After voting to unionize in June 2025 through the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 509, the Simmons Adjunct Union is currently negotiating its first contract with the university. The union has also received official support through a resolution passed by the Student Government Association (SGA).
Following a bargaining survey among adjunct faculty to refine priorities, the union now holds biweekly bargaining sessions with the university administration.
During their scheduled meeting on April 1, the two parties exchanged proposals. Simmons administrators offered a counterproposal to the union’s request for higher base pay and cost-of-living adjustments, suggesting a 1% annual wage increase effective in July.
Sarah Phenix, an adjunct professor who has taught in the Biology department for 14 years, highlighted the low pay for adjunct faculty, noting in an interview with the Voice that she earns $3,850 per course. She explained that the administration’s proposed 1% raise amounts to only an additional $38.50 for her.
“When you come to the bargaining table, you expect there to be a negotiation, and each side gives and takes, which we’ve been doing,” said Jennifer Eno, an adjunct professor for the School of Management.
Eno said the union had presented a thoroughly researched proposal based on comparable universities, which the administration “did not redline and rewrote entirely.”
“Really, [the counterproposal] was the first time that we all felt very disrespected, frankly, because our proposal was completely thrown out the window,” Eno said.
The Voice contacted Communications Director Laura Wareck for a follow-up statement on the counterproposal, but she did not respond.
The union countered the university’s offer at meeting on April 15, hoping to finalize a contract by May for the 2026-2027 academic year. In an update email to the Voice, the union stated that “the bargaining team presented our counter and eagerly awaits the University’s response.”
The Simmons adjunct union aims to negotiate for fair, competitive wages, contractual protections and more expanded benefits, according to their petition.
Simmons University Human Resources provided the following statement to the Voice: “Simmons University values the contributions of our adjunct faculty, whose dedication and commitment support and enrich the academic experience for our students. We are committed to negotiating in good faith with the goal of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement that is aligned with our shared commitment to academic excellence. We appreciate the thoughtful engagement of all parties and remain committed to a collaborative, constructive dialogue.”
According to their community support letter, adjunct faculty are paid below a living wage and “lack course support and benefits like transportation passes or free parking.”
“When you do the math of how much we are paid per course, I’m paid $200 to teach a course each week,” Eno said, comparing the wage to hours spent by “in-class teaching, class prep time, the grading and the prep time before the semester even starts.”
Phenix shared her parking totals. “I spent $2,200 on parking last year, so after a full year, the university has almost gotten an entire course for free out of me.”
“Emmanuel charges adjuncts a flat rate of $56/semester to park, and I know this because I taught there this past fall.”
Phenix and Eno also stressed the issue of gender pay disparity within a women-centered institution.
Phenix pointed out that the School of Social Work, one of Simmons’ largest and most profitable departments due to high enrollment, is also one of the lowest-paid, creating “a disparity where the educators for female-dominated fields earn less, which contradicts Simmons’ stated mission of equity and empowerment.”
“There are five times more women than men adjuncts at Simmons,” said Eno. “Not only are adjuncts the majority of teachers, but women are the majority of adjuncts, overwhelmingly – hence the need for equity for women as the mission of Simmons’ states.”
Both faculty members felt the university’s actions sent a message about its priorities. Phenix argued that by “drastically underpaying adjuncts,” the administration is “making a statement about not only how they value adjuncts, but also how they value the education that they’re selling to students.”
Chana Lockerman, an adjunct in the School of Social Work, emphasized the positive impact fair treatment has on an instructor’s ability to support students.
“It’s okay for us to show up for students and for ourselves at the same time,” Lockerman said. “When I feel like I’m treated fairly, I’m showing up for you in a way that feels even better than just showing up and being treated poorly.”
The union members have found significant support from the student body. Phenix expressed how heartwarming it was to see the response the union has gotten. “It’s so great to see that the students value us just as much as we value them,” she said.
The Simmons Student Government Association (SGA) passed a resolution written by Kusumita Savaram, 2025-2026 SGA president, supporting the adjunct faculty in “bargaining over key issues in the 2026 platform,” and urging Simmons to “agree to a contract that fulfills adjuncts’ priorities.”
SGA approval for the resolution was unanimous, with votes cast by the senate, house representatives from every student organization and the executive board.
“We all participate in a student experience that’s made better because of the adjunct faculty, and we owe so much of the student and campus experience to them,” said Savaram.
Savaram said she wants to raise awareness for the union’s work and express student opinion to the administration. She explained that the SGA was motivated to put forward an official document that they could point to, saying the majority, if not all, students support the resolution.
The SGA remains committed to maintaining communication between students and the adjunct union. “If this year’s SGA passes a resolution, next year’s SGA also has to abide by it, so it’s less of a volunteer basis thing and more of a long-term commitment to support,” Savaram said.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
UPDATE: April 22, 2026
An update was made to cover the April 15 meeting regarding the upcoming contract.
CORRECTION: April 28, 2026
A correction was made regarding who wrote the SGA resolution discussed in the article. All other content remains the same.
