An Act to establish comprehensive rights and career advancement for contingent faculty in public higher education

This bill establishes minimum standards for contingent faculty (part-time instructors paid per course without tenure) at Massachusetts public colleges and universities. It mandates equal pay to full-time faculty for equivalent work, 2-year contracts after four semesters, 45-day course assignment notices, and late-cancellation pay. The bill also creates a three-tier career advancement system with clear paths to higher pay and security based on teaching experience, plus requirements for departmental inclusion and professional development funding. It specifically eliminates pay disparities between day and continuing education divisions within two years.