Dear colleague,
We are all aware of the accelerating cuts to federal support of research and education, as well as the increasing restrictions on our non-citizen colleagues and students. These attacks on academic freedom and funding make it all the more necessary that we have a state government that fully supports our university, our students, and our unions.
The primary election for the next governor and our state assembly is June 10, with mail-in voting happening now and early-voting June 3-8. See here for more information and to find your polling location. This is the first state election without the “county line” ballot. The new, fairer ballots have given the state an opportunity to break free of machine politics, and we strongly encourage all our members who are citizens in the state to vote for their preferred candidate in the primary.
Our unions have endorsed Newark Mayor Ras Baraka as the Democratic candidate. You can read our endorsement here. We hope you will take the unions’ endorsement into consideration when voting. We believe he is the candidate who will do the most for the state and for our unions on the key issues that matter to our members: academic freedom, defense of immigrants, housing, health care, and higher ed funding. If you are interested in supporting the Baraka campaign, please join us at a Get-Out-the-Vote rally in Jersey City on June 7.
Our unions are engaged in electoral politics because decisions made in the State House affect our university, our members, and our students. Right now, the proposed state budget for 2026 contains a $65 million cut to the Rutgers budget, including $11 million in cuts to our Camden campus and $27 million in cuts to the outcomes-based allocation, which was negotiated as part of our last contract. The budget also reduces funding for research and medical centers. See the full list of proposed cuts here. At a time when the federal government is slashing support for basic science and the National Institutes of Health, we cannot afford to have our state do the same.
The proposed cuts are not yet law. We have until the end of June to roll them back. Our unions are down in Trenton lobbying our elected representatives. The calls and messages from our members are making a difference. This Wednesday, June 4, we will be back in Trenton rallying for a health care bill that will both improve access for our members and save the state $1 billion. If you wish to get involved over the next few weeks, register here.
Our unions and our university are facing many threats. However, together we can win these fights. We ask those of you registered to vote in the state to participate in the primary election happening now. And join us in Trenton, or at the very least, call and message your elected leaders. Help us make it clear that now more than ever, the state needs to fully support its institutions of higher education and the people who make them work.
Sincerely,
In solidarity,
Rutgers AAUP-AFT and Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union
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