**NOTE: UPDATES SECTION AT BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE**

*DONATIONS APPRECIATED BUT NOT REQUIRED AND SIGNATURES CAN BE PRIVATE, JUST UNCHECK THE BOX!**

__________________________________________________________

FOLLOW our Instagram: @SaveOurTechs [https://www.instagram.com/saveourtechs/]

Email your comments, testimonies and questions to: saveourtechs@gmail.com

#SAVEOURTECHS     #RESTORENCC     #RESTOREOURSERVICES

__________________________________________________________

ATTENTION CURRENT & PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, ALUMNI, & ALL CONCERNED RESIDENTS OF LONG ISLAND!!

THERE IS A MATTER OF GRAVE IMPORTANCE, WHICH URGENTLY CONCERNS ANYONE THAT IS A NY OR NASSAU COUNTY RESIDENT, A BELIEVER IN AN AFFORDABLE QUALITY EDUCATION, SUPPORTING WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, AND IN PRESERVING THE INTERGITY AND STANDARD OF LIVING OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

As of December 23rd, 2021 [12/23/21] Nassau Community College's administration has made the decision to relocate around 30 members of its fulltime faculty, the NCC Technologists, from their educational duties into the IT/ITS Dept. This means that the faculty providing tutoring and support in places like the Math Learning Center, and Writing Center, as well as various departments throughout NCC, will be removed from their posts. This is essentially the same as defunding the tutoring centers, as well as leaving several departments short-staffed, because they are removing full-time staff, who provide essential resources to the student body and support the professors in facilitating the learning experience for students.

This will undoubtedly have a negative experience on the student body and our learning experience. Studies have identified “Academic support (e.g., learning center, math lab, tutoring)” as one of the most effective strategies for student retention amongst both 2-year schools and 4-year schools, both public and private, and other studies show that academic/student support services significantly contribute to higher grades.

Due to the pandemic, Community Colleges across the nation have experienced severe budget cuts nationwide, with a proposed $46M in New York alone. The pandemic only exacerbated the problem, but these issues have been consistent for years, as public colleges and schools have long been subject to harsh budget cuts in the hundreds of millions over the past decade.

 

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT: 

Community College job training programs substantially increase participants’ earnings and, due to lower tuition costs, they typically provide a good return on public investment. A recent review of over 200 studies finds that job training, like the kind provided by community colleges, has long-term effects on employment, with some applicants making 44% higher earnings in certain programs, according to a recent article from the New York Times.

A 2018 study on SUNY schools (such as NCC) states that SUNY graduates account for 34% of the educated workforce and 1.5% of the entire workforce in all of New York State. Of that 34%, 54% of graduates earned Associate Degrees. Students typically see a return investment $8.17 for every $1 spent and there are over 1.7 million total SUNY graduates participating in the workforce. SUNY alumni earned $110B, or 16 percent, of all payroll earned by New York employees in 2016. SUNY `also produces $28.6 Billion, or 1.9%, of the gross NY State product, as well as supporting 179,400 jobs every year, both directly and indirectly. According to Investopedia, the education and training of a country's workforce is a major factor in determining how well the country's economy will perform. A country's economy becomes more productive as the proportion of educated workers increases, and greater higher education (both completion and attendance) results in faster economic growth than countries with less-educated workers. As studies show that academic support programs have an over 90% effective rate across all different school types (public/private), reduction in services will correlate to lower graduation rates, lower retention rates and a negative impact on the local economy. 

 

 After communicating with members of NCC faculty and staff, here are the facts.

THE BAD:

• NCC has not had an increase to its budget in 14 years. According to studies, most states have not recovered public school funding since the Great Recession.
• NCC has lost 1/3 of ​its teaching faculty in the last 7 years, with many positions left unfilled.
• Student enrollment at NCC has been on a decline over the past 12 years.
  Public Colleges have been subject to hundreds of million-dollar budgets cuts for years, which exacerbate the issue. 

                                       ABOUT THE TECHS

• There is 1 fulltime Technologist in the Engineering Dept. This 1 person is responsible for setting up labs for 5 programs: Physics, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Engineering Science, and Computer Repair Technology. Yet, this fulltime staff member is being removed from their department, though there is clearly a need for additional support. If the only person preparing the labs for 5 programs is removed, then who will provide support for these programs on their removal?
• There are 3 fulltime Technologists in the Math Department. Combined, these staff members provide a combined total of 101 hours of tutoring per week in the Math Learning Center in addition to part time staff. These Techs, some of whom have been employed over 15 years at NCC, are experienced in all levels of math, from introductory and especially up to advanced math from calculus and beyond. There is very active concern over how the removal of 101 hours of tutoring provided by these specialists will be replaced, and staff is not confident in the ability to provide support for advanced math courses.
• There is 1 full-time Technologist in the Writing Center (help with essays, papers, resumes, etc.). Administration claims that support for students will be unaffected, however on 12/14/21, during finals week, the Writing Center was closed and no one there during normal operating hours. If this is the case before relocation, what guarantee is there for maintaining services after relocation? How will students get the help they need?
• This decision impacts ALL departments with Technologists, including but not limited to: Art, Theatre, English, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and all Sciences.
• The majority, if not all, of all Department Chairs are in fierce opposition to this decision.
• Of about 40 Technologists, 11 were already assigned to the IT Dept. This was already the highest ratio of Technologists, compared to every other department. There is also a separate Distance Education Department, which has been unimpacted. So, why is there a need to remove all staff from the other departments that need it? What's the motive?
   
