Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H1434 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2545 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1434
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Carmine Lawrence Gentile
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act establishing the public higher education contingent faculty reform pilot program.
13	13	_______________
14	14	PETITION OF:
15	15	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Carmine Lawrence Gentile13th Middlesex1/16/2025Lindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire1/23/2025James C. Arena-DeRosa8th Middlesex2/11/2025Patricia D. JehlenSecond Middlesex2/13/2025Danillo A. Sena37th Middlesex1/31/2025 1 of 5
16	16	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2545 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
17	17	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1434
18	18	By Representative Gentile of Sudbury, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1434) of
19	19	Carmine Lawrence Gentile and others for legislation to establish a public higher education
20	20	contingent faculty reform pilot program. Higher Education.
21	21	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
22	22	_______________
23	23	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
24	24	(2025-2026)
25	25	_______________
26	26	An Act establishing the public higher education contingent faculty reform pilot program.
27	27	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
28	28	of the same, as follows:
29	29	1 SECTION 1. Chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
30	30	2Edition, is hereby amended by adding the following section:-
31	31	3 Section 45. (a) There shall be established a faculty advancement pilot program to
32	32	4evaluate strategies for improving contingent faculty working conditions and career pathways at
33	33	5public institutions of higher education.
34	34	6 (b)For purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following
35	35	7meanings:-
36	36	8 "Contingent faculty member", an instructor at a public institution of higher education
37	37	9who: (i) teaches at least 2 courses per academic year; (ii) is compensated on a per-course basis;
38	38	10and (iii) is not in a tenure-track position. 2 of 5
39	39	11 "Pilot institution", a public institution of higher education selected to participate in the
40	40	12pilot program established by this section.
41	41	13 "Program", the faculty advancement pilot program established pursuant to subsection (a).
42	42	14 (c)The board shall select 3 pilot institutions through a competitive application
43	43	15process, including:
44	44	16 (1)1 community college;
45	45	17 (2)1 state university; and
46	46	18 (3)1 campus of the University of Massachusetts.
47	47	19 (d)Each pilot institution shall test specific reforms including:
48	48	20 (1)Career Advancement Framework:
49	49	21 (i)Creation of two advancement tiers for contingent faculty;
50	50	22 (ii)Clear criteria for movement between tiers;
51	51	23 (iii)Professional development opportunities;
52	52	24 (iv)Internal pathways to full-time positions.
53	53	25 (2)Working Conditions Improvements:
54	54	26 (i)Earlier course assignments when feasible;
55	55	27 (ii)Shared office space for student meetings;
56	56	28 (iii)Access to departmental resources; 3 of 5
57	57	29 (iv)Inclusion in departmental communication.
58	58	30 (3)Limited Benefit Testing:
59	59	31 (i)Pro-rated health insurance access for faculty teaching 50% or more of full-time
60	60	32load;
61	61	33 (ii)Professional development funding;
62	62	34 (iii)Technology access support.
63	63	35 (e)There shall be established a pilot program oversight committee consisting of:
64	64	36 (1)The commissioner of higher education or designee, who shall serve as chair;
65	65	37 (2)1 representative from each pilot institution;
66	66	38 (3)3 undergraduate student members, appointed by the board;
67	67	39 (4)3 contingent faculty members, appointed by the board;
68	68	40 (5)The State Auditor or designee;
69	69	41 (6)1 representative of the Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts;
70	70	42 (7)1 representative of the American Federation of Teachers;
71	71	43 (8)1 representative of the Massachusetts Teachers Association;
72	72	44 (9)1 member with expertise in higher education employment appointed by the
73	73	45commissioner of higher education.
74	74	46 (f)The oversight committee shall: 4 of 5
75	75	47 (1)Monitor implementation costs and feasibility;
76	76	48 (2)Evaluate specific metrics including:
77	77	49 (i)Faculty retention and satisfaction;
78	78	50 (ii)Administrative efficiency;
79	79	51 (iii)Educational continuity;
80	80	52 (iv)Cost implications;
81	81	53 (v)Implementation challenges.
82	82	54 (3)Submit annual reports to the secretary of education, commissioner of higher
83	83	55education, and the House and Senate chairs of joint committee on higher education analyzing:
84	84	56 (i)Program effectiveness;
85	85	57 (ii)Scalability considerations;
86	86	58 (iii)Budget impacts;
87	87	59 (iv)Recommended modifications.
88	88	60 (g)Subject to appropriation, there shall be established the Faculty Advancement Pilot
89	89	61Fund:
90	90	62 (1)Initial funding not to exceed $2,000,000 annually;
91	91	63 (2)Distributed through matching grants to pilot institutions;
92	92	64 (3)Used specifically for: 5 of 5
93	93	65 (i)Program administration;
94	94	66 (ii)Direct faculty support;
95	95	67 (iii)Data collection and evaluation.
96	96	68 (h)Pilot institutions shall:
97	97	69 (1)Provide matching funds of at least 25%;
98	98	70 (2)Submit detailed expenditure reports;
99	99	71 (3)Participate in program evaluation;
100	100	72 (4)Share implementation findings.
101	101	73 SECTION 2. The board shall:
102	102	74 (a)Promulgate regulations within 180 days of passage;
103	103	75 (b)Select pilot institutions through competitive process;
104	104	76 (c)Begin implementation by July 1, 2025;
105	105	77 (d)Submit preliminary report by July 1, 2026;
106	106	78 (e)Submit final recommendations by December 31, 2027.
107	107	79 SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall expire on June 30, 2028.