Executive Council Representative for Faculty (three open seats)
Manu Chander
Associate Professor, English
Having served as a Department Representative and as a member of the Newark Chapter Executive Committee, I welcome the opportunity to participate more actively in the larger, university-wide work of the Union. I am especially committed to the Union as an organization necessary to fighting for social justice, including fair working conditions for those systemically disadvantaged because of race, gender, sexuality, and disability.
Michele Gittelman
Associate Professor, Rutgers Business School
I am seeking the nomination for Newark Faculty Representative to the Executive Council. In the past year, I have had the privilege of serving on the Newark Chapter Leadership Committee, as well as faculty representatives for the Business School. I have also been working with the EC Budget committee. I am committed to the AAUP project of defending our core educational and research mission, coalition building, and fighting for equity across the campuses. I bring skills relating to strategic planning, budgeting, and translating our core values into messaging across diverse constituencies. I hope to continue to contribute the AAUP on the EC. Thank you.
Sean Mitchell
Associate Professor, Sociology and Anthropology
I wish to continuing serving on the Executive Council so that I can continue working for the interests of faculty and graduate workers, and so that I can continue working to build solidarity in our struggle for the common good.
Executive Council Representatives for Graduate Workers (two open seats, three candidates)
Alexandra Adams (updated candidate’s statement below)
Graduate Worker, Biological Sciences
If you’re someone that’s been very connected to our union in recent years, you may know me as one of the Executive Council members, one of the first elected grad steering committee members, one of the founders and chairs of Rutgers Grads United and the International Student Working Group, or the co-chair of the bargaining team during our recent negotiations with Rutgers management over the (retracted) fiscal emergency, which won an agreement that saved jobs and opened up an avenue for grads to receive an extension of their funding to cover time lost during the pandemic. If you’re from Newark, you may know me as a strike captain during the last contract campaign, department representative to the union, facilitator of the biology student leadership, or GSGA’s union rep. Working with grads, for grads has been a passion of mine for my entire tenure at Rutgers. It’s also been my pleasure to represent the needs of grads with clarity to the greater union so that we can most effectively fight for them. It would be an honor to continue this work as a graduate representative for Newark in the Executive Council.
Miguel Diaz
Graduate Worker, Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience/Behavioral and Neural Sciences
In my 5 years as a PhD student at Rutgers, I have been a proud dues-paying AAUP-AFT member. However, more than anything, it was our last contract campaign that animated and ignited my involvement with the union. Joining our colleagues to protest a Board of Governor’s meeting and hearing the BOG’s finance-driven rhetoric was truly what led me to run for the EC and graduate steering committee last year. I look forward to continuing in this role with my memories of this struggle as fuel. As we enter a new contract campaign, I want to bring that fire to the EC and help to represent Rutgers Grads as consistently and thoroughly as possible. During COVID, I was involved in the CARES Act commission, which eventually led to the generation of “Rutgers Grads United” — a mechanism for amplifying the issues that ALL grads face (including fellows, IAs, and others not formally covered by the union). I remain involved in the organizing that led to the substantial (but not substantial enough!) wins for grads in our recent MOA victory. I am ready to push harder for more grads to receive the support they need in our next contract.
Ihsan Al-Zouabi
Graduate Worker, School of Criminal Justice
I want to continue working with grad workers, the EC, and larger membership towards an equitable contract that elevates the working conditions of all involved units across campuses. This desire is informed by my experience as a department representative and EC member over the past pandemic year.
Chapter Leadership Committee (two seats)
Frank Edwards
Assistant Professor, School of Criminal Justice
I deeply believe in the power of academic unions to improve working conditions and ensure the quality and accessibility of public higher education. As a former steward from my Graduate Student union (UAW 4121), I’m eager to take a more active role in supporting the amazing work that our union has accomplished since I joined RU-N.
Mayte Green-Mercado
Associate Professor, History
I am honored to have been nominated to serve in the Newark Faculty Leadership Committee. Since arriving at Rutgers-Newark four years ago, I have been inspired by the extraordinary efforts of our union in protecting the working conditions of all, especially during this past year. As a member of the Leadership Committee, I am committed to continuing to organize and strengthen our Newark chapter, and to defend the interests of all union members.
Chapter Leadership Committee – Graduate Worker Position (one open seat)
Abid Haque
Graduate Worker, Biological Sciences
I’m a 5th year PhD candidate and Teaching Assistant at the Department of Biological Sciences at Newark. I serve as the co-chair for the International Students Working Group, and also as my department’s representative for the union. As a member of the Chapter Leadership Committee for Newark, I aim to bring graduate student voices and international students’ concerns to the forefront, as we aim for just and equitable working conditions for graduate student workers. I have experience in working with a group of dedicated union leaders, both student and faculty, in holding the university management accountable for allowing remote work and providing emergency funding to international students during the COVID pandemic. As we move towards a safe reopening and the 2022 contract campaign, I will serve as an upstream link from Newark’s graduate students to the union leadership and a downstream link from the union to the graduate student community.