• There has been no official notice given to the students, informing them of this decision and the likely impact that will be had on their educational experience.  This is essentially being done behind the backs of the student body, as well the community.
   
• Staff was informed of this decision in the middle of the current academic year, with just barely 2 weeks of notice, during Finals Week, when faculty and student alike were too preoccupied to take full notice. The Student Government association was unavailable before January, and the Board of Trustees CANCELLED the Public Session of the last meeting of the entire semester. The was NO OPPORTUNITY provided by the college for students or staff to object, speak their minds and express concern.
• There are several budgetary concerns plaguing the school. For example, is an issue of asbestos and mold, inches thick in some places, in many of buildings. Many buildings are in need of renovation as well. There is a need for additional Technologists at Nassau, as well as additional staff and resources to adequately support the students.
• Other crucial student support services, like the LINCC (immersive English language) have been and or scheduled to be cut.
   

THE GOOD:

• The dedicated faculty and staff of NCC is committed to providing the best possible experience to its students!!
• With help from people like you, students, and members of the community, we can use public pressure and support to make administration listen!
• There is an ongoing legal battle to fight to turnover this decision. But that may not be enough! We need your support to fight back! Let’s put the COMMUNITY back in Nassau Community College.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION!! SPREAD THIS INFO AROUND!!
  Send an email to SAVEOURTECHS@GMAIL.COM and JOIN OUR MAILING LIST (no spam, we promise!)
• Follow our Instagram Account @SaveOurTechs [https://www.instagram.com/saveourtechs/]
• Have you or anyone you know ever attended Nassau Community College?? Whether it was one class, one semester, one year or you got your degree, if Nassau has made a positive impact on you, PLEASE send testimony, video or written statement, of how Nassau Community College, especially its tutoring centers, has benefitted you! We need to hear from the community. Please send testimonies, and information requests to our email or Instagram page.

 

__________________________________________________________

UPDATES SECTION!! THIS SECTION IS WHERE ALL UPDATES WILL BE POSTED. INFO WILL BE UPDATED AS INFORMATION COMES OUT
__________________________________________________________

****UPDATE 3 [AS OF 12/23/21]****

As of December 23rd, the Technologists have received no communication or instructions from their new ITS supervisor, and no explanation of their new duties, though this is their official start date in the ITS Dept. The ITS office secretary was unavailable to be reached until 12/28/21, 5 days after the official start date. Administration has demanded that faculty leave their current posts, and report to this department on this date, yet no one is there receive them. Clearly, this shows there was no urgency in removing faculty from their posts at this time.  Yet this is justification for why our full-time educational staff has been removed from their posts of supporting the students? This is why the students lost 101 hours of fulltime support (in the Math Learning Center, alone)?

__________________________________________________________

****UPDATE 2 [AS OF 12/17/21]****

The Former President of Nassau Community College, Jermaine Williams, officially resigned from his position, 2 days after the Union released a Letter of Discontent requesting his removal. He has taken a position at Montgomery College in Maryland and could not be reached for comment. Links below.

NEWSDAY ARTICLE

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/education/ncc-president-resigns-1.50455112#:~:text=The%20president%20of%20Nassau%20Community,Maryland%2C%20also%20a%20community%20college

LETTER OF DISCONTENT LINK

https://nccft.org/2021/12/15/letter-of-discontent/

__________________________________________________________

****UPDATE 1 [AS OF 12/14/21]****

The Public Session of the Board of Trustees Meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, December 14th, 2021, allowing for the Technologists, professors, students, Department Chairs as well as the Union President and VP could speak out against this removal of staff and resources. However, the public session was CANCELLED on the day of the meeting in an attempt to silence our voices. In response, faculty hosted an unofficial session, so that the participants could make their opinions known. This is yet another example of the lack of transparency of the administration in regards to this decision, and the lack of accountability to its students and staff. Link to full video below.

WATCH: Speakers of CANCELLED 12-14-21 BOT MEETING

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJVXZUYlxp8

__________________________________________________________

END OF UPDATES
__________________________________________________________

email: saveourtechs@gmail.com

Instagram:@SaveOurTechs [https://www.instagram.com/saveourtechs/]

#SAVEOURTECHS