RANDOLPH, NJ—The County College of Morris (CCM) chapter of the United Adjunct Faculty of New Jersey (UAFNJ) has established a new grant fund to support union members in scholarly and professional development. This fund, titled The James Baccaro Adjunct Faculty Travel Grant, exists to serve union members who are actively engaged in scholarship, creative, or professional activities pertaining to their academic discipline.
Julian Costa, secretary-treasurer of the CCM chapter, established this grant fund as part of the Chapter’s new initiatives in growth and development. “I wanted to develop something that would allow our chapter to invest in its members,” said Costa. “This way, the union can do more than advocate for its members: we can support their growth as professionals and scholars.”
The grant fund was named in memory of James Baccaro, who was the CCM chapter president since its incorporation in 2009. Baccaro, who was a graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University and long-time employee of the Xerox Corporation, taught in the Business Department at County College of Morris from 1986 until his death in 2018.
The first recipient of this fund is Lisa Mathus, adjunct professor of Mathematics at County College of Morris. Mathus, who has taught at CCM since 2008, and currently teaches algebra and calculus for the Mathematics Department. Mathus was instrumental in the establishment of the ALICE Scholarship, which is a joint effort between the United Way and CCM-UAFNJ. Funding from the Baccaro Grant will allow her to participate in the fundraising events used to generate monies for the ALICE Scholarship.
For more information about The James Baccaro Adjunct Faculty Travel Grant, please contact Julian Costa at jcosta@ccm.edu. To learn more about the CCM Adjunct Faculty Federation, visit http://ccmuafnj.nj.aft.org.