Dear colleague,
We are saddened to tell you that we have lost one of the several people still at Rutgers who helped found our Rutgers unions more than half a century ago.
Bob Boikess, a Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, who passed away last weekend, came to Rutgers in 1968, and he was a member from our union’s beginnings in 1970, when we were one of the first public higher education unions with a collective bargaining agreement for full-time faculty.
Bob came to Rutgers with union in his blood through his parents and upbringing. His tenacity in defense of members was legendary; our archives contain many of his blistering messages to the administration as a leader of both our union and the University Senate.
He was always a stalwart union voice. Bob could identify issues to challenge within his own department but also question whether the same problems existed elsewhere, helping to bring them to light when they did. His commitment to building solidarity across ranks showed through in everything he did. You can read reminiscences about Bob from former students, colleagues, and friends on our union Facebook page.
Bob’s family is planning a memorial and celebration of his life at a later date. If you would like to know the details when they are set, please reply to this email.
Among many other positions in our union, Bob chaired the Bargaining Committee in three rounds of negotiations, and he served on that committee many more times. He was an Executive Council member for almost all of the last 40 years, a grievance counselor to members (with many successful outcomes), and a participant in numerous union committees, including the Academic Freedom Committee.
Bob was elected to the University Senate during many of those same years, where he was a champion of academic freedom and shared governance (two pillars of our union). He was active on the Senate Executive Committee at the time of his passing. In his department, he served as chair and GPD in the 1980s and 1990s. He participated in many University committees over the years and authored several widely used chemistry textbooks.
Bob let anyone who interacted with him know exactly what he thought. We know that his bluntness led to polarized discussions at times. But there was never any doubt about his unequivocal commitment to our union and its members—and to the best interests of Rutgers as an institution of public higher education.
We will miss him. ¡Bob Boikess, presente!
In solidarity,
Rebecca Givan, President, Rutgers AAUP-AFT
Heather Pierce, President, Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union
Patrick Nowlan, Executive Director, Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters
BJ Walker, Senior Staff Representative for Grievance/Enforcement, Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters