met with an immediate, organized response.
Monday, December 15
Request to Teach Letter Due!
TAKE NOTE and DO THIS NOW!
For those who qualify, it is time to submit your Request for Reappointment letter (also known as the Request to Teach letter).
This letter requires the department to provide you with a reappointment letter by May 21, 2026 (or March 21, 2027, for Summer 2027) that lays out your Fall, Winter, and Spring Academic Year 2026-2027 appointments.
You acquire or maintain reappointment rights if you taught at least one course in the same department in any two semesters in 2025-2026 and 2024-2025 or one course in the same department in one semester for each of the prior four academic years.
- If you are unsure whether you qualify, send the letter anyway.
- If your director or chairperson told you you don’t need to send it, send it anyway.
- Send a separate letter to every department, division, or school you taught at in 2025-2026.
- If your qualifying semester is in Spring or Summer 2026, send the letter.
Always send a letter!
How to Send Your Request to Teach Letter
Use this template when composing your letter.
Send the letter to the person who communicates with you about your courses, and/or the chair of your department(s)
You must submit a letter for each department where you teach.
Click here for more information.
The letter is due December 15, 2025 (with a ten-business-day grace period), but there is no reason not to submit it immediately.
IMPORTANT: Please keep a copy of your letter and the recognition of receipt from your department so that you have a record in case there is any dispute with the administration down the road.
PAID FAMILY LEAVE: NO MORE EXCUSES
On November 17, we presented NYU leadership with seven powerful testimonies showing the financial and emotional harm caused by NYU’s lack of PFL. We presented the data: PFL benefits faculty, students, and the institution itself, all at a minimal cost.
NYU promotes values like equity and kindness. Providing PFL is the test of that commitment.
We delivered our formal request for a PFL side letter and demanded a response by December 5th.
NYU’s response was a stall tactic: “We will need more time.”
This delay is unacceptable. NYU’s failure to act continues to harm its faculty. We gave them a firm deadline to schedule a meeting before the break: Monday, December 8 at noon.
TAKE ACTION TO WIN PFL
SIGN THE OPEN LETTER: Join almost 600 faculty demanding PFL! Fill out this form to add your name to this letter.
SUBMIT A TESTIMONIAL: Let NYU hear your story.
Scroll to the bottom of our PFL page for the submission form.
Video (Highly Recommended): Follow the guide. Keep it real!
Written: Google Doc + high-res JPG.
Understanding Course Load Reduction
In each newsletter we answer common questions. In this issue we focus on understanding course load reduction.
As one semester is drawing to a close and another is set to begin, it is important to understand course load reduction. If the number of courses you are assigned for academic year 2025-26 (September 1 - August 31) is less than what you are due under Article X of the contract, then NYU must provide you with course load reduction pay.
Your average course load is determined based on the number of courses that you taught in at least two semesters of the two previous consecutive academic years or in one semester each of the previous four consecutive academic years. For example, if you were appointed to four courses in each of the two previous academic years (2023 - 2024 and 2024 - 2025) and have recently learned that one of your courses for the spring was canceled, giving you an appointment to three courses for the academic year 2025 - 2026, then you are entitled to course load reduction pay for one course. This assumes that you are not appointed to the lost course in summer 2026. (Summer appointment letters are due by March 21, 2026).
If you received a reappointment letter for Academic Year 2025 - 2026 for your fall 2025, winter 2026, and spring 2026 courses and have since been informed of a change in the number of courses that you will be appointed to, you may be due course load reduction pay. This is if any of your originally appointed classes were canceled for a reason other than insufficiency of registration or curriculum change.
NOTE: You will only receive course load reduction pay if all three conditions are met:
Your total course load for academic year 2025-26 is reduced from the course load you have earned Reappointment Rights for;
You have taught in the same department at least 1 semester in the previous 4 academic years or you have taught in the same department at least 2 semesters in the previous 2 academic years.
Additionally, if your course was cancelled, you should have received a notification from your department chair or director. This letter should indicate whether you will receive course load reduction pay.
Be sure to email your department chair or director indicating that you accept the course load reduction pay within 30 days of receiving your appointment letter for Winter 2026, or Spring 2026 semesters.
TO REPEAT: Failure to respond to your department’s email concerning your teaching schedule and/or your course load reduction payout within the 30 day window will result in a loss of the payment.
Monday
dec. 8
Organizing Committee Meeting
1:00-2:30 pm
The OC works to build community, solidarity, and collective power among adjuncts across the many schools of NYU. We welcome your energy, skills, and ideas, as we work together to make our union better.
wednesday
dec. 10
NYU Adjunct Social
from 5-7:30pm
Come grab a drink and get to know fellow NYU Adjuncts at Vol de Nuit, a bar near the Washington Square Park campus (148 West 4th Street, entrance inside the courtyard; there is no sign!).
Attend to meet colleagues, ask questions, bring up any concerns you have, and learn how to get involved with our union’s organizing efforts.
We hope you will join us! But, if you can’t make this one, we will be holding socials each month.
Please pass the invitation along to your colleagues.
thursday
dec. 11
Last Day of Fall Semester Classes
friday
dec. 12
Membership Meeting
at 2:00pm
Our Local-wide Membership Meeting will be held Friday December 12th at 2pm at The New School and on zoom. It is really important that NYU members register in advance for in person attendance (by Dec 11 at 6PM), and bring along your NYU ID
You’re Invited!
When:
Friday December 12th
| 2:00pm for food & mingling |
| Meeting called to order 2:20pm |
Where:
The New School, Wollman Hall
65 W 11th St, 5th Floor
& ZOOM
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Tentative Agenda
Gathering & Refreshments - 2:00 pm
Meeting Called to Order - 2:20 pm
Financial Report
President’s Report
Chair Reports
Member Issues / Time for Proposals / Q&A
monday
dec. 15
Request to Teach Letters Due!
monday
dec. 15
Joint Council Meeting
at 3:00pm
The next meeting of the Joint Council will be Monday, December 15 at 3pm EST. Joint Council Meetings are open for Rank and File members (i.e. not on the Joint Council) to observe! Rank and File members need only to register to receive an observer link to the meeting.
As always, we encourage member attendance to observe so they know what’s going on with their union! Please register in advance (registration link forthcoming) so we can confirm your membership and send you the Zoom link.